This book is a collection of drawings and writings that were published as a series in The New Yorker by Jean-Jacques Sempe, a French illustrator who is said to have uncovered the outside and inside of modern society better than any other sociologist through drawings and watercolor paintings. In this book, as observed by the writer, New Yorkers do not bother to hide, “There are still women like that!” expression from their face as they stared astonishedly at French wives taking care of their husbands and children at home, and they strive to widen their social circles through business cards and parties and, when leaving those parties, manage to pull off an expression that conveys “both genuine pity for having to leave early and sincere enthrallment as if having spent the best night of their lives.” Despite being a crazy place, where the streets always seem to be ‘under construction,’ New York is home to people who refuse to lose optimism, who are constantly willing to react with an “Oh, you do?”, a “Fantastic!”, or a “Great!” to whatever you say. Invite yourself to get inside the minds of the people of New York as you find yourself listening to music at an old jazz bar, watching ballet at the Lincoln Center, or walking down the rainy streets of New York, as so vividly described by Jean-Jacques Sempe.

Mari Yonehara, an essayist and Russian interpreter well-known for her candid and witty writing, believes that how a person reacts to the dish he or she tries for the first time is a litmus test of just how open that person is to new experiences. One of the biggest joys of traveling is breaking away from the familiar and coming into contact with the unknown. How much of a part does new cuisine play in this joy? You might not be able to imagine traveling without enjoying any of the local delicacies. In this book, Mari Yonehara eloquently tells stories of the local foods she has enjoyed around the world, their background and history, and her own memories associated with them. Sushi in Siberia, lunch boxes in Kobe, caviar in Paris, pancakes in India, canapes in Czech... There is no need to feel guilty for planning your trip around delicious dishes, as long as you have this book with you. As Peter the Great once said to the Russian farmers who rejected potatoes because of their looks, “If you don’t eat them right now before my eyes, I will blow your head off,” even a single potato is stamped with traces of history.

The French author Olivier Bleys has loved globes of all kinds for as long as he can remember. He even has in his wallet the photo of Earthrise from Lunar Orbiter 1, which is the first photo of Earth to be taken in space. He has something else as well, which is his irresistible urge to walk. With these two passions combined, he started to dream of becoming the next Jean Béliveau, who spent 11 years on the road walking across every continent (approximately 75,000 km), hoping to “step on the earth of every continent with my own feet, listen to all languages with my own ears, and get a tan under the suns of every corner of the world.” And just like that, he started to pack his backpack at around the age of forty, when most other walking travelers either pause or stop traveling. He began his journey from Pampelonne in the South of France to Switzerland’s Andermatt, to Italy’s Venice, to Croatia’s Dubrava Križovljanska, then again to Hungary’s Miskolc. Whenever he has time, he can be found walking, wherever that continent may be. According to Olivier, the landscape does not matter in the end. What matters is whether we listened to our passion or not. Why don’t we tend to our passion and plan a walking trip this summer?

“What holds the human body are not places. What wanders is not the body, but the soul.” Jeyoon Kang, the poet who wrote this phrase, has been working as an island guide once every month for the past few years through Humanities Academy, a humanities experience community. The writer has written and photographed about 400 of the inhabited islands in Korea over the past 10 years. In his latest book, the author tells his readers about 39 of these islands, and about the stories of their inhabitants. Islands were where he found comfort on days when he was betrayed by a friend, on days when he was wanted by no one, on days when he didn’t have anywhere else to go, on days when he longed helplessly for someone. Islands were what helped him get back on his feet when he would rather collapse. Only those with enough time to spare can dare plan a trip to islands, as the weather often comes in the way of entering these sanctuaries. Nevertheless, neither time nor weather prevented the writer from falling in love with the beauty and warmth of all these islands, including Jisim-do in Geoje, where “camellias bid farewell to winter,” Nakwol-do in Yeonggwang, where an old lady cooks a generous meal for those visiting the island, and Baengnyeong-do in Ongjin, where street vendors, run by the wives of fishers, await.