Recent Books

The Postman

Mun Dok-su; Translated from Korean to English by Brother Anthony of Taize from: Poetic Matrix Press: 84 pp., $20

The Postman, the landmark 500-line poem by Korea’s leading modernist poet Mun Dok-su, has at last been translated into English by veteran literature translator Brother Anthony of Taize.

Inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s painting “The Postman Joseph Roulin,” the poem is subtitled “I Want to Be Reborn as a Postman” and consists of six parts.

The piece provides epical portrayals of the tragedy of war, terror, massacres and other crimes against humanity in an experimental form.

Oh Se-young, emeritus professor of Seoul National University, says that “an old poet, showing the intense avant-garde spirit, freewheeling imagination, unhindered use of off-beat images, and poetic sensibility defying the existing grammar, rings a warning bell to the mannerism of our prematurely aging poetic society in the 21st century.”

The book includes not only his poem but also commentary and reviews by Oh and Lee Tae-dong, literary critic and emeritus professor of English literature at Sogang University, as well as endnotes and Mun’s biography.

Though written by the octogenarian poet, the poem retains a vivid young spirituality as it searches for truth, freedom and humanism. The translation reflects the poem’s actual experiences and consciousness.

-Chung Ah-young

The Piano That Doesn’t Sing
Chung Myung-wha; Illustrated by Kim Ji-hye; BIR Publishing: 42 pp., 16,000 won

Esteemed cellist and professor Chung Myung-wha has penned a storybook for children, which, naturally, is about music.

Kkot-byeol cannot help feeling left out _ her mother is preoccupied with the cello while her father is away at work, and even her sister Kkot-saem is always busy singing. No one is willing to play with her, and keeps telling her to play the piano. She wishes that music would disappear, and one day the piano and cello stop making sounds while her sister’s choir class is called off. Has her wish really come true?

Featuring delicate illustrations by Kim Ji-hye, the book preaches the importance of inspiring, rather than forcing, a connection with music and other hobbies or passions.

Chung, a mother of two daughters, said that parents must first discern children’s characteristics and areas of interest before introducing them to new activities.

The cellist hopes the book will inspire an appreciation for music. Chung said the book pays tribute to her two precious gifts in life, her children and music. When Chung experienced a slump in her 30s, her daughter asked her why she wasn’t playing the cello anymore, and helped her rediscover the meaning of music in her life.

-Lee Hyo-won

Bibimbap
Jhun Ji-young; Translated from Korean to English by Hanall; Leescom: 88 pp., 11,000 won

``Bibimbap’’ is without a doubt one of the most popular and famous dishes in Korean cuisine, but it’s quite hard to find a decent cookbook for it.

Understanding the need to introduce bibimbap to the international scene, culinary expert Jhun Ji-young has released a new book in four different languages.

The simple cookbook is divided into two sections: background information about the dish and 30 different recipes for bibimbap, from the basic traditional ones to creative and somewhat bizarre variations as well.

The bibimbap desserts will have readers wonder about the taste, as it gives a sweet twist to the original spicy and nutty bibimbap, while bibimbap pizza will probably be a good start to get a new twist to the traditional dish.

The book will be a handy resource as it includes colorful photos and easy-to-follow instructions in both Korean and other languages.

From advising on which type of rice to choose, to how to marinate the ingredients, the instructional book will turn anyone into a bibimbap expert, and inspire new ideas as well.
-Han Sang-hee

The Aging Picturebook
Takso; Book Nomad: 224 pp., 12,000 won

Takso, a former art director for advertising firms, is trying her hand at writing. Combining her fine-tuned aesthetics and varied life experiences around the world, the author creates not just any book, but a picture book made for those most worried by the question: ``How old are you?’’

Forget the birthday, Takso believes that the sagacity of adulthood comes not in years, but in understanding life and the world around you. Compiling 100 keywords _ accompanied by her distinctive Typo Art that features geometric figures and colorful letters _ the author works through the most important lessons she has learned over the years, whether it was from a book or from a friend.

Though some of these life epiphanies are simple regurgitations of clichés (``The present is a gift from God’’) others provide a more useful, humorous perspective: ``Angel vs. Devil: I am diverse inside.’’

The final keyword in the book is the most vital, however:``life.’’ But to find out what Takso really has to say, readers will have to first journey through the other 99 revelations, learning all the way.

-Ines Min