Bet everything on reading: the only way to completely change your life

Author Park Ga-eul · Publisher Change Up · Publication Date 2026-10-01 · ISBN 9791124863022

About the Book

A record of 40 books I couldn't have endured without reading.
The magical miracle that unfolded after seven years of reading books every day.

At twenty-six, at the most brilliant crossroads of youth, a sudden illness completely shattered her ordinary life. Overnight, she went back and forth between the ICU and emergency room more than ten times, hovering between life and death. With only bones left on her 22kg body, unable to walk or wash herself, she had to endure death and misery. To make matters worse, in the midst of that darkest tunnel of her life, the cruel pain of loss struck as she had to bid farewell forever to her father, who was her only lighthouse and pillar of support.

The vivid experiences filling this book are a heartfelt confession of the pain and emotions the author had to endure with her whole body in that hellish despair. However, the author does not stop at lamenting her pain but shares the intense process of self-reflection through which she transformed her crumbling life into a magical miracle by opening a book every day. These inimitable, honest, and calm sentences, which can only be offered by someone who has stood on the edge of a cliff, will provide warm comfort and courage to countless people facing trials in life to rise again.

This book contains a short book introduction corner for each story, such as "What is the book 'Life Lessons'?", and there are 40 such books introduced. The author concisely summarizes how she came to read each book, the memorable or resonant content, and how it changed her life. The following three books are examples. Reading Mencius taught her that trials make her stronger; reading Bertrand Russell's The Conquest of Happiness helped her break free from a life sacrificed to chasing only success; and through Alain de Botton's Status Anxiety, she gradually became less conscious of societal standards and others' opinions that had constrained her. The changes gained through so many books allowed the author to grow into a different person.

If you learn something from a book, put it into practice immediately.
One book, One action!

Each story in this book is structured in three stages. It begins with the author's honest experience, introduces a book that helped her see life differently at that moment, and finally, leaves blank spaces for readers to write down actions they can apply to their own lives. All the books introduced here were purchased and read by the author herself, without any advertising or sponsorship. This authenticity has led to the trust of over 20,000 followers. If she chose a sentence from a book that resonated with her, she would turn it into an action to practice that day. As these daily practices accumulated, her days, filled with anxiety and confusion, gradually improved.

First, she became less gripped by anxiety and fear.
Second, she stopped regretting the past or worrying about the future.
Third, her self-esteem increased, and feelings of depression disappeared.
Fourth, she no longer fell into lethargy and gained the courage to live authentically.

Consistent reading brought change to the author's life. That change began with a single question: What would be the biggest regret? The answer was not success. It was not fully pursuing what she loved and not being kind to the people who were by her side.

In response to this question, the author opened a book. She didn't need to be perfect from the start. For the author, change began with a small practice: transcribing just one sentence a day and applying it to her life—"One Book, One Action." The accumulation of these practices led her to a life where she first extended kindness to those closest to her. If you start to think that a book might change your life, that's enough. It starts today by choosing one sentence.


From the Book

If you've lost yourself or want to change your life, I recommend reading. Reading cultivates a meaningful life out of one that was flowing meaninglessly. You can also find hints and directions for many of your questions within books. Books have the power to expand a person's life. You don't need to be perfect from the start. I also started with a light reading habit, just 10 minutes a day (I highly recommend the "One Book, One Action" reading method, which you can find more details about on pages 138-143). Without even realizing it, you will find yourself changed at some point.
- Pages 7-8

My ordinary, everyday life collapsed overnight. At the time, I was living peaceful days, dreaming of a happy future. Then, one day, my life instantly turned from heaven to hell. In June 2016, I suddenly started getting sick. I went back and forth between the ICU and emergency room more than ten times, hovering between life and death. I spent a full year in the hospital, undergoing countless admissions and discharges. It took me seven years just to regain my health. During that most difficult period, my dad left my side forever.
- Page 14

Every emotion Zorba experiences is connected to physical sensation. The most basic way to perceive oneself is through the body. The healthier one is, the clearer one's bodily sensations become. The healthier one's body and the more positive one's thoughts, the more easily one becomes happy and generous. Conversely, when one is sick, one quickly becomes depressed and sensitive to minor things. Both body and mind are ultimately for oneself. They are antennas that help one explore life well. Poor health narrows the scope of life. Living out one's will with a healthy body—that is the life I desire.
- Page 21

Whenever that happened, I found comfort in books. John O'Leary, the author of "On Fire," suffered third-degree burns over his entire body at the age of nine when he caught fire. He was pronounced dead by doctors but miraculously survived. "If you could go back to the day you got burned, would you choose this life again?" John O'Leary replied, "Yes, of course!"
- Pages 104-105

After the meeting, several people sent me long thank-you letters. Many shared their difficult stories, saying that thanks to reading together, they found healing and comfort. Some said they developed a reading habit and experienced change and happiness in their daily lives, others called the book we read in the group their "life book," and some simply cherished the time spent together as a good memory. I wouldn't have known such joy if I hadn't run the book club. I felt prouder when the members finished a book than when I did. I felt more overwhelmed when the members' lives changed than when my own life changed through books.
- Page 145

A spoonful of yogurt that my mom adds when making Greek yogurt contains a small amount of lactic acid bacteria. This small entity ultimately determines the completeness of the entire Greek yogurt. A single good sentence is the same. A short sentence has the power to change the direction of my day and my mindset. Just as I eat healthy food for my body, I consistently read good writing for my mind.
- Page 184

In Ernest Miller Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea," the protagonist Santiago diligently does his best at fishing without being swayed by results or others' approval. What was important to him was the process of fishing itself, more than the outcome. He fought with himself to the end, never losing positivity and courage in the face of failure and hardship. Reading this novel, I realized that the time I spent reading alone in my small room when I was unwell was also a part of the life given to me. Just as Santiago quietly walked his path on the sea, I too should do my best each day in what I can do.
- Pages 195-196

On Saturday evening, I went to a jazz concert with my mom and aunt. The cool breeze in the night sky, the lively drum performance and guitar melody, the presence of loved ones beside me, two beers and a frankfurter sandwich, laughter and applause erupting everywhere. The happiness I was seeking was unexpectedly found in everyday life, close at hand.
- Pages 219-220


Recommendations

I am currently on day 1719 of positive affirmations. Author Park Ga-eul has been reading books and applying them to her life every day for over 2555 days. I recommend this book to readers who are curious about how to apply what they learn from books to their lives and how far that change can extend.
- Go Myung-hwan (Actor, author of "The Art of Reading")

The writing of someone who has endured pain possesses an inimitable power. Author Park Ga-eul has captured the comfort and wisdom gained from books during difficult times. Anyone going through a hard time will find the strength to walk again in this book.
- Bok Ju-hwan (CEO of Thought Organization Class, author of "Thought Organization Skills")

This writing fully contains the fierce traces of a life dedicated to recovering normalcy. The poignant day of a reader of this book can shine brilliantly simply by being ordinary. I hope that every day of discovering this fact becomes a happy time.
- Kang Min-ho (Brand Strategist, author of "Another Level")

Table of Contents

Prologue · Everyone seems to be living well, so why am I the only one unhappy?

Chapter 1 · One Day, Ordinary Life Stopped _ Pain, Loss, and the Beginning of a Hiatus

01 I opened a book the moment my life turned into hell
02 I slowly forgot how to walk
03 What if a male nurse changes my diaper?
04 The ICU is a transit station between life and death
05 You can be happy enough
06 Until I experienced ordinary things again
07 Everyone else seems to be doing well, so why am I the only one struggling?
08 When I feel like I'm falling behind my peers

Chapter 2 · Living Again, an Ordinary Day Was a Miracle _ Recovery of Daily Life and Discovery of Small Joys

01 Will I see winter next year?
02 The taste of ice cream after 8 years!
03 I thought I'd be happy if I left where I was
04 Cry to your heart's content when you want to
05 My first meal out in 7 years
06 I wish I could turn into transparent seafoam
07 Why this trip felt 180 degrees different
08 Being too patient is also an illness

Chapter 3 · Books Quietly Held Me _ How to Breathe Again in the Time of Reading

01 The cotton candy that quickly grew like a balloon
02 Receiving a gift of books worth 1 million won
03 I thought you were just lying down
04 You were a stranger who would just pass by
05 I found a refuge where unhappiness couldn't follow
06 The most effective reading method
07 How to make people remember me for a long time
08 One asset my mom passed down to me

Chapter 4 · Now I've Decided Not to Lose Myself _ An Attitude to Rebuild Body and Mind

01 After quitting chicken, ramen, samgyeopsal, and coffee
02 The nurse who changed overnight
03 Rather than blindly following superiors' orders
04 When anxious about increasing age and career gaps
05 A spoonful of yogurt added when making Greek yogurt
06 A day I started to design instead of letting it flow by
07 Even in moments no one recognizes
08 Because I couldn't keep up with others

Chapter 5 · I Want to Live the Rest of My Life a Little Kinder _ People, Relationships, Death, a Life Without Regrets

01 Someone appears in every dizzying moment
02 I decided not to say I'll help those in need
03 Two beers and a frankfurter sandwich
04 The small seed my aunt planted in me
05 Before the last grain of sand falls in the hourglass
06 When there's nothing I can do on my own
07 A word I can never utter out loud
08 Rings and bracelets made of clover