The weather has been nothing short of erratic in Seoul, swinging from torrential rain to searing heat. Amid such atmospheric unpredictability, there’s no better moment to retreat indoors with a stack of books. To help you do just that, The Korea Herald asked around for some summer reading recommendations.
The responses of the following figures, arranged alphabetically, have been edited for length and clarity. Cha In-pyo Author/actor "Questions and Answers on Trees" by Hwang Kyung-taek How much do we know about the trees we've lived with all our lives? I hope you can discover the answers to your questions about trees this summer, such as: How long do trees live? What do they eat? Did trees or grasses come first? An ecological cartoonist and "forest guide" at the Institute for Forest Studies, the author studies forests and gives talks about them to children. In this book, he uncovers myths and lesser-known facts about trees through 100 questions, with photos he himself took.
Choi Young-jin Chief strategy officer, Hanwha Asset Management Co. "The Theory of Light and Matter" by Andrew Porter The book tells the stories of characters who appear ordinary and untroubled on the outside but, upon closer look, resemble us with our own broken parts. Porter's work delicately depicts deep-seated wounds and conflicts within the human psyche, offering hope that we can find beauty within our imperfections.
It provides profound comfort and inspiration to readers seeking to step away from hec.