Recent Books
Asia Vol. 4

Editors and contributors, translated into Korean and English; Asia Publishers: 369 pp., 12,000 won

This bilingual magazine of Asian literature will mark its one-year anniversary in May. The previous three issues have delighted readers with the chance to appreciate literature from formerly unknown countries such as Mongolia, Palestine or Kazakhstan.

This latest issue looks at the problem of ``living as women in Asia.¡¯¡¯ Palestinian writer Sahar Khalifeh, who visited Seoul last year, as well as female writers from Mongolia, South Korea and Taiwan, contributed short stories dealing with the theme. Turkish writer Sebnem Isiguzel¡¯s ``One Afternoon,¡¯¡¯ which tells of an incestuous relationship between father and daughter, makes this issue prohibited to those under 19.

This issue also features a current affairs column on the Korean economy, penned by possible presidential candidate Chung Un-chan, former president of Seoul National University. Singaporean historian Chua Ser Koon also contributes to the fourth edition of the magazine with an article about the truth of the massacre in Singapore in the series ``Beyond Japanese Asian Expansionism.¡¯¡¯ Asia Vol. 4 is another informative issue with interesting and thought-provoking writing.

-Seo Dong-shin