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Event news: launch of Han Kang’s Human Acts

Three separate opportunities to hear Han Kang talk about her newly-translated book, Human Acts – a Norwich appearance sandwiched in between two London ones.

If you can’t wait to get hold of a copy of the book, Foyles (whose event is 13 Jan) claim they have “exclusive availability of Human Acts for a full month ahead of publication”. But I can’t imagine that they won’t have copies at the other events on 11 and 12 Jan.

Han Kang (L) with her translator Deborah Smith
Han Kang (L) with her translator Deborah Smith at the London Book Fair 2014

After the warm reception given to The Vegetarian, expectations are high. Both are translated by Deborah Smith.

Book Launch events: Han Kang — Human Acts

11 Jan @ Free Word: Han Kang in conversation with Susie Orbach

Portobello Books in partnership with Free Word
Mon 11 Jan 2016, 6:45pm.
£5 | £3 | More details / Book tickets
Free Word Lecture Theatre | 60 Farringdon Road
 | London EC1R 3GA

12 Jan @ The Book Hive, Norwich: Han Kang in conversation with Deborah Smith and Max Porter

Tue 12 Jan 2016, 6:30pm – 8:30pm.
Free | More details
The Book Hive | 53 London Street | Norwich NR2 1HL

13 Jan @ Foyles: Han Kang in conversation with Philippe Sands

Wed 13 Jan 2016, 7pm – 8:30pm.
£5 including a complimentary glass of wine | More details / Book tickets
Foyles Bookshop | 107 Charing Cross Road | London WC2H 0DT

Human Acts

Already internationally acclaimed, Han Kang is considered one of the most important writers from Korea. For her new novel, Human Acts, Han points her penetrating literary talents to South Korea’s difficult and repressed recent past. Starting with the violent suppression of the 1980s student uprisings in Gwangju, the book follows the survivors as they live with the trauma through the decades and the unending personal and political effect it had on the nation.

This is a brave novel about an atrocious episode in Korean history and a rivetingly poetic examination of humanity at its most appalling and its most hopeful. The publisher, author and translator are especially grateful for the vital support of English PEN, without whom the book would not have been possible. Already a controversial bestseller and award winner in Korea, it confirms Han Kang as a writer of immense importance.

(automatically generated) Read LKL’s review of this event here.