The reason I'm happy
 |
Description
Book Introduction
- A word from MD
-
Questioning science fiction that delves into our bodies and minds.A special Korean anthology by Greg Egan, the 'writer's writer.'
Where did I come from and how did I become who I am? Are the love and happiness I feel truly mine?
A science fiction film that delves into the very essence of human existence, the mind, and its identity, asking powerful questions that reach deep into the heart, based on a wondrous scientific imagination.August 30, 2022. Novel/Poetry PD Park Hyung-wook
Ted Chiang's fateful rival, Kim Cho-yeop's most recommended writer
The first book in a special Korean anthology by Greg Egan, the "writer of science fiction writers."
The rival of the century.
For a genius to be born, the existence of another genius as a rival is essential.
Of the two geniuses born that way, we have only met one genius, “Ted Chiang.”
So Hubble would like to introduce you to one more genius writer.
A 'writer of SF writers' recommended by Kim Cho-yeop, an icon of Korean literature who, along with Ted Chiang, led the Korean SF craze and who has expressed his passionate fandom through various interviews.
That's right, "Greg Egan."
Although it hasn't been introduced in Korea, the rivalry between Greg Egan and Ted Chiang is world-famous.
Not only have the two been called the 'two giants of hard SF' among SF fandoms from early on, but the works of the two authors actually have a high degree of synchronization in terms of subject matter and worldview.
That's why questions or answers about Greg Egan almost always appear in Ted Chiang's interviews.
Ted Chiang has been a vocal admirer of Greg Egan since the two writers were active in the 2000s and up until recently.
In this way, the two writers have maintained a mutually beneficial rivalry, not as hostile rivals who slander, attack, and hurt each other, but as inspirations and praises given to each other through good works.
Ted Chiang's affection and admiration for Greg Egan can be seen not only in official interviews but also in private emails.
When the publication of Greg Egan's special Korean anthology was confirmed, Ted Chiang sent Greg Egan a message: "Greg, I'm really surprised that so little of your work has been translated into Korean yet!"
There was another writer who waited as long for Greg Egan's translation as Ted Chiang, and that was Kim Cho-yeop, who has now become an icon of Korean literature, not just Korean science fiction.
Kim Cho-yeop has recommended Greg Egan's works from early on through his genre literature dialogue collection 『Genre of Genre』 (Safe House, 2018) and his celebrity communication channel 〈Aha〉 (2022), and he also wrote a recommendation for this book.
In particular, Kim Cho-yeop frequently recommended the title work, “The Reason I’m Happy.” This mid-length novel, which was introduced to Korea through “Hard SF Renaissance 1” (Happy Book Reading, 2008) about 10 years ago, is still talked about as a legend among Korean SF readers.
Greg Egan, a writer strongly recommended by two key figures in the 'Korean SF craze' that began in 2019.
The first volume of this anthology, which compiles his short story collections 『Axiomatic』(1995), 『Luminous』(1998), and 『Oceanic』(2009), was published thanks to the support of science fiction fans.
The first book in a special Korean anthology by Greg Egan, the "writer of science fiction writers."
The rival of the century.
For a genius to be born, the existence of another genius as a rival is essential.
Of the two geniuses born that way, we have only met one genius, “Ted Chiang.”
So Hubble would like to introduce you to one more genius writer.
A 'writer of SF writers' recommended by Kim Cho-yeop, an icon of Korean literature who, along with Ted Chiang, led the Korean SF craze and who has expressed his passionate fandom through various interviews.
That's right, "Greg Egan."
Although it hasn't been introduced in Korea, the rivalry between Greg Egan and Ted Chiang is world-famous.
Not only have the two been called the 'two giants of hard SF' among SF fandoms from early on, but the works of the two authors actually have a high degree of synchronization in terms of subject matter and worldview.
That's why questions or answers about Greg Egan almost always appear in Ted Chiang's interviews.
Ted Chiang has been a vocal admirer of Greg Egan since the two writers were active in the 2000s and up until recently.
In this way, the two writers have maintained a mutually beneficial rivalry, not as hostile rivals who slander, attack, and hurt each other, but as inspirations and praises given to each other through good works.
Ted Chiang's affection and admiration for Greg Egan can be seen not only in official interviews but also in private emails.
When the publication of Greg Egan's special Korean anthology was confirmed, Ted Chiang sent Greg Egan a message: "Greg, I'm really surprised that so little of your work has been translated into Korean yet!"
There was another writer who waited as long for Greg Egan's translation as Ted Chiang, and that was Kim Cho-yeop, who has now become an icon of Korean literature, not just Korean science fiction.
Kim Cho-yeop has recommended Greg Egan's works from early on through his genre literature dialogue collection 『Genre of Genre』 (Safe House, 2018) and his celebrity communication channel 〈Aha〉 (2022), and he also wrote a recommendation for this book.
In particular, Kim Cho-yeop frequently recommended the title work, “The Reason I’m Happy.” This mid-length novel, which was introduced to Korea through “Hard SF Renaissance 1” (Happy Book Reading, 2008) about 10 years ago, is still talked about as a legend among Korean SF readers.
Greg Egan, a writer strongly recommended by two key figures in the 'Korean SF craze' that began in 2019.
The first volume of this anthology, which compiles his short story collections 『Axiomatic』(1995), 『Luminous』(1998), and 『Oceanic』(2009), was published thanks to the support of science fiction fans.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Proper Love ·007
100 Light Years Diary ·041
Why I'm Happy ·073
Infinite Assassin ·141
Moral Virologist ·175
Action Axiom ·209
Learning to Be Myself ·239
Windblown Chaff ·273
Luminous ·321
Silverfire ·391
Our Lady of Chernobyl ·459
Translator's Note ·522
100 Light Years Diary ·041
Why I'm Happy ·073
Infinite Assassin ·141
Moral Virologist ·175
Action Axiom ·209
Learning to Be Myself ·239
Windblown Chaff ·273
Luminous ·321
Silverfire ·391
Our Lady of Chernobyl ·459
Translator's Note ·522
Detailed image
Into the book
That truth grows within me day by day.
The power is so strong that it doesn't even allow me to regret it.
---From "Appropriate Love"
But I would rather swim in a sea of discord created by a million contradictory voices than drown in the sophisticated and plausible lies fabricated by the writers of history who control the "hazard devices" and order mass slaughter.
---From "100 Light Years Diary"
Even if I went to Luke the Freeth and said, "I'm completely healed now, so remove the software. I don't need the ability to choose anymore," I'll never forget where everything I feel came from.
---From "Why I'm Happy"
Now that I realize that I will live in every possible way and die in every possible way, who on earth would be willing to risk death to save me from shame?
---From "Infinite Assassin"
His faith, like a current of light, washed away the absurd doubts he had felt.
The real solution was so obvious and simple, how could anyone dare to give in?
---From "Moral Virologists"
It was all just a joke.
She was a piece of meat, and she was nothing.
All the pain of the past five years evaporated as if washed away.
I was intoxicated with relief.
---From "Axioms of Action"
Because I have no way of reflecting on my own experience to see what kind of being he regarded himself as, what he was thinking deep down, and how he experienced the reality of his own existence.
---From "Learning to Become Me"
'You shouldn't feel anything.
You have to want to feel nothing.
And I must continue to choose that way, or everything I once was will crumble like a sandcastle and be blown away by the wind.
---From "Windblown Bran"
Moreover, Luminous reconfigures entire systems in nanoseconds, creating complex new 'hardware' optimized for performing the computation at hand.
No matter what program you're running, the auxiliary supercomputers controlling the laser arrays can design and instantaneously create the perfect light computer to perform that program's specific steps.
---From "Luminous"
All you see now is a woman in agony, dying, but we all need to learn to see more than that.
The time has come to regain the power our ancestors possessed, the strength we have lost.
The power to see divine visions and demons and angels.
The power to see the spirits of wind and rain.
“The strength to walk the path of joy.”
---From "Silver Fire"
I almost answered like this.
If you had stolen Hengartner's image files instead, this whole thing would never have happened in the first place.
But I couldn't bring myself to do that.
The power is so strong that it doesn't even allow me to regret it.
---From "Appropriate Love"
But I would rather swim in a sea of discord created by a million contradictory voices than drown in the sophisticated and plausible lies fabricated by the writers of history who control the "hazard devices" and order mass slaughter.
---From "100 Light Years Diary"
Even if I went to Luke the Freeth and said, "I'm completely healed now, so remove the software. I don't need the ability to choose anymore," I'll never forget where everything I feel came from.
---From "Why I'm Happy"
Now that I realize that I will live in every possible way and die in every possible way, who on earth would be willing to risk death to save me from shame?
---From "Infinite Assassin"
His faith, like a current of light, washed away the absurd doubts he had felt.
The real solution was so obvious and simple, how could anyone dare to give in?
---From "Moral Virologists"
It was all just a joke.
She was a piece of meat, and she was nothing.
All the pain of the past five years evaporated as if washed away.
I was intoxicated with relief.
---From "Axioms of Action"
Because I have no way of reflecting on my own experience to see what kind of being he regarded himself as, what he was thinking deep down, and how he experienced the reality of his own existence.
---From "Learning to Become Me"
'You shouldn't feel anything.
You have to want to feel nothing.
And I must continue to choose that way, or everything I once was will crumble like a sandcastle and be blown away by the wind.
---From "Windblown Bran"
Moreover, Luminous reconfigures entire systems in nanoseconds, creating complex new 'hardware' optimized for performing the computation at hand.
No matter what program you're running, the auxiliary supercomputers controlling the laser arrays can design and instantaneously create the perfect light computer to perform that program's specific steps.
---From "Luminous"
All you see now is a woman in agony, dying, but we all need to learn to see more than that.
The time has come to regain the power our ancestors possessed, the strength we have lost.
The power to see divine visions and demons and angels.
The power to see the spirits of wind and rain.
“The strength to walk the path of joy.”
---From "Silver Fire"
I almost answered like this.
If you had stolen Hengartner's image files instead, this whole thing would never have happened in the first place.
But I couldn't bring myself to do that.
---From "Our Lady of Chernobyl"
Publisher's Review
"A Coma Brain Preserved in the Womb," "A Brain Made from Data from Thousands of People"
A narrative about science and technology and human identity that delves into the body and consciousness.
Here is a man and his wife who were in a terrible accident.
Fortunately, although the man's body is completely damaged, his brain is intact, and he has insurance for 'cloning surgery'.
('Cloning surgery' is a surgery to create a cloned human without a brain and replace the brain.) The problem is that it takes two years to complete the cloned body.
Preserving a brain in a freezer costs a fortune, and his wife can't afford it.
At this time, the insurance company employee makes a suggestion.
“There is a very cheap way.
“It is stored in the wife’s womb.” The man’s wife is furious, asking if she would have made such an unreasonable demand of her husband even if she had been in an accident herself, but ultimately decides to save her husband.
She endured two years with her husband's brain inside her like a fetus.
Fortunately, the husband gets a new body safely.
However, the wife, who lived with someone else's brain inside her body for two years, and the husband, who existed only as a brain inside someone else's body, experienced irreversible changes during that period.
A woman who has become a completely different being talks about her transformation.
“That power is so strong that it doesn’t even allow me to regret it.”
The above is a summary of the first included work, “Appropriate Love.”
In "Why I'm Happy," we see how cutting-edge science and technology of the future, such as "a brain preserved in a coma in the womb" and "a brain created from data from thousands of people," are penetrating not only our surroundings but also our bodies and even our minds, in a vivid and realistic way.
Greg Egan's characters face a crossroads:
“Would you accept this cutting-edge technology into your body to save yourself or someone you love?” Those who have no choice entrust their bodies to technology, leaving their anxieties behind.
But what they could never have known at the time of their choice was that the science and technology they had received physically would change their love and even their happiness.
The wife, the main character of "Proper Love," carries her husband's brain inside her body for two years to protect her past happiness.
But during those two years, the love and happiness the protagonist pursues completely changes.
So she can live with a healthy husband, but she can no longer say she is “happy.”
The protagonist of the title piece, “The Reason I’m Happy,” also faces a similar crossroads of choice.
The protagonist, who cannot feel happiness due to the aftereffects of surgery, receives a brain transplant that allows him to feel happiness.
Fortunately, the main character feels happy again.
However, the transplanted brain was created by integrating brain data from thousands of people, and so the protagonist feels that the happiness he felt before is clearly different from the happiness he feels now.
The protagonist, who can freely control his emotions through special functions of the brain, begins to doubt whether the emotions he feels are truly his own.
The protagonist, who was suffering from identity confusion, begins to fall in love by chance.
Thanks to that coincidence, he begins to doubt his own feelings again, but when his lover, who has discovered the identity of his brain, announces a breakup, he hits a wall again.
Even though he was abandoned by his precious lover, he can become happy just by pressing a button on the remote control.
The protagonist, who realized that fact, says:
“I will never forget where everything I feel came from.”
“Greg Egan is particularly adept at telling a story about a materialist interpretation of human consciousness.
While many of his works explicitly address this issue, he also demonstrates a profoundly original talent for drawing grounded conclusions in other areas. - Ted Chiang (novelist)
“We are just a walking mass of matter, and we are profoundly influenced by other matter outside ourselves.
The works included in “Why I’m Happy” touch on this truth in a very chilling way.
The questions that directly target the human brain, neurons, ego and mind are sudden and merciless.
As I read, this thought naturally comes to mind.
Perhaps humans are not romantic beings, but rather organic lumps controlled by neurotransmitters and a series of chemical molecules.
“If we can still talk about love and happiness, it will have to be defined in a completely different way than before.” - Kim Cho-yeop (novelist)
The quality of the work has been recognized by world-class science fiction awards such as the Hugo Award, Locus Award, and Asimov Award.
The imagination to move forward while burning the bridge to return at the crossroads of life
In her essay collection, “A Novelist’s Work,” author Kim Yeon-su said, “Writing a novel is like setting fire to the bridge the protagonist has already walked.”
This is a perspective based on the definition that all writers from the past to the present agree on, that 'a novel is a change in characters', and if we apply this perspective to Greg Egan's work, it is as clear as day what is fire and what is a bridge.
‘Fire’ is science and technology, and ‘bridge’ is our body.
Greg Egan sets our bodies on fire with technology.
And it illuminates the state of our spirit, which is placed in a situation where it cannot return to the way it was before, in front of a blazing body.
By then, readers of Greg Egan's work have also become half-possessed by that wandering spirit.
In this way, Greg Egan puts cutting-edge science and technology in our hands.
By holding it like that, you can feel on your skin how hot it is, how boiling it is.
Just as holding ice can burn your hand, it shows how science and technology, which are meant to save people, can have a fatal impact on our identity.
The reason why numerous world-class science fiction awards, including the Hugo Award, Locus Award, and Asimov Award, have praised Greg Egan is not simply because he has demonstrated outstanding scientific consistency.
He is a great storyteller before he is a hard science fiction writer.
The source of his master touch that created the masterpiece, “The Reason I’m Happy,” is scientific imagination and storytelling ability.
A narrative about science and technology and human identity that delves into the body and consciousness.
Here is a man and his wife who were in a terrible accident.
Fortunately, although the man's body is completely damaged, his brain is intact, and he has insurance for 'cloning surgery'.
('Cloning surgery' is a surgery to create a cloned human without a brain and replace the brain.) The problem is that it takes two years to complete the cloned body.
Preserving a brain in a freezer costs a fortune, and his wife can't afford it.
At this time, the insurance company employee makes a suggestion.
“There is a very cheap way.
“It is stored in the wife’s womb.” The man’s wife is furious, asking if she would have made such an unreasonable demand of her husband even if she had been in an accident herself, but ultimately decides to save her husband.
She endured two years with her husband's brain inside her like a fetus.
Fortunately, the husband gets a new body safely.
However, the wife, who lived with someone else's brain inside her body for two years, and the husband, who existed only as a brain inside someone else's body, experienced irreversible changes during that period.
A woman who has become a completely different being talks about her transformation.
“That power is so strong that it doesn’t even allow me to regret it.”
The above is a summary of the first included work, “Appropriate Love.”
In "Why I'm Happy," we see how cutting-edge science and technology of the future, such as "a brain preserved in a coma in the womb" and "a brain created from data from thousands of people," are penetrating not only our surroundings but also our bodies and even our minds, in a vivid and realistic way.
Greg Egan's characters face a crossroads:
“Would you accept this cutting-edge technology into your body to save yourself or someone you love?” Those who have no choice entrust their bodies to technology, leaving their anxieties behind.
But what they could never have known at the time of their choice was that the science and technology they had received physically would change their love and even their happiness.
The wife, the main character of "Proper Love," carries her husband's brain inside her body for two years to protect her past happiness.
But during those two years, the love and happiness the protagonist pursues completely changes.
So she can live with a healthy husband, but she can no longer say she is “happy.”
The protagonist of the title piece, “The Reason I’m Happy,” also faces a similar crossroads of choice.
The protagonist, who cannot feel happiness due to the aftereffects of surgery, receives a brain transplant that allows him to feel happiness.
Fortunately, the main character feels happy again.
However, the transplanted brain was created by integrating brain data from thousands of people, and so the protagonist feels that the happiness he felt before is clearly different from the happiness he feels now.
The protagonist, who can freely control his emotions through special functions of the brain, begins to doubt whether the emotions he feels are truly his own.
The protagonist, who was suffering from identity confusion, begins to fall in love by chance.
Thanks to that coincidence, he begins to doubt his own feelings again, but when his lover, who has discovered the identity of his brain, announces a breakup, he hits a wall again.
Even though he was abandoned by his precious lover, he can become happy just by pressing a button on the remote control.
The protagonist, who realized that fact, says:
“I will never forget where everything I feel came from.”
“Greg Egan is particularly adept at telling a story about a materialist interpretation of human consciousness.
While many of his works explicitly address this issue, he also demonstrates a profoundly original talent for drawing grounded conclusions in other areas. - Ted Chiang (novelist)
“We are just a walking mass of matter, and we are profoundly influenced by other matter outside ourselves.
The works included in “Why I’m Happy” touch on this truth in a very chilling way.
The questions that directly target the human brain, neurons, ego and mind are sudden and merciless.
As I read, this thought naturally comes to mind.
Perhaps humans are not romantic beings, but rather organic lumps controlled by neurotransmitters and a series of chemical molecules.
“If we can still talk about love and happiness, it will have to be defined in a completely different way than before.” - Kim Cho-yeop (novelist)
The quality of the work has been recognized by world-class science fiction awards such as the Hugo Award, Locus Award, and Asimov Award.
The imagination to move forward while burning the bridge to return at the crossroads of life
In her essay collection, “A Novelist’s Work,” author Kim Yeon-su said, “Writing a novel is like setting fire to the bridge the protagonist has already walked.”
This is a perspective based on the definition that all writers from the past to the present agree on, that 'a novel is a change in characters', and if we apply this perspective to Greg Egan's work, it is as clear as day what is fire and what is a bridge.
‘Fire’ is science and technology, and ‘bridge’ is our body.
Greg Egan sets our bodies on fire with technology.
And it illuminates the state of our spirit, which is placed in a situation where it cannot return to the way it was before, in front of a blazing body.
By then, readers of Greg Egan's work have also become half-possessed by that wandering spirit.
In this way, Greg Egan puts cutting-edge science and technology in our hands.
By holding it like that, you can feel on your skin how hot it is, how boiling it is.
Just as holding ice can burn your hand, it shows how science and technology, which are meant to save people, can have a fatal impact on our identity.
The reason why numerous world-class science fiction awards, including the Hugo Award, Locus Award, and Asimov Award, have praised Greg Egan is not simply because he has demonstrated outstanding scientific consistency.
He is a great storyteller before he is a hard science fiction writer.
The source of his master touch that created the masterpiece, “The Reason I’m Happy,” is scientific imagination and storytelling ability.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: August 16, 2022
- Page count, weight, size: 532 pages | 698g | 145*212*35mm
- ISBN13: 9791190090674
- ISBN10: 1190090678
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