Litsy

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The Vegetarian: A Novel | Han Kang

❤️🖤❤️🖤
#Valentines
#Black History Month

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LatrelWhite

The Vegetarian: A Novel | Han Kang

This week I‘ve read two books by the same author for the first time! 🎧

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Robotswithpersonality

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: The heart-warming Korean sensation | Hwang Bo-reum

pick

I had no idea this book would be so focused on the nature of work, but I loved it for that: business owner vs being a company person, part time work vs full time, the corporate tendency to offer contract over permanent position, needing to be seen as a success, the rat race, the need to make an income, make a profit vs work/life balance, 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? plans for the future - when exiting high school, when entering the workforce, when considering the next step in your career, when opening a business - how far ahead can you plan, really? Evaluating effort and contribution, puritanical work ethic.
As much about coffee as books and coffee-related businesses as book businesses. 6d

Robotswithpersonality 3/? Speaking of which, I personally didn't like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but I feel like this has some (improved) parallels in the way it addresses failed/turbulent relationships, reflecting on the past and deciding on the future.
Reading the author's note and finding out the author is an essayist adds to my understanding of many chapters that felt like framing for a specific topic, for a conversation/debate to happen between characters. 6d

Robotswithpersonality 4/? I do appreciate the way time passes, a format emerges of introducing a new idea/thing happening, and then kind of sliding forward and back in progress along that theme, which may be revisited later, there is still a fair amount of linear chronology, direct connection between one chapter and the next. 6d

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? I am fond of the amount of times that mentions of crocheting and knitting found their way onto the page. ☺️ And of course discussions of what books can do, what a community of people drawn together by books and book spaces can do for each other.
The writing reminds me of self-help non-fiction a bit, very straightforward, methodical in exploring a topic, even in detailing the actions of a character, which appears to me a bit wooden when scenes 6d

Robotswithpersonality 6/? of greater emotion are at play.
When a work is translated and I encounter an uneven reading experience, I'm never sure if it's a faithful representation of the author's unique style, my western reader eyes bumping into a common style of writing from a different part of the world, or that the translator is giving the reader a more basic version of the writing than the original because it was the clearest way to communicate the change to 6d

Robotswithpersonality 7/? English. I did like how certain words stay in Korean, especially around relationships, conveying something unique to the culture.
If you need a safe, quiet space to acknowledge the many pitfalls of being roped into the capitalist workforce, and societal expectations around relationships, being reminded of all the ways you can still make changes, enjoy life, while earning a living, I think this is a good place to stop and rest in for a while. 6d

Robotswithpersonality 8/8 ⚠️verbal abuse of adult child by mother 6d

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Robotswithpersonality

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: The heart-warming Korean sensation | Hwang Bo-reum

Another important realization I'm wishing on all those in the workforce.

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Robotswithpersonality

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: The heart-warming Korean sensation | Hwang Bo-reum

Dear 20-year-old me...😏

GingerAntics Oh my god, that should be posted on the door of every high school and every university. 1w

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Robotswithpersonality

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: The heart-warming Korean sensation | Hwang Bo-reum

Embrace complexity. 🙂‍↕️

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britt_brooke

The Island of Sea Women: A Novel | Lisa See

pick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A story of the Haenyeo, the all-female diving collective of Jeju Island, South Korea. These badass women immerse themselves in dangerous work harvesting seafood. This is the kind of historical fiction I‘m down for as I was not previously familiar with this fascinating culture. This follows the two friends through decades of tumult. A very difficult read at times. Prepare to cry. #bookclub

BarbaraBB Oow this sounds good! 1w

britt_brooke @BarbaraBB So glad my book club chose it because I‘m not sure I would‘ve picked it up otherwise. 1w

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Robotswithpersonality

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: The heart-warming Korean sensation | Hwang Bo-reum