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 Go Around
Lee Seung-hwan; Life Information Books; 259 pp., 12,000 won
What do 20-somethings look like today? The book starts with this question. The 20-somethings in Korea are an odd group called the ``880,000-won generation,'' a popular phrase that refers to low-paid non-regular workers who earn about 880,000 won (net pay) a month, a new lost generation in Korea.
The author said that this generation, when in high school, believed their lives would be happy if they entered good universities. But after graduating, they are grinded by the hardship of unemployment. They just struggle to pay high university tuition fees and study as hard as they did in high school to find a job. Many university students and graduates are suffering from having to pay off loans for tuition while attending university and after graduation.
Despite all these difficulties, the book said that the generation should go forward and confront reality instead of avoiding it, and find solutions to why society has gone wrong.
-Chung Ah-young
 One Day, A Letter Came From Paris
Park Jae-eun; Nangman Books; 320 pp., 13,800 won
There are numerous travel guide books about Paris, but they are mostly filled with information about the shopping malls, restaurants and museums.
But this book sheds light on the city from the author's unique perspective. The author depicts the city from the view of Parisians rather than foreign travelers with a mixture of their way of thinking and how they spend their time.
The writer said that the biggest virtue of the city was that Parisians don't hide their feelings, and show their lives to others as most Koreans do.
``For me, Paris is the city that is lonely sometimes but helps develop a unique taste,'' the author says.
The book contains 300 photos and features winery tours in 32 articles and 10 columns. The tourist attractions it recommends include Montparnasse, Saint Germain des Pres and Marche aux Puce Vanve.
The author also introduces the artificial sand beach alongside the bank of River Seine on which people sunbathe.
-Chung Ah-young
 Korea's Indie Labels
Park Jun-heum et al; Seon Publications: 488 pp.,23,000 won
The book ``Korea's Indie Labels'' is the third in a series of books by culture critic Park Jun-heum regarding the indie music scene in Korea.
The first and second carried the 100 best indie albums and artists respectively, and the third offers indie music companies and its presidents who work night and day to produce the best indie band in Korea.
Thanks to indie bands such as Jang Ki-ha and Faces, the scene has seen a boost in recent years. The writer features the current situation, along with the reason for the soaring popularity.
The book also offers an in depth view of the 39 indie labels in Korea in chronological order, including Stoneage Records from 1996, Master Plan from 1999, Riverman Music from 2001 and FarGo Music that started in 2007.
For indie fans, ``Korea's Indie Labels'' will work as a guide to the history of the local indie music scene, while it will also work as an educational book for everyone who is interested in the local industry.
-Han Sang-hee
 Greeting With Love
Jeong Yong-cheol; Positive Thinking: 404 pp., 10,000 won
``Positive Thinking'' is a popular monthly publication that presents an anecdote for each day of the month. It can be described as the Korean equivalent of "Chicken Soup for the Soul''; readers contribute heartwarming stories and share messages of hope and love.
Now available in stores is a pocket-sized volume titled ``Greeting With Love'' that covers the whole year.
The author, who founded ``Positive Thinking,'' presents quick one-minute reads for each day of the year. Each day/page features a particular theme, along with a related quote by a famous person and a short prose segment offering some food for thought. At the bottom of each page are questions that you can mull over for the rest of the day.
The Nov. 14 page, for example, is titled ``Thoughts and Feelings.'' ``If you bear a green branch in your heart a chirping bird will come and sit upon it,'' it says, quoting a Chinese proverb. The author says that thoughts and feelings are connected, and preaches the importance of positive thinking. He invites the reader to ponder ``What kind of tree branch grows in your heart?''
-Lee Hyo-won |
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무디스, 스페인·伊·포르투갈 신용등급 강등
