A Light Inside: An Odyssey of Art, Life, and Law by Jeannie Suk

 I bought this book ten years ago when the author became famous to many Koreans as the first Asian woman tenured at Harvard Law School. I heard through an interview that she was excellent at piano and ballet and read many books regardless of the school curriculum during school days. As I always have been interested in people who achieved academically, I first bought a translated Korean version and then an original English version. After reading the initial part, I left it unattended for a long time, and recently I read it to the end.

As expected, she was a "well-rounded" and talented woman in the liberal arts. Highly educated, resourceful parents, focused on giving opportunities to their children, and American education, which must have given more chances to a gifted person than the 80s' & 90s' Korean education, seem to have played a positive role in her academic success. In addition, her qualities, including the ability to make friends easily and maintain a close relationship with friends and mentors, also seem to have acted positively on her career.

Like other usual autobiographies written by young people who got media attention for their achievements, this book is full of confidence and positivity. Such factors can motivate youths to challenge what they want to do in the future or make readers just envious of her life regardless of the author's intention. The advice about the difficulties of writing that she received from her mentors was practical ("write regularly without overly high expectations"). I want to try this advice for my writing.

The author's words are elegant and intellectual. Her passion for art and unrepressed curiosity are memorable to me.

Written by Shim G.