I bought so many books that I ran out of space in my bookshelf

(The title has nothing to do with the content of this post. But I really don’t know what to name it, so please forgive me for being random.)

I was actually struggling to write an opening sentence for this post at the time of writing. I wanted to share a lot about what has happened since I last updated, but somehow the words won’t come out from my head. These days I experience the same with speaking. It’s so difficult to organize the thoughts in my head and articulate them through speech and writing. It’s probably because my brain’s in a constant state of mess.

It’s not like I’ve stopped writing completely. I still continue to log my day using pen and paper. But perhaps that’s the reason why I cannot write long and cohesive sentences (I was always bad at it). I write in extremely short sentences, sometimes just points, because my journal is only for me to see. Writing for a post, however, is an entirely different thing. If I don’t put in the effort, this post will probably only have two sentences in it. Haha.

Anyway, I felt like I needed to write something otherwise my brain will eventually rot. So I guess I’ll write about the books and items that I’ve purchased recently.

#1 Welcome to The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop

I originally found a Japanese copy of this book being promoted in the local bookstores. The cover instantly piqued my interest and I did some googling to find out I could buy the English version on Amazon JP. They didn’t have the softcover version, yet, so I ordered the hardcover (which is the header picture for this post). I think this is my first hardcover novel I’ve ever bought. Of course Amazon had to be shitty with their delivery because I found the bottom of the cover dented when I opened the package. But, oh well. It’s the only way I could get my hands on an English copy of a book in Japan.

Yeongju did everything she was supposed to: go to university, marry a decent man, get a respectable job. Then it all fell apart. Burned out, Yeongju abandons her old life, quits her high-flying career, and follows her dream. She opens a bookshop.

In a quaint neighbourhood in Seoul, surrounded by books, Yeongju and her customers take refuge. From the lonely barista to the unhappily married coffee roaster – and the writer who sees something special in Yeongju – they all have disappointments in their past. The Hyunam-dong Bookshop becomes the place where they all learn how to truly live.

Excerpt from the novel

I’m not sure what kind of story to expect from this excerpt, but the reviews have said how heart-warming and comforting the story is. So I guess I’ll put my expectations on that for now.

Here’s a random fun fact for you: English books, or perhaps the paper used in it, gives a different kind of smell when compared to Japanese books.

#2 幸せへのセンサー (The Sensor To Happiness)

I found this at the same bookstore just last week. Japanese books have this genre they call essays, which is literally a compilation of essays written by the author. They can be about anything: life, marriage, money, love. And the book that caught my attention this time was an essay about happiness by one of the best selling authors in Japan, Banana Yoshimoto. She writes a lot about the pain and grief from losing someone as well as the healing process that people go through. So I thought it was interesting that she finally released an essay. One about happiness, at that.

The book has four chapters and I’ve read through the first chapter. I like how her narration only shares her view on happiness instead of pushing her values onto the readers. Her opinions on certain things might sound old-fashioned but I think it stands true despite no matter how the time has passed.

The society does not demand for your ‘quirk’. It’s okay to just show it to your closest families and friends.

Pg. 20

I find this quote interesting because it reflects the Japanese society well. It’s probably difficult to understand for people who live outside Japan, but this country hates individualism. They emphasis the importance of harmony and conformity. This is why not a lot of people here can’t express their opinions because they were not encouraged have one in the first place. Standing out in Japan is viewed as a negative thing. You are only allowed to stand out if you’re some kind of TV celebrity. I think it’s sad that you need to ‘suppress’ yourself in public. Isn’t it suffocating to live like that?

The author is not encouraging for everyone to conform to the norm or culture, but rather the opposite. She stated that even though it’s important to confirm to the norm, but it’s even more important to know and understand how you actually think and feel towards the stuff around you because that itself, is the key to happiness.

#3 Marble Summer Pajamas

I got myself a new short sleeved pajamas from PAMM. I actually discovered this brand from Hobonichi because they did a collaboration with the brand for one of their journal covers for 2024. I originally wanted one of their long sleeved pajamas but it was so popular that it was always out of stock. This time I discovered they released a new design for summer and I thought the colors looked fun, so I had to get my hands on it!

The materials are 64% rayon and 36% cotton. It feels very soft to touch and slightly cool, too! The piece I got was completely different from the one in the picture since they probably made the patterns manually so each set is unique!

I ended up really liking the PJs I got this time so I’m hoping they will restock the long sleeved ones soon.