■ Historia Vitae (by Choi Jae-chun, published by Jisikseojae)
Choi Jae-chun, a professor and one of Korea's leading ecologists, has condensed 4.6 billion years of Earth's history of life into a single book. Starting from the birth of Earth and the first genetic material, the book engagingly unfolds life's long journey through the emergence of multicellular organisms, Darwin's theory of evolution, and the birth of Homo sapiens. The author emphasizes that humans are not the rulers of the ecosystem but one member within the vast web of life. He also seeks solutions for the future in the symbiotic strategies of creatures such as ants and migratory birds, amid the crises humanity faces, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, population decline, and artificial intelligence. 24,000 won.
■ The Last Human Job (by Allison J. Pugh, published by Chusubat)
In an era when artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly replacing human jobs, the author argues that what matters more is not the job itself but the "way of working." A sociologist, the author illuminates the value of "connective labor"—caring for people based on empathy, communication, and trust—through interviews with about 100 people including counselors, teachers, doctors, and managers. She critically analyzes the reality in which the logic of automation and efficiency standardizes human relationships and reduces them to data, emphasizing that the human ability to understand others and form relationships is a domain AI cannot replace. 25,000 won.
■ The Reason for Seasons (by Lee Go-eun, published by Jan)
This is an essay that looks back on time and memories passed through with the flow of the seasons. Through 50 stories capturing the excitement and wounds of spring, the love and farewells of summer, the joys and sorrows of autumn, and the solitude and hope of winter, the author summons the traces of bygone days that everyone holds in their heart. Rather than living while clinging to the past, the book calmly depicts the process of reconciling with memories that must be let go. It offers warm courage to bid farewell to the days gone by and move toward the coming tomorrow. 16,800 won.
■ The Last Connection (by Park Sung-il, published by Joeunttang)
The author, who has long documented the scene as a photojournalist, leads readers into a world of cosmic imagination with his second full-length novel. The novel centers on the communication between an alien being named "Noema" and human researcher Lee Do-hyun, but its interest lies in the essence of human existence rather than alien civilization. Set against an era that chases technological advancement and speed, it poses the question "When do we stop asking questions," prompting reflection on a human society that seeks to fix meaning. It is a philosophical science fiction novel that speaks about humans through an alien life form. 17,000 won.
