KOREA FOUNDATION

Written by Safi Bahcall, translated into Korean by Lee Jiyeon
Original publication by St. Martin’s Press, 2019; Korean translation published by Next Wave Media, 2020

There are many books that deal with strategies for success, introducing and analyzing examples of successful ideas. Among the flood of such books, Safi Bahcall’s way of explaining success through the concepts of franchises and “loonshots” provides a very fresh perspective. The book enables us to believe that we, the readers, may find ideas that can change the world. I began to read it without understanding the unfamiliar concept of “loonshots,” but as I read this word over and over throughout the course of the book, I came to understand its new, unique value.

“Loonshots” are crazy ideas and projects that seem at first like reckless challenges. These ideas commonly become subjects of finger pointing, and many are simply put aside or thrown away. But when followed through on, some of these “loonshots” become the driving forces for success. In essence, we might call them the first step toward changing the world, and these precious ideas can be discovered only by the few who know enough to see them.

The diverse examples in the book provide a model for our society.Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries introduces the principles of some truly enchanting designs and structures. Readers are sure to join world-renowned academics and prominent thinkers such as Bill Gates, Daniel Kahneman, Robert Laughlin, Malcolm Gladwell, and Tim Ferriss in recommending the book highly.

Written by Kang Young-pil, KF Executive Vice President

* Next month’s “KF Culture Walk” will be written by Kim Seong-in, Executive Vice President.

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