Two years of living in Jasper on sabbatical were the inspiration for a major portion of a new book by Korean illustrator and art professor Lee Sung-pyo.

“He said the Jasper experience was like heaven,” explained Dong Han, a Jasper resident of Korean origin who was friends with Lee during the time he spent in town from 2005 to 2007.

Lee recently sent Dong several copies of his new book, the title of which translates to Lunch Time, and Dong plans to donate a copy to the Jasper Municipal Library.

“Unfortunately, it’s not written in English,” Dong said of the Korean-language publication.

The book does, however, include many photographs of Jasper’s landscape, buildings and people.

Dong pointed out one section in particular, which includes a photo of a young woman Lee had met in town who, after earning a PhD in France, came to Jasper and worked as a waitress while pursuing writing at her leisure.

“She had the freedom to write books for the love of humankind,” Dong said, reading from the book and roughly translating Lee’s words.

Much of the book’s section on Jasper deals with the sense of freedom and “spiritual fulfillment” that Lee experienced while living here with his wife and children, Dong said.

The book is a collection of essays, poems and meditations on such issues. Dong said its title, Lunch Time, reflects the fact that the work consists of a series of short thoughts, the types of things that can be conceived and written about over a lunch break.

Dong said 100,000 copies of the book have been sold in Korea.

Lee ended up coming to Jasper after arriving in Vancouver and hearing wonderful things about a small town in the middle of a national park from several Canadians he met. After a visit to Jasper he decided this was the place he wanted to spend his sabbatical.

“He was seeking spiritual peace and serenity so he chose Jasper,” Dong explained.

More information about Lee and his book can be found online at www.leesungpyo.com.