[Chungmuro Book Cafe] If You Go There, Kim Young-ha Is There

Revised Edition of Novelist's Sicily Travelogue... Close Pursuit of No.1 'The Having'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] It is interesting that "The Answer Prepared for a Long Time" ranked third in this week's Asia Economy bestseller list. First of all, this book is a travelogue of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean. In the ongoing fear of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), Sicily is an Italian island that was the epicenter of the spread of COVID-19 in Europe.

"The Answer Prepared for a Long Time" is a book written by novelist Kim Young-ha (photo). His travel essay "The Reason for Travel," published last year, was the number one bestseller of 2019 selected by major bookstores such as Kyobo Bookstore, Interpark,

and Yes24. While the momentum of "The Answer Prepared for a Long Time" is remarkable, "The Having" still holds the number one bestseller spot following the previous tally (April 24).

Asia Economy selected bestsellers from books sold between the 6th and 12th of this month. The rankings were based on sales volume from major online and offline bookstores such as Interpark, Yes24, and Kyobo Bookstore, combined with ratings from our culture department reporters to create a comprehensive ranking.

"The Having" has gained wide sympathy with its message that anyone can enjoy wealth and fortune through their own efforts, even without inherited wealth, outstanding academic background, or exceptional talent. As confirmed by the popularity of essays in recent years, messages of comfort and empathy strongly attract readers.

"The Answer Prepared for a Long Time" is a revised edition of "Remember What You Lost," which Kim Young-ha published in 2009 following his appearance on a broadcast. EBS's "World Theme Travel" first aired on February 25, 2008. At that time, the title was "Kim Young-ha Meets Sicily."

Kim Young-ha visited Sicily for the "World Theme Travel" broadcast and published his travelogue at that time. In the revised edition, the title was changed, sentences and content were refined, and photos taken during the trip were richly included. New writings not included in the first edition were also added.

The management books "Loonshot" and "Uncontact," which have attracted attention as written by a physicist, newly entered the rankings. "Loonshot" is a word not found in the dictionary. According to the book, it means being treated as a crazy person by proponents, and a crazy project ignored and neglected by the majority.

The book also introduces loonshots as the necessary method to reach a moonshot. A moonshot is a term referring to probes launched to the moon. "Loonshot" was published in the United States in March last year. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's moon landing.

The title "Loonshot" implies that to reach a grand goal like humanity's first step on the moon, one must embrace innovative ideas that others might consider crazy. The book has attracted attention with its interesting content combining the history of new drug and weapon development, and scientific and economic events such as Apple and Newton.

"Uncontact" is a book analyzing lifestyle changes after COVID-19. It has gained attention for its agile response to changes in the world. The author explains that non-contact and non-face-to-face methods, which do not involve direct connection, are becoming the trend for modern people living in an anxious yet convenient era. Especially in the ongoing social distancing situation due to COVID-19, uncontact will accelerate further. However, uncontact does not mean disconnection between people but rather a more comfortable and safer connection between people.

The tvN show "These Days Bookstore: I Read Books for You," which shook the bestseller market, ended its first season on the 27th of last month. Books introduced on the show, such as "The Power of Geography" and "Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People," continue to remain within the rankings, demonstrating the show's enduring influence.

"When I Don't Even Know What I Want," which has consistently appeared on the bestseller list since March, briefly fell out of the top 10 in the previous tally but has re-entered the rankings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.