World Book Day – what we are reading, and what books mean to us.
Today, on April 23rd, we celebrate World Book Day, and the beauty of literature! Books are so powerful, they have the ability to absorb us into different worlds, take us on adventures, and influence the way we think. Reading allows your imagination to be set free. It helps to broaden your horizon, gain knowledge, improve your memory and it can be a strong inspiration. Reading is valuable me-time, the tranquility that accompanies a good book can reduce stress and bring inner peace. Get inspired, get carried away – here are some thoughts and recommendations from the YUN Journal team.
Jiyoon Yun
Whether fiction or non-fiction, books always reflect an author’s thoughts and philosophy. I have an inquiring mind on everything and reading books satisfies my curiosity. It always feels good for me to listen to others’ thoughts and lives, helping me achieve a wider perspective. My reading inspiration comes from a popular Korean liberal arts enthusiast and movie critic who discusses one selected book with an author in his weekly podcast. Most of time, I buy books in store (even though there are bunch of cheap deals online). There is almost a ritual in buying books, how the touch and feel the book makes me feel before I make the decision to purchase it. It may sound nerdy but it’s important to find the perfect one, the book that is not crushed on any edge and the love to be the first person to open it. I love the smell of paper and the texture of it in my hands when reading.
A book that shaped my life is The Course of Love by Alain de Botton. When a couple fall in love, we all know the excitement of love’s early days and call this love. We aren’t curious about the next step. By following a couple – Rabih and Kristen – in this novel, from their infatuation for each other to their (sometimes) chancy married life, I finally realized that real love is not in the falling, but what comes after. I had an epiphany that love is an endless exploration of understanding one another, rather than just an early enthusiasm.
My reading recommendation is Arita / Table of contents. As a celebration of the 400th anniversary of traditional Japanese porcelain manufacturing in Arita, this book charts collaborations between 16 contemporary designers and 10 Arita porcelain manufacturers. Besides of a short introduction of the dramatic history of Arita which became one of the most famous japanese porcelain producing sites, it’s enjoyable to follow each designer’s process of porcelain-making, from creating a concept to developing the design with various production methods and testing. By combining Arita’s manufacturing skills with the Netherland’s design sensibility, final pieces became original, innovative and contemporary. You’ll appreciate these breathtaking collections following more than 500 illustrations and pictures. It was a delightful moment to experience its long heritage and the meaningful design pieces by a good mixture of ancient and modern masters.
Hyejin Park
I have always liked reading and basically adore everything related to books. Of course each book wows me with its content, but I always appreciate a book’s design, the flipping sound of paper and the quiet alone time while reading books. For new books to read, I value other people’s lists. Once I get a satisfying reading experience, then I tend to stick to that recommendation list which is usually from the corner of a favorite magazine or through social media. I mainly shop in offline bookstores because I love the atmosphere there, but recently started to use online bookstores more often.
A book that shaped my life is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I first read this book during the literature class back when I was a university student. This book made me think about ‘human nature’ on a very deep level, and I realized how complicated each one of us is, and it made me try to understand the world a little more differently.
My reading recommendation is The Theory of Light and Matter by Andrew Porter. Very short synopsis: It is a love story about you wanting to stay, but eventually having to leave. I love it, because I like sad stories! I think our life is not always a continuation of happy days. We rather get frustrated, we cry, and get disappointed a lot. There are moments we do not even know how to explain our feelings, and this story speaks for them. It’s a short story that depicts the not-so-bright-side of our lives and it shows that with a very elegant storyline.”
Anika Paulus
I love to read books as they take me to different places, thoughts and ideas. Reading calms me in hectic days, serves as inspiration, helps me to focus, and shape my thoughts and words. I love the gift of the written word, to smell the print, feel the pages, consume the texts, and with each book read I get hungry for more. I’m truly happy that there are so many more out there. I get inspiration for new books in bookstores or the neighborhood flea market, or through recommendations from friends. I love taking my time and browsing through the books, reading, touching them, before I take them home.
A book that shaped my life is basically everything I read from Astrid Lindgren, her stories and characters accompanied me all through my childhood and had a huge influence on who I became. With the unique and strong characters she created, she gave kids a voice, and the right to speak, always teaching me to be who I want to be, and that I have the strength in me to reach everything – no matter if girl or boy, woman or man! And this was so important, so empowering, especially as it was very rare in (children’s) books at the time. The fantastic, mystical, endless worlds she created in her books and adventures she carried me off to – it fueled my imagination, creativity, and ability to lose myself in a different world through a book
My reading recommendation is The White Book by Han Kan, a personal and powerful autobiographical meditation on the life and death of a newborn sister, who died two hours after her birth. Compiling a list of the white things that are in conversation with her sister’s life and death, the book is structured around those white things that then become a part of the rituals of mourning and remembering. I love it, because it is a beautiful and powerful book. It is a collection of thoughts, a fragmented and mysterious text, and in its entity, a brilliant book about grief. It is slow, tranquil, almost whispered. I loved the form and purpose, it became a thoughtful read, and triggered my own contemplation about life, and death.”
