Most Popular
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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[KH Explains] Will alternative trading platform shake up Korean stock market?
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World’s biggest book fair homes in on children’s literature
FRANKFURT (AFP) ― The world’s biggest book fair opened here on Tuesday with the spotlight on children’s literature, traditionally an “under-recognized” sector but now seen as a driving force in publishing.More than 7,000 exhibitors are expected from Wednesday at the five-day Frankfurt Book Fair, which this year also puts the literary traditions, arts and culture of New Zealand in the spotlight as its guest of honour.“Childrens’ books have been doing very well around the world,” Richard Robinson,
Oct. 10, 2012
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‘Korea should scrap authoritarianism’
Former Justice Minister Kang Geum-sil on Monday said Korea should move away from its authoritarian political system, during a press meeting promoting er latest book “Politics of Life” published by Rhodos Publishing.The former minister said the ruling Saenuri Party has been following the authoritatian and controlling political style of former President Park Chunghee, nd the party with such a system should not rule the country for the next five years.“We cannot move forward if we don’t move away f
Oct. 9, 2012
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Nobel Literature Prize to be announced Oct. 11
STOCKHOLM (AFP) - The winner of the Nobel Literature Prize will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 11, the Swedish Academy said on Monday.Its permanent secretary Peter Englund will make the much-awaited announcement in Stockholm at 1:00 pm. The date for the literature prize is revealed only a few days in advance, while the dates for the other prizes are known several months ahead of time.The Nobel season kicks off Monday with the announcement of the medicine prize, followed by the physics prize on T
Oct. 8, 2012
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Novel explores celebrity, motherhood
The Vanishing PointBy Val McDermid (Atlantic Monthly Press)Reality television may be the ultimate con game, as British author Val McDermid shows in her highly entertaining 26th novel, “The Vanishing Point.”After all, don’t you wonder just how much of all that bad behavior is an act and how much is truth. Is it reality or clever acting?With the consummate scam as its foundation, “The Vanishing Point” also is about motherhood and the lengths that one will go to save a child as the action bounds fr
Oct. 4, 2012
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An unflinching portrayal of Wall Street
Black FridaysBy Michael Sears (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)A first-time novelist at age 61, Michael Sears displays a flair for description in his debut financial thriller, “Black Fridays.”When a Wall Street executive tries too hard to compensate for his lack of height, Sears’ main character, Jason Stafford, observes: “His desk sat on a three-inch riser ― it helped a little, but when he stood up he still knew he was short.” And when Stafford gently checks whether his 5-year-old autistic son is finally asl
Oct. 4, 2012
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Exploring Korea’s political agenda
Korea: Policy Options for Today and Tomorrow, Edited by Rhyu Sang-young, Park Cheol-hee, Kang Won-tak, Suh Moon-gi, (Asia Foundation)East Asia Foundation, a nonprofit research group, has published a book analyzing key political, economic, social and security issues for the next Korean government. Essay collection “Navigating Korea: Policy Options for Today and Tomorrow” is also designed to assist policy debate in the presidential election, the foundation said. “As the economy staggers and societ
Oct. 4, 2012
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Rowling's first novel for adults goes on sale
LONDON (AP) -- British bookshops opened their doors early Thursday and some grown-up Harry Potter fans lined up overnight as J.K. Rowling launched her long-anticipated first book for adults, "The Casual Vacancy."The lines were shorter and the wizard costumes missing, but the book was published to some of the same fanfare that greeted each Potter tome, with stores wheeling out crates of the books p
Sept. 27, 2012
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New memoir from actor-traveler Andrew McCarthy
NEW YORK (AP) ― Twenty years ago, actor Andrew McCarthy read a book about walking the Camino de Santiago, the ancient pilgrimage route in Spain, and it inspired him to walk the Camino himself.“That sort of changed the way I felt in the world and it helped me stop being afraid of the world,’’ recalled McCarthy, 49. “It helped me realize travelqs obliterate fear.’’McCarthy, whose best-known films include his work as part of Hollywood’s “Brat Pack’’ in “Pretty in Pink’’ and “St. Elmo’s Fire,’’ is n
Sept. 27, 2012
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Shaping of presidents: first moms
First MothersBy Beverly Gherman and Julie Downing (Clarion)It’s no secret that mothers shape their children’s lives. Even if you are president of the United States, Mom still thinks of you as her baby. First Mothers by Beverly Gherman and Julie Downing tells about some of the odd and interesting natures of the women who, in a roundabout way, helped shape this country.Barbara Pierce Bush, mother of George W. Bush, worried about her weight until she was an adult. When her husband ran for president
Sept. 27, 2012
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Chabon proves a master of swagger
Telegraph AvenueBy Michael Chabon (Harper)One of the great boundary-defying outlaws of contemporary American fiction, Michael Chabon revels in high culture and low. He’s as likely to write about comic books (“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay”) as the mysteries and snares of the literary life (“Wonder Boys”). He has written a Harry-Potteresque novel for young readers (“Summerland”) and a grown-up detective tale (“The Yiddish Policemen’s Union”). Whatever the subject or genre, the languag
Sept. 27, 2012
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Music is about building up
David Byrne is, to use one of his favorite words, a context unto himself. Founding member of Talking Heads, he blew up the concept of that band at least three times before disbanding it in 1988 for good.By then, he was already a film director, artist and composer, working on projects such as Robert Wilson’s 1985 “The Knee Plays” and Twyla Tharp’s 1981 ballet “The Catherine Wheel.”In the years since, he has created his own world music record label, written movie soundtracks and published half a d
Sept. 27, 2012
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New library opens for the disabled
A new library for the disabled opened on Monday at the National Library of Korea in Seocho-dong, Seoul. The fully equipped independent library designed to provide improved services replaces the former information center for the disabled.The purpose of the new library is to “tear down the barriers of information accessibility” in order to give hope to some 2.5 million disabled people in Korea who wish to have easier access to information, the library said in a statement. The Independent Library f
Sept. 24, 2012
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Deadly night in Vienna’s cafes for crime fiction fans
VIENNA (AFP) ― Dozens of murders in Vienna in one night, and all in the Austrian city’s iconic cafes, sounds alarming. But this was “Kriminacht,” an evening devoted to crime fiction that is unique in Europe.Now in its eighth edition, the event on Tuesday night saw 63 readings from authors ― not just from Austria and Germany but also stars from the United States, Britain and of course Scandinavia ― at 54 locations.In addition to homegrown writers like Eva Rossmann and Andreas Pittler, they includ
Sept. 20, 2012
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Novel explores racism and classism
The Cutting SeasonBy Attica Locke (Harper)The intertwining of the past and the present is an ongoing theme of mystery fiction. So many of our actions have a foundation in the past, whether it be a personal history or that of a country.Attica Locke illustrates the changing face of racism and classism in her superb second novel. The inventive plot of “The Cutting Season” is matched by complex, believable characters, some of whom are motivated by the need to have full lives while others have succum
Sept. 20, 2012
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Sorman urges Korea to promote its traditional side
French economist Guy Sorman, who also serves as a global advisor to the Lee Myung-bak administration, said Korea needs to promote its traditional culture as well as fine arts ― rather than K-pop and other forms of popular culture ― during a press conference promoting his latest book last week.“In Europe, people consider Korea’s idol groups as pop artists, not necessarily as Korean artists,” the scholar told reporters on Sept. 14 in Seoul. “I don’t think the current K-pop wave in Europe makes Eur
Sept. 20, 2012
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Traditional markets rendered in black and white
Juong Young-sin’s photo essay captures Korea’s traditional markets over a quarter of a centuryPhotographer and author Juong Young-sin has been taking photographs of Korea’s regional traditional markets for 25 years.“I just wanted to meet people, and the local market is where you go when you want to do that,” she tells The Korea Herald. “Markets also tell you stories of the real people.”Though she has now published her collection of essays, Juong was only an aspiring writer in 1986. She was deep
Sept. 20, 2012
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Sade’s 1785 novel banned in Korea
The Korean-language translation of French writer Marquis de Sade’s 1785 novel, “The 120 Days of Sodom,” has been officially banned in Korea, for its “extremely violent” and “disturbing” sexual content. It is the second time that the book, dealing with orgies and torture, has been banned by the government. The book was published here on Aug. 15 by local publishing house Dongsuh Press. Korea Publication Ethics Commission, a state review board, started investigating the book on Aug. 16, after a man
Sept. 20, 2012
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Rushdie releases memoirs as anti-Islam film protests rage
LONDON (AFP) ― As violent protests over a US-made film rock the Muslim world, Salman Rushdie publishes his account Tuesday of the decade he spent in hiding while under a fatwa for his book “The Satanic Verses.”With at least 19 people killed in a week of furious protests over the film, Rushdie’s candid memoir of the years spent on the run after he too was accused of mocking Islam, entitled “Joseph Anton,” has an added resonance.“A book which was critical of Islam would be difficult to be publishe
Sept. 18, 2012
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Naomi Wolf pens paean to good sex
“Vagina: A New Biography’’ (Ecco), by Naomi WolfWe have a pinched nerve to thank for the latest book from Naomi Wolf, author of the best-selling “The Beauty Myth,’’ about the fashion industry’s oppression of women.At 46, Wolf began to suffer from a spinal nerve compression that diminished her pleasure during sexual intercourse, draining it of its “poetic dimension.’’X-rays revealed that damaged vertebrae were exerting pressure on her pelvic nerve, which branches out from the base of the spine to
Sept. 13, 2012
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Women talk about booze
Drinking Diaries: Women Serve Their Stories Straight UpEdited by Leah Odze Epstein and Caren Osten Gerszberg(Seal Press)Everyone, it seems, has a drinking story, even teetotalers, and in this anthology of essays, 28 women tell theirs.“Drinking Diaries: Women Serve Their Stories Straight Up,” edited by Leah Odze Epstein and Caren Osten Gerszberg (Seal Press, 268 pages, $16), is wide-ranging, with women musing about their own drinking, their parents’ drinking and their good-for-nothing boyfriends’
Sept. 13, 2012