By Honorary Reporter Urszula Sliwa from Poland
Photos = Urszula Sliwa

A poster for the Warsaw International Book Fair poster hangs on the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland.

The annual Warsaw International Book Fair from May 25-28 was held at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland. I attended a meet-and-greet session with author Sohn Won-pyung, who wrote the novel "Almond."

Her book has gained international acclaim in recent years, selling over a million copies and earning awards, including a recommendation from K-pop sensation BTS.

This is a copy of the Polish-language edition of Sohn Won-pyung's novel "Almond."

The plot centers on Yun-jae, a boy whose difficulty making social connections is due to alexithymia, or the inability to feel or describe emotions. He cannot understand others' behavior but tries to feel emotion with support from his devoted family. The book shows how love and friendship can change lives.

The story has struck a chord with fans of young adult fiction like myself, and it was exciting from beginning to end. Thus I was keen to meet the author at the fair.

A poster of the cover of the Polish-language edition of the novel "Almond" on May 26 is displayed on stage for the meet-and-greet session with author Sohn Won-pyung at the Warsaw International Book Fair at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland.

Along with a huge crowd, I attended the session with Sohn, who said she liked Poland especially because of its huge green space. I arrived much earlier to ensure getting a seat, and most of the attendees stood throughout the event. The line for her autograph also took hours. 

The session started with an interview with Sohn, proceeded with questions from the audience and ended with a book signing. The author expressed her thoughts on her novel and its recognition, her sources of inspiration and the process of writing her work.

Attending this kind of event was one of the best things I did, culminating in an unforgettable meeting with the author whose book changed my outlook on life.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things.