나목·도둑맞은 가난

by Park Wan-suh, 박완서

박완서의 첫 소설, 그리고 박완서가 가장 사랑하는 소설 「나목」. ‘나목’의 화가 박수근을 모델로 쓴 「나목」 외 「도둑맞은 가난」 등 초기 대표작 7편 수록.

박완서의 작품에는 젊음의 불안과 추위와 아슬아슬함, 그리고 그 잠재적인 폭발성을 포함하는 순수함이 구김 없이 드러나 있다. 특히 「나목」은 모든 사람들이 쓰는 너무도 닳아 있는 말들을 통해서 무구(無垢)한 젊음의 그리움과 외로움과 미움과 설움을 담은 슬프고 진한 전쟁과 청춘의 책이다. 이 책은 독자들에게 청춘은 아름답다는 속된 말이 사실일지도 모른다는 생각을 강력하게 불러일으킨다.
―유종호(문학평론가)

462 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2005

About the author

See 박완서

Park Wan Suh (also Park Wan-seo, Park Wan-so, Park Wansuh, Park Kee-pah and Pak Wan-so, Pak Wanso) was born in 1931 in Gaepung-gun in what is now Hwanghaebuk-do in North Korea.Park entered Seoul National University, the most prestigious in Korea, but dropped out almost immediately after attending classes due to the outbreak of the Korean War and the death of her brother. During the war, Park was separated from her mother and elder brother by the North Korea army, which moved them to North Korea. She lived in the village of Achui, in Guri, outside Seoul until her death. Park died on the morning of January 22, 2011, suffering from cancer.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that opened my eyes to Korean literature decades ago and inspired me to translate one of the author's books. I'm rereading it now. It feels different because I'm in a different place in life, but it's just as moving and eloquent as it was back then.