Looking for a poignant and rich novel that reads like a poem? Then you will love The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir, a Korean novel that explores language, family, and culture. About the South of Seoul Virtual Book Club Commitment to Accessibility Commitment to Diverse Lived Experiences Commitment to Supporting Mental Health Book Recommendation by Lanae Rivers-Woods June’s South of Seoul Book Club recommendation, The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir, is brought to you by South of Seoul founder, Lanae Rivers-Woods. Rivers-Woods founded South of Seoul in 2015 and has lived in South Korea since 2011. She launched the South of Seoul book club in 2022 when volunteers suggested creating a reading list for those who just moved to Korea. About The Author Korean-American author E.J. Koh wrote The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir as an homage to her family and history. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and then moved to the United States as a child. Koh’s writing reflects her experiences of migration, identity, and language. Ms. Koh’s work spans several genres. Poetry, memoir, and translation are her main areas. “The Magical Language of Others” is one of her acclaimed memoirs. It won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award. However, Koh isn’t just an author, she is also a translator. Through her translation work, she brings modern Korean poetry to English-speaking audiences. Her translations are praised for their nuance and sensitivity. Author Koh earned her MFA from Columbia University. She completed her PhD at the University of Washington. Koh is a recipient of multiple fellowships which include ones from the American Literary Translators Association and MacDowell. My Experience Reading The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir As always, I read nothing about the author before starting this book. However, within the first chapter of The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir it felt obvious that the author was a poet. The book reads like an epic poem woven between countries, cultures, languages, and relationships. Instead of following time, it follows emotional rhythms and memories. Although I am not Korean, the book felt personal to me. Maybe because my life exists almost like the bizarro world version of the author’s life. I think living between languages, cultures, and continents brings a complexity to life that’s hard to explain, and yet Koh does it perfectly. While reading about such things, The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir felt like walking through a warm rain, both uncomfortable and comforting at the same time. Even if you don’t care about reading phrases that taste like vanilla buttercream, you should read The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir for the history and the awareness of what it means to be an immigrant and how such choices echo through history. Also, The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir is one of the best books I’ve read in decades. Her words are lullabies for the displaced. Go read it immediately. Online Purchasing Link You can purchase The Magical Language of Others: A Memoir in English on Amazon. Find More Book Club Recommendations Did you like this recommendation? Be sure to explore our other volunteer-recommended books. South of Seoul Book Club List for 2023 South of SeoulFounded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences. www.southofseoul.net