A young Vietnamese girl’s migration to Alabama in the 1970sInside Out & Back Again By Thanhha Lai(HarperCollins)The United States prides itself on being a melting pot, but the many immigrant stories that make up our uniquely American stew aren‘t always known or published by the mainstream press. Take Thanhha Lai, who, in her recent National Book Award winner, “Inside Out & Back Again,” chronicles her family’s move to the U.S. from her native Vietnam in 1975.This novel in verse, based on Lai‘s ex

Museums & Galleries: Displaying Korea’s Past and Future(Seoul Selection)Art galleries and museums in Korea are relatively little known to the outside world ― at least when compared to the explosive popularity of K-pop. Yet many would be surprised to discover that the history of Korean museums dates back more than 100 years, and Korea now has 11 national museums nationwide ― unified by Seoul’s iconic National Museum of Korea completed in 2005.Korea Foundation and Seoul Selection’s newly released

Somewhere out there, there’s a version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” where clerk Bob Cratchit takes an axe to his employer, Scrooge, steals his cashbox and escapes to the Bahamas without his family. The story has been reinterpreted time and time again in stage, screen, animation, book and probably ancient Greek.Now Batman (aka the Dark Knight) meets Charles Dickens in “Batman: Noel” a graphic novel by artist Lee Bermejo. (For those who read comics only irregularly, a graphic novel is a

Few writers are known for combining dark humor and environmentalism in their fiction; in fact, Lydia Millet may be the only member of that club. For her efforts, in the short story collection “Love in Infant Monkeys,” she was named a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize. “Ghost Lights,” her first book since then, is the middle novel of a trilogy that began with 2008’s “How the Dead Dream.”Literary trilogies may be hard to enter midstream, but Millet has made it easy for those not familiar with t

An x-ray from the book "Stuck Up"This embarrassing X-ray reveals a Buzz Light-rear doll — complete with its wings deployed — lodged inside a patient, the Sun reported.The bizarre snap is one of 100 awkward ailments that feature in new book, "Stuck Up! 100 Objects Inserted and Ingested in

Portrait of a complex manVan Gogh: The LifeBy Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith(Random House)Vincent van Gogh’s autobiography is painted in luminous, powerful brushstrokes, the supreme portrait of the artist. “As my work is,” he said, “so am I.”“Van Gogh: The Life,” the intricate and panoramic biography by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, is a provocative work about the volcanic man and his art.Van Gogh’s story has been romanticized and mythologized, especially in fiction and on film.

The Tiger’s TaleBy Kim Myung-sooTranslated by Kim Ok-hee and Betty Chung(Appletree Tales)Among many stories available for children, Korea’s traditional folktales offer a unique reading experience for young readers. The fables, myths and anecdotes present humor and life lessons, as well as a glimpse into traditional values and culture.Local publisher Appletree Tales’ bilingual series of children’s books, titled “Monkey Mama,” carries the essence of Korea’s folk tales. The stories are new interpre

The metaphorical bookstore of crime fiction is crowded with best-selling titles and talented writers, few of whom can outgun Michael Connelly.The prolific Connelly, 55, covered crime for the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel in the 1980s (where he was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize), then did the same for seven years at the Los Angeles Times. The insider’s knowledge that came with the territory has served him well.“The Drop,” in bookstores this week, is the 17th title in his police-procedur

 A Joseon Dynasty king would rise about 5 a.m. each day and meet with his courtiers to study and discuss state affairs. After eating breakfast, his official schedule for the day would begin.After lunch, he would again meet with courtiers, before receiving reports from his ministers or handling civil complaints.Although his workday officially ended at 5 p.m., he was usually busy until later handling work left unfinished or meeting again with his retinue.The lifestyle resembles that of a present-d

MJ book focuses on the musicMan in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael JacksonBy Joseph Vogel(Sterling Publishing), by Joseph VogelWe get it already: Michael Jackson was kind of a weird dude.In the weeks, months and now years since the music icon‘s death, news consumers across the globe have been inundated with examinations of Jackson’s life. And frankly, too much of it has focused on the sensational aspects of his 50 years on Earth.Luckily, for those of us who prefer to remember Ja

Tongue: A NovelBy Jo Kyung-ran(Bloomsbury USA)Among the many female writers who broke into Korea’s literary scene in the 1990s, Jo Kyung-ran demonstrates distinctive flair. Known for her poetic prose and depiction of contemporary Korean life, Jo’s works have often dealt with human relationships and their implications. Her 2007 novel, “Tongue,” released in English in 2009, is filled with alluring danger and sensual pleasure, using the tongue as the ultimate symbol for human desire, affection and

Last summer, while browsing in a used bookstore in San Luis Obispo, Calif., I discovered something I thought no longer existed ― an Agatha Christie novel I had not read. Anyone monitoring my vital signs would have thought I had discovered the next Gnostic gospel or a lost play of Shakespeare’s. Clutching it tightly as if someone might snatch it from me, I quickly bought it. I promised myself I would take my time, savor the experience and read only a few pages at a time. Instead, I finished it th