Facebook Twitter Pinterest linkedin Telegram
Dublin Literary Award Dublin Literary Award
  • ABOUT
  • Books
  • Judges
  • Libraries
  • News
  • Archive
           
Menu
Dublin Literary Award
Sold out
HomeBooks20182018 Shortlist Human Acts
Previous product
One
Back to products
Next product
Lilac Girls

Human Acts

Author: Han Kang

Translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith

2018 Shortlist!

Judges’ comments

Based on the 1980 Gwangju massacres in South Korea and empathetically translated by Deborah Smith, Han Kang’s novel is a profound probing into the nature of being human, as one character asks: ‘Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? […].  Is the dignity we cling to nothing but self-delusion?’  It delves into the most intricate, sordid and imaginative permutations of human brutality: the gleeful and unconcerned shooting of unarmed civilians – including school children, the careless throwing of bodies into piles and setting them on fire – all in the name of the will to power.  It raises some old-age, but, persistent questions about the relationship between body and soul, especially in relation to burial rites, questions that take us back, among others, to Sophocles’ Antigone.  Against the ruthless dictator and his agents of destruction are ranged a variety of helpless civilians whose real weapon is a restless conscience and an undiminished selflessness.  Yet for all their courage, many lose their lives and, as for the survivors, their subsequent lives are indelibly marked by the horror of it all, reliving painful memories and suffering from the myriad effects of the traumatic events.  As expressed in a dirge in the text, this novel is a shrine to the dead, paying tribute to the difficult, costly, but, nevertheless necessary capacity for resistance which in the end justifies being human.

About the book

Gwangju, South Korea, 1980. In the wake of a viciously suppressed student uprising, a boy searches for his friend’s corpse, a consciousness searches for its abandoned body, and a brutalized country searches for a voice.

About the author & translator

Han Kang was born in Gwangju, South Korea and moved to Seoul at the age of ten. She studied Korean literature at Yonsei University. Her novels have won the Yi Sang Literary Prize, the Today’s Young Artist Award, and the Korean Literature Novel Award. Human Acts won the Manhae Literary Award. Her critically acclaimed novel The Vegetarian won the 2016 International Man Booker Prize. She currently teaches creative writing at the Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Deborah Smith’s translations from the Korean include two novels by Han Kang, The Vegetarian and Human Acts, and two by Bae Suah, A greater Music and Recitation. In 2015 Deborah completed a PhD at SOAD on contemporary Korean literature and founded Tilted Axis Press. In 2016 she won the Arts Foundation Award for Literary Translation.

Librarians’ comments

Using as her base the Gwangju uprising in 1980 in South Korea, the author in poetic detail lays bare the traumas suffered by a number of participants in the events. The experiences are quietly heartbreaking. The writing and translation are both superb.

This work of historical fiction looks back at South Korean history from 1979 through the 1980s, when there was a dictatorship and assassinations, torture, civil unrest, and the slaughter of protesters. Han Kang focuses on the infamous Gwangju uprising and personalizes the resulting events through the death of a young boy. By integrating personal stories (based on her family’s experiences) with historical details, Han Kang peals back layers of problems that have not been fully acknowledged or rectified with South Korean society and government. Although this novel’s setting is Soutn Korea, the problems of truth, justice and freedom are universal.

  • Additional information
  • Libraries Ireland - Find This Book
Additional information
Author

Han Kang

Country

KR

Nominating Library

Canada, Cape Breton Regional Library, Sydney

Publisher

Portobello Books, UK

Translation

Translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith

Libraries Ireland - Find This Book

Libraries Ireland Search System

Search for this book in the Dublin City online system and reserve for collection at the Irish library of your choice.

Search CATALOGUE Ireland for Human Acts

This search result is offered as a helping hand to find books in the Libraries Ireland Online Catalogue. Some results may not be accurate where book titles have common words with similar titles.

Categories: 2018 Shortlist, 2018 Translated
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest linkedin Telegram
BROUGHT TO YOU BY

DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL

WITH KIND SUPPORT

CONTACT

DUBLIN Literary Award
Dublin City Library & Archive
138 – 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Ireland
literaryaward@dublincity.ie
Tel +353 1 222 4802

  • ABOUT
  • Books
  • Judges
  • Libraries
  • News
  • Archive
Copyright © 2022 Dublin City Council
Website by JET Design
close
Start typing to see books you are looking for.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • Books
  • Judges
  • Libraries
  • ABOUT
  • Archive
  • News
Scroll To Top