Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books

From author of national bestseller Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, a cozy, giftable invitation for readers to reflect on their relationship with reading and celebrate the joys of books.

Whether there are things I’m curious about or things I can’t understand but hope to, I’ll open a book. Books may not tell us the exact answer each time, but they give us clues, a direction where we could possibly find the answers we’re looking for. Instead of walking alone, something is guiding me. Books give me strength.

In each of the essays in Every Day I Read, South Korean author Hwang Bo-reum shares a personal experience or observation about reading as a starting point for reflection. Hwang goes beyond the usual questions of what to read and why, exploring the relationship between reading and writing, when to turn to a bestseller vs. browse the corners of a bookstore, the value of reading outside of your favorite genre, falling in love with book characters, and more.

Offering gentle wisdom and topics for reflection rather than prescriptive advice, readers of Every Day I Read will relearn forgotten lessons, be reminded of things they’ve neglected, and pick up a few fresh ideas, including a treasure trove of book recommendations blended seamlessly within. Above all, Every Day I Read celebrates the power of books, reading, and community that made Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop so beloved.

About the Author

Hwang Bo-reum is the author of the bestselling Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop and several essay collections: Every Day I Read, Trying Kickboxing for the First Time, The Perfect Distance, and Simple Living.

Shanna Tan is a Singaporean translator working from Korean, Chinese, and Japanese into English. Her prose translations have appeared in The Southern Review, The Common, Azalea: Journal of Korean Literature & Culture, and more. She is the translator of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop.