Summer reads: Books for the hottest days

Korea Herald

a day ago

By Culture Desk
Reading is one of the simplest ways to beat the summer heat.
From gripping page-turners that whisk us away to reflective essays and self-help titles that gently guide us back into daily life after a break, this season's recommendations span genres and moods.
The Korea Herald asked people from a wide range of fields what books they've recently enjoyed and which ones they'd recommend for summer. Their picks might just lead you to a perfect companion for a lazy afternoon or a long-awaited retreat.The responses of the following figures, arranged alphabetically, have been edited for length and clarity.
1Verse
K-pop boy band
Hyuk: "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie
I've been thinking about how I can make the most out of each day. This book taught me how to do that by weaving stories of people overcoming hardships with carefully chosen poems. It reminds me to value today more than the past or the future.
Seok: "The Little Everyday Stoic" by Jorg Bernardy
This line resonates with me: 'If you're going through something difficult, if you've failed or if you're angry at someone — will these things still matter to you a year from now?' It's full of quotes that inspire me in my daily life.
Nathan: "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan
One of my favorite books from childhood, the story is adventurous and engaging. I was excited reading it and imagining the scenes was a lot of fun.
Kenny: "Smile" by Raina Telgemeier
In elementary school, this was one of the first books I bought with my own money after doing two days' worth of home chores. This is also the first book I understood I can relate to and be seen by someone who lives a different life from mine.
Aito: "Jujutsu Kaisen" by Gege Akutami
Each character has a unique personality that perfectly suits them, making the story incredibly engaging. The fight scenes are so stunning and intense that I found myself completely absorbed. I've read them over and over again!
Aoring
Author of web comic "Aoring Tokyo" on Kakao Webtoon
"Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery" by Catherine Gildiner
(Korean title: "Survivors")
"Survivors" — what a clunky title! The cover doesn't help either. Plus it's nonfiction. I'd always had this bias that nonfiction lacks literary merit, but after finishing this one, those distinctions felt meaningless. Here are people's stories, achingly real, and here I am, feeling every beat of their hearts. Some truths hit harder than fiction, ring more literary than literature itself. I discovered this book through a small reading group — my greatest stroke of luck this year. I'm passing that luck forward by recommending it here.
Chang Kwang-pil
HD Hyundai Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer
"Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making" by Tony Fadell
In this book, Tony Fadell, the 'father of the iPod,' offers essential guidance on how to put innovative creation into practice. It explores how developers work, how to set goals and outlines a three-stage development strategy that ensures innovation leads to real profits. It even provides advice on how to recognize when to abandon a creative process. This book serves as a practical guide and strategic compass for those preparing for innovative breakthroughs, while also offering an opportunity to revisit and reflect on the fundamentals of innovation.
Choi Jung-wha
President of Corea Image Communication Institute
"Yi Do Diary" by Kim Gyeong-mook
'Yi Do Diary' reimagines the 33-year reign of King Sejong (Yi Do) through 33 diary-style essays. It follows his journey from being unexpectedly crowned a king to becoming a wise leader, highlighting his burden of responsibility, loyalty to his elder brother, commitment to strong governance and focus on national defense. The book blends historical facts with imagined dialogues, bringing King Sejong's empathy, open-minded leadership and problem-solving vividly to life. The author, trained in transforming empathy into products, makes Sejong's thoughtful way of living resonate with modern readers.
Choung Byoung-gug
Chairperson of Arts Council Korea
"The Use of Music" by Cho Hye-rim
This is a story about someone who chose to change the direction of their life, simply because they loved something deeply. It gently reminds us that art -- like music -- becomes a quiet yet steady force that helps us ride the waves of life. I hope this book encourages young people to trust what they love, to hold on to it, and to find the courage to build a life shaped by it.
Bora Chung
International Booker-nominated writer
"The Mechanics of That Toilet" by Seol Jae-in
Seol Jae-in's storytelling is truly remarkable. I knew this going in, but still, I couldn't put the book down. I just had to see what happened in the next scene, on the next page. Through the troublesome event of clogged or failing toilet flushes, the author ultimately addresses issues of abuse and isolation. Because of money or obligations, people end up trapped in relationships that offer no safety nets, only tangled snares. Seol unravels these ensnaring bonds with unpredictable imagination. As a reader, you can't help but be swept up, dancing breathlessly to the rhythm. But because it's Seol Jae-in, the journey all the way to the end is truly worthwhile.
Stephane Deblaise
Renault Korea CEO
"Growth National Happiness" by Francois Roux
This spans 30 years of modern French history from 1981 — the year Francois Mitterand was elected as the first socialist president — until 2011. It is about the story of four friends who enter university in 1981, each with different views on politics and life. We follow them as they grow up and either become richer or don't. It is an excellent description of social relationships in France at the end of 20th century and the crossed lives of the four friends. It is very easy to read and also very good.
Han Jung-hee
Director of Photography Seoul Museum of Art
"Desert Island" by Kang Hong-goo
One book caught my eye as I was organizing my shelf ahead of the museum opening. In "Desert Island," the islands seem both somewhere and nowhere at once — a curious space where reality and imagination are blurred. Each island feels like a fragment of memory, a trace of places the artist has encountered, or perhaps dreamed of. It serves as a rare gift — one that lets us pause, step away from the noise of the world, and dream a little. I hope the book allows readers to more deeply understand the unique lens through which the artist Kang Hong-goo views the world.
Bella Kim
Actor, "Winter in Sokcho"
"Nomadism" by Lee Jin-kyung
This book cracked open Deleuze and Guattari's "A Thousand Plateaus" for me, making its layered thinking more accessible. Its core concepts seemed complex at first but eventually gave me an unexpected sense of legitimacy, letting me feel more fully myself. Perfect summer read for stepping beyond linear thinking and into the unknown.
Kim Jae-hong
National Museum of Korea Director General
"Letters from National Museum of Korea" by Webzine Editorial Department of National Museum of Korea
As a curator who has spent many years working closely with artifacts, this book offered me a fresh perspective. The reflections shared by curators, museum visitors and fellow museum aficionados are brief, yet deeply moving, and above all, sincere.
The book presents diverse interpretations of 100 artifacts — including the Moon Jar, Pensive Bodhisattva and a clay figurine — that evoke a sense of connection rarely found in academic papers or research reports. On a sweltering summer day, I encourage readers to pause in front of an artifact with this book in hand and take a quiet moment to reflect.
Juhea Kim
International bestselling author
"The Boy of Tear-Flowers: A Story from My Childhood" by Park No-hae
This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Park is one of Korea's most beloved poets and a well-known pro-labor activist of the 1980s. This is a collection of essays from Park's childhood in a small village in Jeolla province, illuminating truths about love, community, faith and nature in limpid and unassuming prose (illustrated by his pencil sketches). Reading this is like watching a heavy rain bend down stalks of wildflowers; your heart aches, but afterwards the air fills with even more beautiful fragrance.
Kim Sung-hee
Director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
"Rainbow Eyes" by Kim Soom
The author depicts the weight of life as a person with visual impairment in quiet, understated language. I came across words in this book that delicately pierce my mind, which reminded me of the ongoing exhibition "Looking After Each Other" at MMCA Seoul. The exhibition prompts us to reconsider perceptions of physical disabilities. For someone like me, who had never truly reflected on visual impairment, her writing arrives as a small voice — yet with a profound and resounding impact.
Kim Yong-jae
Chief revenue officer at SBS' Prism Studios
"Everyday Resilience: A Practical Guide to Build Inner Strength and Weather Life's Challenges" by Gail Gazelle
The term "resilience" is a word that is being used more and more these days. As people go through life, they inevitably face all sorts of twists, turns and crises. Just as the sea becomes calm and peaceful after high waves and a passing typhoon, this book teaches us how to accept and wisely deal with life's adversities. It is certainly a book worth reading at least once.
Lee Hae-shin
Endowed chair professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology / Polyphenol Factory CEO
"Humankind: A Hopeful History" by Rutger Bregman
This book challenges the common belief that humans are inherently selfish and competitive, and instead presents cooperation and goodwill as core aspects of human nature. As you follow the historical cases and scientific experiments described, you come to realize that human society has progressed not through conflict and prejudice, but through trust and optimism. As a scientist, it gave me an opportunity to critically reflect on the interpretations and biases behind experimental results, and it offered me a more positive perspective on humanity and society.
Pierre Morcos
Cultural Counselor and Director of the Institut francais, Embassy of France in Korea
"The Naked Tree" by Park Wan-suh
Inspired by the author's life, this novel set during the Korean War captures grief, resilience, and fleeting hope through a young woman's eyes. I discovered it in French this year thanks to a new translation by L'Atelier des Cahiers. It shows how art, especially painting, can bring dignity and solace even in the harshest times.
Shin Hye-sung
Founder and CEO of Wadiz
"Reasons for Travel" by Kim Young-ha
As our company pursues global ventures, I find myself traveling abroad more frequently. Business trips are certainly different from vacations, yet, I wonder if they still hold something of the traveler's spirit.
One weekend, with a stack of pending agendas, I pulled "Reasons for Travel" off my shelf. It made me reflect on the idea of purposeful travel — leaving behind a life where I exist as a 'somebody,' entangled in countless relationships, and stepping into the anonymity of being a 'nobody' in a place where no one knows me.
Perhaps business trips don't quite allow me to enjoy being a 'nobody,' while at the same time demanding relentless effort to become a 'somebody' in an unfamiliar setting. In the end, the difference between those who embrace every moment in life and those who don't often comes down to perspective.
Shin Hye-woo
Jill Smythies Award-winning botanist, botanical illustrator
"Thoreau's Sentences" by Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau continues to inspire nature lovers around the world. Both a writer and a scientist, he captured not only the beauty of the natural world but also offered scientific insights into how that beauty comes to be. His work carries a philosophy that encourages us to reflect on our place in nature. This book can be enjoyed in small doses, like taking a brief rest to escape the summer heat — just open to any page and read a little. When you look up from the text, the radiant greens of summer may seem to shine even brighter.
Shin Seong-jin
Founder of AXIS
"The Ideal Team Player" by Patrick Lencioni
Even during moments of rest, my thoughts often return to my team. This book introduces three simple but powerful traits — humble, hungry and smart — as the foundation of great teamwork. It reminded me that strong teams are not built on fancy strategies, but on shared values and character. For anyone building something with others, this book is a refreshing reminder that going back to the basics is often the most effective way forward.
Sini
Author of web comic "1 Second" on Naver Webtoon
"There is No If" by Namkoong In
I'll admit I picked this up for work, but "There is No If" became something else entirely. It's a collection of essays that thread together emergency room stories through an ER doctor's perspective. I've always loved peering behind the curtain — it's what drives my own work. The irony isn't lost on me — that a book I picked up out of professional duty ended up genuinely moving me is quite interesting in itself.
Clemens Treter
Director Goethe-Institut Korea / Regional Director East and Central Asia
"February 1933: The Winter of Literature" and "Marseille 1940: The Flight of Literature" by Uwe Wittstock
Uwe Wittstock's 'February 1933' vividly captures the winter of literature as Hitler rises to power and the Nazi regime begins its grip on Germany — met with disbelief by much of Berlin's vibrant literary scene. It's a chilling account, all the more resonant in light of today's political climate. The book comes with a companion, 'Marseille 1940,' which follows the courageous work of Varian Fry's Emergency Rescue Committee. With tenacity and moral clarity, Fry helped some 2,000 people escape the Nazis — among them many artists and writers like Hannah Arendt, Anna Seghers, Lion Feuchtwanger and Marc Chagall. Wittstock tells a gripping story of humanity, fear, hope and improbable survival.
Michelle Winthrop
Ambassador of Ireland to Republic of Korea
"Black Flower" by Kim Young-ha
K-Literature is my favourite aspect of K-Culture. Throughout my posting so far, I've really enjoyed delving in to some of the great fiction, often impeccably translated into English. I adore all of Han Kang's writing. One book I've really enjoyed in recent months has been "Black Flower" by Kim Young-ha. A complex story of intrepid Koreans who emigrated to Mexico as laborers, based on a "little-known moment of Korean history." Ireland is a nation of emigrants, who traveled over generations to the four corners of the globe (including to Mexico), and so this epic story really resonated with me. It's also beautifully written.
Yi Dahm
Author of web comic "Like Mother, Like Daughter" on Naver Webtoon
"The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource" by Chris Hayes
What happens when everyone's fighting over our most finite resource — attention? And how do we protect what's left of it? MSNBC host Chris Hayes examines how human attention has become commodified and what that means for society. He offers a guide for navigating past the siren songs trying to hijack our focus. An essential read for this distracted age.
Tei Yong
CEO of Catchtable
"The Right It" by Alberto Savoia
I highly recommend this book to both entrepreneurs and people working on new ideas, projects or innovations. It starts with the idea that most new ideas fail and teaches you how to find out which ones are likely to succeed, using as little time and money as possible. Instead of relying only on your intuition or other people's opinions, the book encourages you to test and validate your idea first to avoid costly mistakes and make smarter decisions.