A little over a year after the London Book Fair, at which his Vietnam war novel The Shadow of Arms was launched, Hwang Sok-yong returned to London to launch Sora Kim-Russell’s translation of his 2007 novel Princess Bari. Hwang appeared at Asia House today for a book-signing and conversation with Guardian literary critic Maya Jaggi, … [Read More]
Category: General book news (page 8)
I rather think I agree
Have a read of Charles Montgomery’s post What a Terrible Idea! ㅡ Merging the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, and a similar article by Korea Herald editorial writer Kim Hooran Market principle, culture don’t mix. Links: LTI Korea | KPIPA [Read More]
A timely arrival for the 2015 London Book Fair
Last year there were a couple of translations of Korean novels whose publication was timed to coincide with the London Book Fair. This year, despite Korea no longer being the focus country, the habit seems to be continuing. Bae Suah’s Nowhere to be Found, translated by Sora Kim-Russell, arrived on my doormat today, day 2 … [Read More]
Global Oriental title on Joseon dynasty wins American Library Association award
Congratulations to Brill / Global Oriental books, whose Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea was in Choice Magazine’s list of Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014. The book, edited by Cambridge University’s Michael Shin, is a collection of features on various aspects of life in the Joseon Dynasty: Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea shows how the momentous … [Read More]
Published this month: Ko Un’s Maninbo, from Bloodaxe
Bloodaxe Books, who last year brought us Kim Hyesoon’s I’m OK, I’m Pig!, and who brought us Ko Un’s moving First Person Sorrowful in 2012 continue their support for Korean poetry in translation by bringing us a selection from Ko Un’s magnum opus, Ten Thousand Lives. Once again Brother Anthony and Lee Sang-Wha are the … [Read More]
An interview with Sora Kim-Russell, translator of Hwang Sok-yong’s Princess Bari
Those of you who came along to the London Book Fair last year and were tantalised by seeing a translation of a passage from Hwang Sok-yong’s Princess Bari – at the time unpublished in English, and with no indication even that any more of the book had been translated – will be delighted by this … [Read More]
2015 Korean Literature Nights
Here are the Korean Literature Nights scheduled for 2015 at the KCC: Wed 25 Feb The Vegetarian by Han Kang Moderator: Deborah Smith Yeong-hye and her husband are ordinary people. He is an office worker with moderate ambitions and mild manners; she is an uninspired but dutiful wife. The acceptable flatline of their marriage is … [Read More]
Han Kang and Deborah Levy in conversation with Deborah Smith
When Han Kang appeared at an event with Shin Kyung-sook on day 2 of the 2014 London Book Fair we were treated to a sneak preview of the cover artwork of the English translation of The Vegetarian. It was hot off the press: the book’s translator Deborah Smith had been sent some samples that very … [Read More]
I suppose I’ve got to read this, but what a tacky cover!
Oh dear. The story of Shin Sang-ok’s and Choi Eun-hee’s sojourn in North Korea is a compelling one, regardless of whether you think there was compulsion involved. And a book covering film in North Korea is welcome, though Johannes Schönherr has already covered the ground. But do you have to make the book look so … [Read More]
Two Dalkey titles in the running for international literary award
There’s tough competition, and a longlist of 140 other books including one by JK Rowling, but two Dalkey Archive titles are in the running for the 2015 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. According to the award’s website: Nominations are made by libraries in capital and major cities throughout the world. Participating libraries can nominate up … [Read More]
Come celebrate the launch of the next 5 Dalkey K-Lit titles
After last year’s release of ten titles, Dalkey Archive Press has a follow-up release of five new translations. If they all measure up to No One Writes Back from their first set, which was runaway winner of LKL’s Book of the Year 2013, there is treasure in store. So come and help celebrate, and encourage … [Read More]
Twinsters story comes to the Kindle
Those of you who have been following the story of identical twins Anais Bordier and Samantha Futerman will be pleased to know that their story will be available on Kindle at the end of this month or hardcover next month. The title is Separated @ Birth: A True Love Story of Twin Sisters Reunited. The … [Read More]
The London Korean Novel Club
Many LKL followers will have already heard of the London Korean Novel Club – not to be confused with the monthly Korean Literature Night meetups at the KCC. The London Korean Novel Club was born in part because the KCC-organised literature nights seemed to get booked up so quickly: there’s obviously a market for informal … [Read More]
Paul French discusses North Korea: State of Paranoia
A talk at the Fulham branch of the wonderful Daunt Books. I’m assuming this is a second edition of his Paranoid Peninsula. Paul French in conversation with Harriet Evans on North Korea: State of Paranoia Thursday 29th May, 7pm at Daunt Books Fulham Road North Korea continues to make headlines, arousing curiosity and fear in … [Read More]
A Poem I Didn’t Name: Ko Un on the Sewol tragedy
In this month’s edition of Words Without Borders, a translation by Brother Anthony of Taizé and Lee Sang-Wha of a new poem by Ko Un on the Korean ferry disaster. Here’s one stanza: A floodtide of sorrow has risen in every corner of this country, everyone feeling indignant, fists clenched. Not only anger, not only … [Read More]
Ha-joon Chang on anchovies and economics
Cambridge economist Ha-joon Chang’s next book, Economics: The User’s Guide will be available on 1 May. It is the first of a batch of new publications in Penguin’s Pelican imprint, which has been dormant for thirty years. He talks about his book in a diary article in this weekend’s FT: In saying that there is … [Read More]