Recent books

Korean Culture Genes

Ju Young-ha et al; Amor Mundi; 332 pp., 15,000 won

This book analyzes how Korean culture can reach other parts of the world through such diverse mediums as music, cinema and literature.

It finds the energy of Koreans in “cultural genes” that affect their spirits. From unique sentiments such as “jeong” meaning affection, collectiveness and “han” meaning to lament or sadness, to politeness, it explains various Korean characteristics that influence spirit and culture.

These cultural codes are found based in academic research such as philosophy, history and cultural content assessed by 10 professionals.

The writers include power bloggers renowned in their areas of specialty including Korean dramas, films, literature, K-pop and food.

The book is designed to explore the social and cultural characteristics of Koreans to better promote them to the world. The authors say that the cultural genes contain historical tradition and social unity while changing over time and imitating others in the same cultural zone.

— Chung Ah-young

Anavea

Park Ja-yeon; Econ Publishing; 304 pp., 14,000 won

Park Ja-yeon worked in Kenya for a year from 2007 as a volunteer with the Child Development Program of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which has changed its name to the Korea NGO Council for Overseas Development Cooperation (KCOC), while looking for a job after graduating from the College of Law at Ewha Womans University.

While staying with the Rendille tribe in Korr, northern Kenya, Park began to pay more attention to the tribe’s self-reliance which led her to founding non-governmental organization Hope is Education in 2008.

The author, who was at a loss for words when the Rendille tribe greeted her saying “anavea,” which means hello in their native language, because she wasn’t even able to understand the meaning of such a basic greeting word, is now showing a new vision of international relief through this book.

Her dream finally became a reality and her NGO has obtained authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The organization is now supporting local teachers in Korr to provide more opportunities for children there.

— Baek Byung-yeul

Creating your best: Ultimate life list guide

Caroline Adams Miller, Michael B. Frisch; translated from English into Korean by Woo Moon-sik and Park Sun-ryung; Mulpure books: 420 pp., 16,500 won

Caroline Adams Miller’s books and work have been celebrated for two decades in publications ranging from The New York Times and World Report to dozens of media outlets including CNN.

Happy people have a strong sense of personal agency and tend to set harder and more challenging goals, which gets them more of what they want in life.

“Creating your best,” co-written with Dr. Michael B. Frisch in 2001, is a research-based book on the topic of goals and happiness to help people draw out a map of their future. The guide gives 17 areas of life to construct priorities with from health, self-esteem, values, spiritual life, money and work to play, learning, creativity, love and friends and many more. It also allows readers to focus their time and energy on areas they find most important.

This book is recommended for those who wish to learn how to develop their own sense of self-efficacy, create powerful mastery experiences and have their environment work for them, not against them.

—Rachel Lee

Blood, Bones & Butter

Gabrielle Hamilton; Translated from English to Korean by Lee Si-a and Seung Young-jo; Dodeulsaegim: 528 pp., 15,000 won

New York-based chef Gabrielle Hamilton shares her life and her take on food in “Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef,” which was originally published in 2011 and recently translated into Korean.

She writes about her journey of becoming a chef from childhood and the travels that inspired her to become a restaurant owner-chef.

Hamilton recalls her memories of favorite kitchens — her childhood kitchen in a rural area where her mother made meals for the family; the kitchens in France, Greece and Turkey she has visited; the kitchen of her restaurant Prune in New York; and her mother-in-law’s Italian kitchen.

Her descriptions are heartfelt and mouth watering at the same time. She makes the readers want marinated lamb or an oval soft egg omelet.

The food memoir is to be adapted as a movie starring actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

— Kwon Mee-yoo