[New Release] and More

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park]

◆The Posture of Relaxation= A new short novel by Kim Yudam, who won the 2020 Shin Dong-yeop Literary Award. Kim Yudam debuted in 2016 with the short story "Pin Carry" in the Seoul Shinmun New Year's Literary Contest. She received the Shin Dong-yeop Literary Award for her first short story collection "Tambourine." Her mother, Oh Hyeja, lost her husband and was even scammed, working as a mortician to raise her daughter with difficulty. Unable to even afford a single-room apartment, the daughter who grew up sleeping in the women's bathhouse dreams of becoming a famous dancer and escaping the bathhouse. In the author's note, the writer revealed that she wrote the novel while deeply cherishing unfulfilled dreams and considering people's hearts. Whether to live regretting and ruminating over unfulfilled dreams or to pursue new happiness by dreaming other dreams. It was also a question the author asked herself during the difficult times when she wanted to become a writer but it was not easy. "The Posture of Relaxation" is the tenth book in the Young Novella Series "Novel Q" presented by Changbi. (Written by Kim Yudam / Changbi)

◆Epic #02= The second issue of the quarterly literary magazine "Epic," which presents creative nonfiction and various genres of fiction. The title "Brave New World" is taken directly from Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel. Huxley depicted a dystopian future where humans are mass-produced like products using artificial insemination technology. Although not the same story as in the novel, humanity experienced a kind of dystopia in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cover story "i+i" discusses the materiality and value of books. In response to writer Moon Ji-hyuk's question about the gloomy future of books, Jo Hyo-eun, CEO of "Recto Verso," presents a paradoxical argument like "Brave New World," stating that the closer the world gets to dystopia, the more distinct the existence of books becomes. It also includes new short stories by Kim Sol, Kim Hong, Song Si-woo, Lee Joo-ran, and Hwang Jung-eun. In the creative nonfiction section "Part 1," readers can encounter stories of homeless women and emergency room workers. (Written by Epic Editorial Department / Dasan Books)

◆The Science of Running= This book thoroughly and carefully explains the basics of running. It contains recent research results on the biomechanics of running and advice on training methods. The nuchal ligament is anatomical evidence that the human body has developed the ability to run long distances. This ligament cannot be found in the ancestors of primates. The author, Chris Napier, is a physical therapist. He condensed his experience and research, having worked with many running enthusiasts from beginners to elite athletes, into this book. Through rich and detailed illustrations, it visually demonstrates the effects of running. The illustration and design team of the UK publisher DK created sophisticated and striking images of the human body. (Written by Chris Napier / Translated by Kim Hojung / Science Books)