Whale and Vapor

by Kim Kyung Ju, Jake Levine (Translator)

Poetry. Asian & Asian American Studies. Translated by Jake Levine. The poems in WHALE AND VAPOR emphasize exhaustion--physically, mentally, and as an existential condition. Kim Kyung Ju playfully turns toward the lyric in this work as a way to reconcile himself with the contemporary world by engaging in dialogue with his Korean literary ancestry. Masterfully translated by Jake Levine in close conversation with the author, this collection by one of the most popular and critically acclaimed poets to come out in South Korea in the new millennium explores the cold tunnels of today's tired, dark times.

Genres: Poetry

99 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2020

Reviews

[Mike Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most interesting poetry collections I've read in a while.

[A Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing I do not like about this book is the cover. Otherwise it seems fine, but . . . this is also the first complete book of Korean Poetry that I have read. I still do not know enough about Korean literature to add much of a comment other than as a translator (of limited ability) I think the translator, Jake Levine, did a fair job. Translating is rough business. As I gain more experience with Korean literature, I will come back to Kim's book with a stronger review.

[C. Lee Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-4.5 rounded up just in case bro knocked a star off because he didn’t like the cover, which, for the record, was what drew me to this series initially before I knew what it was.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only book I bought at full price as a part of my #virtualawpbookfair binge-shopping, from a press I had never heard of before (Black Ocean Press) who I now definitely want to buy more from. I definitely chose this one at least partially because I had #koreanmarch in mind.

I love the quote on the back: "You've got to make peace with my chaos. It's a chaos no one understands." Many of the poems moved me emotionally in ways I couldn't explain narratively. Exhaustion isn't named explicitly but it is everywhere in these poems.

Particular favorites were "Without a Trace," "Snow Falling in Water," and "Midnight Highlighter."

A lovely and sometimes odd little collection that continues to grow my understanding of Korean culture.