Paul Billiards' essay "Mr. Wigden's Candy Store," about the lessons of true love and how an ordinary child learns and loves life as he grows up, is a series of 21 touching stories told by Paul Billiard, the author of "The Gift of Understanding," which is included in middle school Korean language textbooks.
In particular, “The Gift of Understanding” is considered one of the most touching and memorable essays in Korean language textbooks, and is a story that touches the heart and warms the mind no matter when read, and remains in the memories of many people.
Although it is classified as a novel in textbooks, according to the author, it is an essay that reflects his childhood memories based on his actual experiences.


Some of the stories contained here are downright absurd, others are so intense that they leave a sharp scar.
The author calls this story the "growing pains" experienced by a young boy during his growing up years.
Reading this book can make you feel excited and thrilled, as if you were back in your childhood. This book makes you realize that the events that occurred during childhood and the process of growing up, and the tragedies, pains, and wounds we had to endure while going through those events, made us adults with unique personalities, lifestyles, and characters when we look back on them later.
It is a very special piece of writing that brings back a vague nostalgia for our childhood and the places we used to play, making our hearts warm and cheerful.


Each episode of the book centers around the author's family, and is a treasure trove of stories that evoke universal values ​​that are being lost in today's modern society—the importance of human relationships and family, the meaning of true love and understanding—from a child's perspective, with unique humor and warm sentiment.
The wit and humor scattered throughout bring a gentle touch and a smile.
Also, the final story, 'The Beginning of Understanding', in which a young boy comes to accept and understand his father who kicked him out of the house and left him to live alone, leaves the reader with a heavy heart.

The stories in this book are mostly about my life as a child, when I learned about the world through curiosity.
There are embarrassing stories that can only be confessed after becoming an adult.
It happened when I was young, but I still feel nostalgic when I recall the innocence of my childhood.
Perhaps you too have grown up experiencing similar things.
I like to call this story the growing pains I had to go through to become an adult.
--- From the preface

One of my happiest childhood memories is of Mr. Wigden's Candy Shop.
I was about four years old when I first visited that store, so half a century has passed, but I still remember the smell of candy there.
At that time, our house was on Daehak-ro, about 200 meters from the Seattle Levana Park streetcar station, and the candy store was on the streetcar side of the road.
(…)
Every time the little bell on the front door rang, Grandpa Wigden would quietly appear and stand behind the candy display.
The old man coming out from behind the curtain was a very old man with white hair.
While my mother and grandfather chatted for a while, I looked at the display case before me… … .

--- Among