The first part is by Yeong-hye’s husband who is abrasive and abusive towards her. The second part is narrated by her sister In-hye’s husband, who is a self-absorbed video artist and finds a strong attraction to Yeong-hye’s emaciated body with a birthmark. The third part is told by In-hye, the sister, who is the mother of a young child and manages a cosmetics store. She, In-hye, is the only person who stands by Yeong-hye after everyone abandons her.
Through these narrations we see the intense displeasure of Yeong-hye’s family in her choice of vegetarianism in meat-loving South Korea, the failure of her marriage and the metamorphosis of Yeong-hye who ends up being committed to a psychiatric ward for schizophrenia. As her husband states, Yeong-hye is “completely unremarkable”--except for her penchant of going braless in public--until she becomes a vegetarian. We hear very little from Yeong-hye except in some italicized thoughts where she admits to wanting to morph into a tree by allowing her body no nourishment other than sunshine against her naked body, and one especially provocative question that awakens her sister: “Why is it such a bad thing to die?” This haunting, sensual, horrific novella written in lyrical, poetic language boldly explores the theme of rebellion against social conventions and expectations, and stays with you long after you have finished reading. This book is not at the Coffman library. However, copies can be found at the Roseville library.
books that describe the beauty of the area, in narratives and in photographs. Reflections from the North Country, by Sigurd Olson, describes the beauty and the author’s philosophy of living in the wilderness. Natural Curiosity: The Story of the Bell Museum, by Lane Shepard, et.al., is a photographic showcase of the museum, from its earliest days to the beautiful building next door. Photos of the Francis Lee Jacques dioramas are included. Books of other scenic places are also available.
Poetry and essays are included in this section, too. In Under Purple Skies, The Minneapolis Anthology, edited by Frank Bures, assorted authors present their thoughts on living in Minneapolis. A Somali woman writes about her journeys that brought her here, and why she feels “Safe in Minneapolis.” A Vikings fan describes the Super Bowl game, “The coldest game ever,” in 2015, when once again, the Vikings broke his heart. A tribute to the variety of restaurants on Lake Street provides a pre-2020 description of the area. A surprising sub-genre in the Minnesota shelves includes True Crime. The Kidnapping of Virginia Piper, by William Swanson, describes the kidnapping and successful ransom payment of a wealthy Minneapolis woman. She returned to her family, and the crime was never solved. The Infamous Harry Hayward: A True Account of Murder and Mesmerism in Gilded Age Minneapolis by Shawn Francis Peters, describes the career of an 1890s serial killer and how he was brought to justice. Greed, Rage, and Love Gone Wrong: Murder in Minnesota, by Bruce Rubinstein, is an anthology of notorious murders in Minnesota. The author describes the murder of Elisabeth Congdon at Glensheen, the murder-suicide of Russell Lund Jr., and other lesser-known people. As Rubinstein states, “It’s no exaggeration to say these stories are worthy of fiction. The creepy thing is, they’re real.” The historic, artistic, and quirky items in one section of our library are available to everyone, and you can probably find great variety in the other subjects in our collection. |
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