[This Week's Books] 'Muhammad bin Salman' and 6 More Titles

◆Muhammad bin Salman=In the fall of 2017, Saudi Arabia unveiled a $500 billion plan to build 'NEOM City.' It declared its intention to create an eco-friendly city with climate control, 44 times the size of Seoul. At the center was the young prince Muhammad bin Salman. He is the figure who purged his cousin, the former crown prince, and imprisoned entrepreneurs under the pretext of fighting corruption. He is also identified as the mastermind behind the brutal murder of the critical columnist Jamal Khashoggi. What kind of Saudi Arabia is he designing? The author, a New York Times journalist, forecasts Saudi Arabia's future based on bin Salman's past and present. (Written by Ben Hubbard · Medici Media)

◆The Fate of Civilization="Debt cannot be repaid, and it will not be repaid." This is the author's assertion, who has worked as a statistical analyst and balance of payments expert on Wall Street, seeking answers in the real economy. He insists that unpayable debt must be erased. This conclusion comes from studying the origins of money and accounting, the origins of labor and methods of labor compensation, land ownership and taxation, and the history and origins of debt. Although it is a risky statement that could potentially trigger economic collapse, the author points out the reality where income from unearned sources exceeds labor income and proposes his own solutions. (Written by Michael Hudson · Acanet)

◆How Music Stimulates Our Emotions=Music has the power to captivate the human heart and ear. The author psychologically analyzes lyrics that have captured the public's heart. While acknowledging that the same song can be interpreted differently depending on the listener's mood or situation, the author unravels the universal and fundamental psychological mechanisms of humans. The book analyzes how critical periods in life songs operate and how these periods correlate with choosing a favorite professional baseball team or forming political views. It also explains the effects of lullabies and how favorite music affects the brain through thirty-three songs by BTS, TWICE, MeloMance, and others. (Written by Jinwoo Park · Inmulgwa Sasangsa)

◆Scientific Revolution and the Shift in Worldview=The 16th century is often called a valley period between the 'Renaissance of the 14th-15th centuries' and the 'Scientific Revolution of the 17th century.' It is also considered a 'cultural revolution' period because the experiential knowledge acquired by technicians, artists, merchants, and sailors at the time dramatically changed the understanding of nature and the world. The author's view is no different. He deeply analyzes astronomy and geography developed over a century and a half based on the northern humanist movement and the Reformation from the mid-15th century to the 17th century. (Written by Yoshitaka Yamamoto · Dongasia)

◆Euclidean Geometry, the Art of Problem Solving=The author, a PhD in mathematics, aims to enhance mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills through Euclidean geometry, dating back to around 300 BCE. The most valued aspect of ancient mathematics was practicality. Since it was used for purposes such as building houses and surveying land, it was not much different from geometry. The ancient Greeks achieved a great civilization with limited knowledge. The author awakens the essence of mathematics through their way of thinking and explores clues for solving everyday problems. He introduces various idea application methods through 153 problems solvable with knowledge at the fourth-grade elementary school level. (Written by Jongha Park · Gimmyoungsa)

◆Meeting Nietzsche on a Bridge=In a way, humans all exist 'in-between' and hope for connection. From this perspective, the author takes 'bridges,' tools that create connections, as the theme. The meanings of bridges in the book are diverse. They range from large bridges connecting islands and land, cities and cities, to small stepping stones over streams, possessing various physical properties. They also carry metaphorical symbolism, such as between death and life, past and present, love and farewell. The author adds a humanities perspective to the scientific view of bridges as the pinnacle of modern technology. Through stories crossing East and West, distant past to present and future, myth and legend, history and art, the book reveals the multifaceted meanings contained in bridges. (Written by Thomas Harrison · Yemoon Archive)

◆Man Applying Nail Polish=A burly man enters a cosmetics store and picks up bright yellow nail polish. When the clerk asks, "Are you buying this for your wife?" he replies that he will use it himself. That's not the only unusual thing. Sometimes he paints black under his eyes like an Indian. Just as curiosity and discomfort rise, it is revealed that he is a baseball player, specifically a catcher. He applies bright yellow nail polish to better convey finger signals to the distant pitcher. The author hopes for freedom from prejudice, saying, "The awkward and unfamiliar gaze toward men is a stereotype created by society." (Written by Geunhyung Lee · Discovery)