Hello book luvers of r/bangtan!

*Oh my my my, oh my my my*, we had such a good time discussing **Beyond the Story:10-Year Record of BTS** with you all! Thank you for joining us and sharing your unique perspectives, insights, favorite quotes, and memories of your Army-time as we journeyed through the BTS timeline. We were really *burning it up* but now it’s time to think about what’s up next for our book club!

To help *get you outta your blues* and fly to your bookshelves, we have five BTS-adjacent books to choose from. These books were either seen on a member’s shelf/in their luggage, recommended by them, or is a book about BTS and their music. Our *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 October’s and let us know what we should read next!

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# So time is yet now, right here to go…

*Some key dates to remember*

(all dates/time are in KST)

| Date | Event |
|:-|:-|
| Sep. 13-18 | Poll opens now – ends Sep 18 11:59pm |
| Sept 20 | Reader’s choice book announced |
| Oct 18 | Books with Luv meeting |

***

# Stories unfolding just for you

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

| Title – BTS Connection | Description |
|:-|:-|
| [Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (1988)](https://booksandbao.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/81XO1rsG2CL-652×1000.jpg.webp) – Recommended by both RM and Suga, and [appeared in a comeback show preview](https://twitter.com/SPOTLIGHTBTS/status/998920074445639680) | Critically recognized as an example of contemporary Japanese literature, this novel explores “two tales about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and homes in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan.” |
| [BTS The Review: A Comprehensive Look at the Music of BTS by Yongdae Kim (2019)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/4178Kn152YL.jpg) | Aimed at ‘Unraveling the Secret of [the] BTS Phenomenon’, Seoul-based music critic, musicologist, and author Youngdae Kim reviews every track of sixteen albums released by BTS to analyze the essence of their extraordinary popularity in the US. |
| [I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki: A Memoir by Baek Sehee (2022)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Rw57wJyTL.jpg) – [Spotted in RM’s room in Bon Voyage 3, ep. 1.](https://twitter.com/JooniesLibrary/status/1514354602602291203); translated by Anton Hur, translator of ‘Beyond the Story’.| Young social media director Baek Sehee records her therapy discussions over a 12-week period and then expands on each session with her own insight/reflection. Part memoir, part self-help book, “it will appeal to anyone who has ever felt alone or unjustified in their everyday despair.” |
| [When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/717KRq4xxxL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg) – [On RM’s bookshelf during his 2019 Rkive studio tour](https://weverse.io/bts/live/4-104694133) | Autobiographical memoir of neurosurgeon Kalanithi about his life and his battling stage IV metastatic lung cancer. Kirkus called the book a “moving meditation on mortality by a gifted writer whose dual perspectives of physician and patient provide a singular clarity.” |
| [Blonote by Tablo (2016)](https://pictures.abebooks.com/inventory/md/md31607238366.jpg) – [RM received a signed copy of Tablos’s book](https://www.reddit.com/r/bangtan/comments/55brps/160930_rm_receives_a_signed_copy_of_tablos_new/) and, of course, Tablo collaborated with RM on “All Day” on Indigo | During his stint as a late night radio DJ, Tablo would sign off with short bursts of thought rather than a customary “good night”. With these messages covering topics from family, to relationships, to hectic schedules, Tablo invites readers to see this book as “the beginning of an inspiration or an end to a worry” and reach for it in “moments when your heart is restless”. |

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# Talking…talking… talking…

*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 own leisure time) to help feel less sad after reading.

***

# One time for the present, two times for the past

As we mentioned in our [first bookclub post](https://reddit.com/r/bangtan/s/z5QTyRqomz), we haven’t done something like this before. 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 boookclub volunteers:

– u/amala83
– u/EveryCliche
– u/moonisme
– u/mucho_thankyou5802
– u/rhythmia

And the r/bangtan Mod Team

# Give us Your 1, Your 2 (really, just your 1 – Poll)

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

[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/16hl4ys)

by mucho_thankyou5802