Schlafly Global Book Discussion Group discussion

Hello folks! I'll be leading the discussion on Human Acts by Han Kang. How is everybody finding this particularly brutal book?

I'm three chapters in so far. It's a difficult read, to be sure. It is interesting that, so far, it seems to be written from the unorthodox perspective of Jeong-dae, addressed to Dong-ho, even when the story followed a different character entirely.

Does anybody know who is bringing treats? (Is that my job in this book club? I don't know.)

I was actually trying to remember whether we signed up for the year. I don’t see it in my cal and I usually write it down right away so... I’m thinking we didn’t.

I’m enjoying the book. The writing is very evocative and the “you are” way of narrating takes some getting used to but also really brings out the brutality and pain the characters experienced.

Yes, it's very painful, even coloring my dreams. I am also a bit lost as to who is who, so need to go back and review. Certainly the language and descriptions are often beautiful. Maybe that's a possible interpretation...among the horrors that life can bring, there is still beauty. I saw an Uruguayan movie at the St. Louis film festival that had a similar subject...just imagine some of that in film. Hard to take.

I will bring a treat. Ken, welcome to the harsh world of Travis' book choices! See you all Thurs pm.

This gives some further context of the Gwangju Uprising about which I knew NOTHING before reading this book and this Wikipedia page. This book club really reminds me of all the things that happen in this world that just don't hit my radar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwangju...

Indeed, quite a shocker.

Events like the Gwangjiu Uprising don't hit the radar of most Americans because the press doesn't cover them and/or our gov't is complicit in some way (see the Wikipedia article Anne referenced). If this had been widely known here, reaction might've been muted by a combination of compassion fatigue and apathy, and possibly lingering negative feelings about the Vietnam and Korean wars morphing into antipathy toward all things Asian.
I have 3 chapters to finish, and am devastated and hoping to avoid nightmares after "The Prisoner, 1990".

I have to say that my dreams were colored by what I read.