[마이리뷰] Ten Ways to Hear Snow

Ten Ways to Hear Snow (Hardcover) - 『눈이 들려주는 10가지 소리』원서
Cathy Camper / Kokila / 2020년 10월

I was curious about the content because I was attracted to the cover and title.
Lina wakes up and sees that the whole outside world is covered in white snow. Today is the day Lina has promised to go to the nursing home where her grandmother Sitti, who is losing her sight, to make traditional food together.
As Lina walks to the nursing home, she listens to the sounds of the snow. There are many ways to hear snow, such as the sound of shoveling snow, the sound of walking on snow, the sound of a bird flapping its wings and shaking off snow on a branch, the sound of dragging a sled on snow, the sound of smoothing snow while making a snowman, and the sound of water droplets falling from clothes placed on a radiator as the snow melts.
After Lina and her grandmother make warak enab (a dish wrapped in grape leaves), they go out to the garden together and feel the snow with a peaceful mind. Quiet is the tenth way to hear snow.
The book is beautiful, both in terms of its illustrations and its content. Lina‘s love for her family, her making of traditional food, and her listening to nature and her surroundings were truly heartwarming. I especially liked the way Lina used her senses to connect with the world around her.

[마이리뷰] My Salinger Year

My Salinger Year (Paperback) - 영화 '마이 뉴욕 다이어리' 원작 소설
Joanna Rakoff / Vintage Books / 2015년 5월

The book is a memoir of the story of J.D. Salinger, his novel, and the literary agency from the perspective of a new employee named Joanna.
Joanna Rakoff‘s sentences were a bit long for me. However I thought the typewriter font used for each chapter‘s title is appropriate for the book‘s setting and tone.
The people and industry surrounding literature and books - their thoughts and attitudes were all different, yet they also had something in common. While reading this book, I reflected on what books mean to me.
I enjoyed the process of getting to know something unfamiliar and seeing something familiar in a new way. I empathized with Joanna‘s journey of discovering different facets of New York and observing and understanding the changes in the people around her (coworkers and friends).
Joanna dreams of becoming a competent agent and contemplates her inner self, aspiring to live as a writer. However, she decides her own future. I see it as Joanna‘s self-understanding and growing by looking into herself as she would understand others.

There is unrest.

The Sense of an Ending (Paperback) - 영화 '예감은 틀리지 않는다' 원작
Barnes, Julian / Random House Export / 2012년 3월

1. The final sentence, "There is accumulation. There is responsibility. And beyond these, there is unrest. There is great unrest," is strongly connected to the title of the book. In the end, is it Tony's realization that ‘we are restless and confused beings’?

'Unrest' is revealed throughout the novel in various devices —the currents of the Severn Bore, the name Wobbly Bridge, the unpredictable currents beneath the surface of the Thames, the uneasy situations between the unknown and the unspeakable, the heart-wrenching feelings due to suddenly revived memories, etc.. Beyond the distortions and misunderstandings of memory, the movements of remorse, the novel delicately portrays the unavoidable aspects of life and the uncertain parts where one cannot predict the direction, making the heart achingly poignant.

2. What was the intention behind the £500 that Mrs. Sarah Ford left to Tony? Regarding this, there is an opinion that Adrian Finn passed on the money to Mrs. Sarah Ford as abortion expenses, and she kept the money, eventually passing it on to Tony. Veronica described this money as 'blood money,' suggesting that Veronica believed Tony had some responsibility for Adrian Finn's death. Veronica compared the letter with Tony's curse to the money received as payment, implying a role the letter played in leading Adrian Finn to his death. Although it's an innovative perspective, I personally don't think Adrian Finn, based on his character, would have suggested abortion.

Heartwarming tale about family and love.

Hello, Jimmy! (Hardcover) - 『어서 와, 지미!』원서
Anna Walker / Clarion Books / 2021년 2월

This is a picture book by my favorite author, Anna Walker. It tells the story of a clever and noisy parrot named Jimmy who enters Jack's life as a surprise gift and the emotions he experiences, as well as the love between a father and son. The book explores the complex emotions of jealousy and love in a child's heart. We see the complex emotions Jack experiences – jealousy of the attention Jimmy receives, but also love for this vibrant creature.
The book beautifully explores the themes of jealousy and love through a child's perspective. The illustrations are captivating and expressive, especially the dreamlike scene where Jimmy flies away through an open window at night. I also loved the part where Jack searches for Jimmy alone, lost and worried – it's emotionally powerful.
After Jimmy disappears, Jack feels discouraged, but then his dad arrives, looking for him, not Jimmy. This heartwarming scene emphasizes the constant, unwavering love between father and son. Even though their life goes back to normal without Jimmy, Jack cherishes the hope of someday reuniting with him, just like the initial surprise encounter.
The story is both heartwarming and relatable, perfect for anyone who enjoys picture books, children's stories, or heartwarming tales about family and love. I highly recommend it!

순도 100퍼센트의 휴식이란...

순도 100퍼센트의 휴식
박상영 지음 / 인플루엔셜(주) / 2023년 6월

순도 100퍼센트, 그 온전한 휴식이란 게 있을까? 박상영 작가는 순도 100퍼센트의 휴식을 이룰 수 있을까?

작가는 자신이 낯선 사람을 어려워하고 낯선 장소에 가는 것도 달가워하지 않는 성향이지만, 그러면서도 여행을 떠나고 집으로 돌아와 다시 일상을 살아갈 일말의 힘을 얻는다고 말한다.

이 책에서 만난 그의 여행이란 공간을 이동하는 물리적인 여행이라기보다 시·공간적 복합성 여행에 가깝다. 작가가 오랫동안 만나왔던 사람들과 함께했던 추억을 실마리 삼아 시간과 공간을 불러내면, 독자는 그 틈에 끼어 한 발짝 두 발짝 함께 걷는다. 귀를 쫑긋 세우고 재미난 이야기에 귀 기울이면서 소탈한 산책을 하다 보면, 어느새 마음 한편이 따스하게 누그러진다. 그가 여행하며 만난 세상은 어딘가에 이런 형태의 삶이 존재한다는 것을 알게 해주었다. 그가 살아가며 만난 사람은 양지바른 언덕에 누워 있는 것 같은 따뜻함을 주었고, 물음표와 느낌표, 줄임표만이 가득한 삶에서 쉼표를 주었다.

진정으로 쉬는, 순도 100퍼센트의 휴식을 이루는 것들은 이런 따스함이 아닐까.