From the internationally bestselling author of The Vegetarian, a “rare and astonishing” (The Observer) portrait of political unrest and the universal struggle for justice.In the midst of 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.Shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary AwardAmazon, 100 Best Books of 2017The Atlantic, “The Best Books We Read in 2017”San Francisco Chronicle, “Best of 2017: 100 Recommended Books”NPR Book Concierge, 2017’s Great ReadsLibrary Journal, “Best Books of 2017”Huffington Post, “Best Fiction Books of 2017”Medium, Kong Tsung-gan’s “Best Human Rights Books of 2017”
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Human Acts
By Kang Han
From the internationally bestselling author of The Vegetarian, a “rare and astonishing” (The Observer) portrait of political unrest and the universal struggle for justice.In the midst of 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.Shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary AwardAmazon, 100 Best Books of 2017The Atlantic, “The Best Books We Read in 2017”San Francisco Chronicle, “Best of 2017: 100 Recommended Books”NPR Book Concierge, 2017’s Great ReadsLibrary Journal, “Best Books of 2017”Huffington Post, “Best Fiction Books of 2017”Medium, Kong Tsung-gan’s “Best Human Rights Books of 2017”
Popular Reviews(4)
Reviewed by Hells🦦Not an easy read. The story is cruel but also necessary. It sheds light on a terrible time in South Korea. This is the second book of Han Kang I read and i found it to be better; but Han Kang to me has a peculiar writing style that I sometimes can't quite follow. She drifts into poetic writing at times or changes a situation where you have to really think about what's happening and can't just gloss over the pages.
Reviewed by Aimebelle BautistaThis book highlights how cruelty defines humanity and ironically what makes us human is therefore our inhumanity…
Reviewed by melMasterpiece. Brilliant. Moving. Intense. Heartbreaking.
Reviewed by miacarries a very important perspective on the gwangju-massacre but for me it was like painfully slow