Human Acts: A Novel
From the internationally bestselling author of The Vegetarian, a "rare and astonishing" (The Observer) portrait of political unrest and the universal struggle for justice.
"Compulsively readable, universally relevant, and deeply resonant . . . in equal parts beautiful and urgent."--The New York Times Book Review Shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award - One of the Best Books of the Year: The Atlantic, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, HuffPost, Medium, Library Journal Amid a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed. The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho's best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho's own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice. An award-winning, controversial bestseller, Human Acts is a timeless, pointillist portrait of an historic event with reverberations still being felt today, by turns tracing the harsh reality of oppression and the resounding, extraordinary poetry of humanity.
"Compulsively readable, universally relevant, and deeply resonant . . . in equal parts beautiful and urgent."--The New York Times Book Review Shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award - One of the Best Books of the Year: The Atlantic, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, HuffPost, Medium, Library Journal Amid a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed. The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho's best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho's own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice. An award-winning, controversial bestseller, Human Acts is a timeless, pointillist portrait of an historic event with reverberations still being felt today, by turns tracing the harsh reality of oppression and the resounding, extraordinary poetry of humanity.
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Community Reviews
I picked up this book because my dad is really into Han Kang right now and Iâm learning Korean myself (though I listened to an audiobook translation... I am nowhere near ready for a book of this caliber). Of the few available through my digital library, this one in particular stood out to me because I have developed a passing familiarity with the Gwangju uprising through BTS. Their member, J-Hope, is from Gwangju and mentions the uprising several times in their lyrics. That, and it was short. I figured I could listen to it while I did my weekend chores and maybe I could read it in one day.
Oh I read it in one day, because this story was so engaging from the get-go. I found myself completely consumed by all the stories. I kept inventing chores to do so I could keep reading. This is masterfully written but also there is just so much pain. This book doesnât really get into the reasons behind the uprising too much, but what shines through is the depth of this tragedy. As a teacher, all I could see were my children, wielding guns without genuine comprehension and being gunned down by callous, faceless infantrymen. This book hurt so badly. But it was so worth reading. Iâll be thinking about this one for a long time.
Oh I read it in one day, because this story was so engaging from the get-go. I found myself completely consumed by all the stories. I kept inventing chores to do so I could keep reading. This is masterfully written but also there is just so much pain. This book doesnât really get into the reasons behind the uprising too much, but what shines through is the depth of this tragedy. As a teacher, all I could see were my children, wielding guns without genuine comprehension and being gunned down by callous, faceless infantrymen. This book hurt so badly. But it was so worth reading. Iâll be thinking about this one for a long time.
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