240205 /r/bangtan Books with Luv: It’s the Month of Luv and We’re Back with Another Reader’s Choice Book Poll!

Hello [book club](https://i.imgur.com/EmGw50p.gif) of /r/bangtan and happy [Hobiuary](https://i.imgur.com/hgSPwDO.gif)!!

Can you believe how swiftly January flew by? This wait for 2025 may be over sooner than we could imagine. We kicked off this year’s book club with **Kim Ji-Young, Born in 1982 by Cho Nam-joo**, and what a great start it was. Thanks to everyone who participated, and in case you haven’t done so yet, the discussion is [still open](https://www.reddit.com/r/bangtan/comments/1aer315/240131_rbangtan_books_with_luv_january_book_club/) so feel free to post your thoughts there.

We are back with five BTS-adjacent books to choose from. These books were either seen on a member’s bookshelf/in their luggage, recommended by them, were seen being read by them, or are books about BTS and their music.

The *ult-list* is much longer but we used a randomizer to choose these 5 for the poll and we’ll have fresh choices for you each month. Take a look at February’s picks and vote on what we should read next!

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*Some key dates to remember*

(All dates/time are in KST)

| Date | Event |
|:-|:-|
| Feb 5 | Poll opens now – ends Feb 10 11:59pm |
| Feb 11 | Voters’ choice book announced |
| Feb 23 | Books with Luv discussion meeting |

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# Books on the street (as always for us)

*These are the 5 books you get to choose from for the month of February!*

| Title – BTS Connection | Description |
|:-|:-|
| [When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/081298840X) – Found on RM’s bookshelf of his 2019 Rkive studio [as seen in this studio tour](https://twitter.com/JooniesLibrary/status/1399366217161494535) | At thirty-six, after nearly a decade of neurosurgical training, Paul Kalanithi faced a pivotal shift. Diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, he transitioned from a doctor navigating death to a patient grappling with life’s fragility. When Breath Becomes Air traces Kalanithi’s journey – from a probing medical student pondering the essence of a virtuous life to a Stanford neurosurgeon exploring the intricacies of human identity in the brain. Ultimately, he becomes a patient and a new father, confronting his mortality head-on, shattering the envisioned future with his wife.|
| [On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity by Lenika Cruz (2023)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1638930643)| Lenika Cruz, senior culture editor at *The Atlantic*, demystifies the supersonic ascent of Korean pop group BTS. Cruz attributes their global stardom to authenticity, artistry, energy, social conscientiousness, and undeniable coolness. From a humble debut on an obscure label in Korea to becoming a household name worldwide, BTS represents a paradigm shift in the music industry. Cruz’s love letter to this once-in-a-generation pop sensation shares her unexpected journey into the fandom, inviting readers to join in the experience.|
| [Jung’s Map of the Soul: An Introduction by Murray Stein (1998)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0812693760) – Carl Jung’s philosophies and his drawing of the ‘Map of the soul’ inspired the music and themes of BTS’ [‘Map of the Soul’ albums](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nzEPBPA0x5BxgeWmvfkSQMqSoLL9MH1G4) | More than a mere overview, the book offers readers a strong grounding in the basic principles of Jung’s analytical psychology in addition to illuminating insights. Stein develops the cartographical metaphor of the title by beginning with the “surface” (ego) of the psyche and exploring successively more complex areas, including complexes, libido theory, shadow, “anima/us,” the self, individuation, and synchronicity. |
| [Blonote by Tablo (2016)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBMRZH3) – Tablo of Epik High is a friend, collaborator, and huge supporter of BTS. [RM received a signed copy of the book](https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/782048404188766208) | From April 2008 to June 2009 and from April 2014 to November 2015, rapper Tablo hosted his own radio show, ‘Dreaming with Tablo’, on MBS FM4U. Every day, Tablo shared short messages with his listeners. The topics of the messages covered everything from family, friends, hectic daily routines, relationships, and much more. The book is filled with personal messages handwritten by famous musicians, movie directors, comedians, models, designers, and DJs among many others.|
| [Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (2006)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802142443) – Read by RM and SUGA. [Spotted in this 2018 interview with RM](https://twitter.com/JooniesLibrary/status/1411353388634288137) | ‘Kitchen’ is a captivatingly original book that intertwines two narratives exploring themes of mothers, love, tragedy, and the transformative power of the kitchen and home in the lives of two free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, an orphan, finds solace with her friend Yoichi and his unique family, led by his cross-dressing father, Eriko. As they navigate their own share of heartbreaks, Yoshimoto weaves a poignant story, placing the kitchen and the comforts of home at its emotional core. |

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# Bring it all, I’m doing it all

*Below is a discussion guide. We will also be preparing some questions for you!*

– Book specific questions: TBA
– *Fan Chant*: Hype/overall reviews
– *Ments*: favorite quotes
– *ARMY Time*: playlist/recommendations of songs you associate with the book/chapters/characters
– *Do The Wave*: sentiments, feels, realizations based on the book
– *Encore/Post Club-read Depression Prevention*: something the book club can do afterwards (on one’s own leisure time) to help recover from the book hangover.

***

# Outro: Ego

As always, if you have questions or suggestions on how we can make discussions even better please let us know. You can post it here or feel free to reach out to any of our lovely volunteers and mods!

With luv,

Our book club volunteers:

– /u/EveryCliche
– /u/munisme
– /u/mucho_thankyou5802
– /u/Next_Grapefruit_3206

And the r/bangtan Mod Team

# I’m your vote, you’re my vote

*Vote for the book you would like to discuss in the next book club!*

[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/1aj3a17)

by Next_Grapefruit_3206