Poetry

The White Book

The White Book

  • Downloads：6605
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-05-31 08:53:47
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Han Kang
  • ISBN：1846276950
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

From the winner of the Man Booker International Prize for The Vegetarian

Writing while on a residency in Warsaw， a city palpably scarred by the violence of the past， the narrator finds herself haunted by the story of her older sister， who died a mere two hours after birth。 A fragmented exploration of white things - the swaddling bands that were also her shroud， the breast milk she did not live to drink， the blank page on which the narrator herself attempts to reconstruct the story - unfolds in a powerfully poetic distillation。

As she walks the unfamiliar， snow-streaked streets， lined by buildings formerly obliterated in the Second World War， their identities blur and overlap as the narrator wonders， 'Can I give this life to you？'。 The White Book is a book like no other。 It is a meditation on a colour， on the tenacity and fragility of the human spirit， and our attempts to graft new life from the ashes of destruction。

This is both the most autobiographical and the most experimental book to date from South Korean master Han Kang。

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Reviews

Hugo Resende ，

O Branco da Vida de Han Kang！ Pensamentos interessantes！

Trisha Rivera ，

Safe to say I’m already Han Kang’s biggest fan。 Just when I thought she had masterfully challenged how fiction could be written in The Vegetarian， she then brings out an unparalleled complexity in The White Book。 I don’t even know how to technically describe her writing in this one but it was definitely daunting， agonizing， beautiful， and healing all at once。 This is nothing I have ever read before。 She gives the color white so much depth and meaning， alluding to everyday objects but poetically Safe to say I’m already Han Kang’s biggest fan。 Just when I thought she had masterfully challenged how fiction could be written in The Vegetarian， she then brings out an unparalleled complexity in The White Book。 I don’t even know how to technically describe her writing in this one but it was definitely daunting， agonizing， beautiful， and healing all at once。 This is nothing I have ever read before。 She gives the color white so much depth and meaning， alluding to everyday objects but poetically using them to depict mortality， beauty， loss， and humanity。 Left me with so many thoughts and questions—ones I rarely come across。 This review won’t even give justice to its brilliance so please please please experience it for yourself。 。。。more

Laura ，

smut， no plotWattpad= natasha romanoff x fem reader by nikashepherd

Sanne ，

Simply stunning。

Jen Juniper ，

Sykähdyttävän kauniita， lyhyitä， henkilökohtaisia pilkahduksia elämästä， mielikuvista ja valkoisesta。

Jen Herr ，

WaveIn the distance， the surface of the water bulges upward。 The winter sea mounts its approach， surging closer in。 The wave reaches its greatest possible height and shatters in a spray of white。 The shattered water slides back over the sandy shore。Standing at this border where land and water meet， watching the seemingly endless recurrence of the waves （though this eternity is in fact illusion: the earth will one day vanish， everything will one day vanish）， the fact that our lives are no more th WaveIn the distance， the surface of the water bulges upward。 The winter sea mounts its approach， surging closer in。 The wave reaches its greatest possible height and shatters in a spray of white。 The shattered water slides back over the sandy shore。Standing at this border where land and water meet， watching the seemingly endless recurrence of the waves （though this eternity is in fact illusion: the earth will one day vanish， everything will one day vanish）， the fact that our lives are no more than brief instants is felt with unequivocal clarity。Each wave becomes dazzlingly white at the moment of its shattering。 Farther out， the tranquil body of water flashes like the scales of innumerable fish。 The glittering of multitudes is there。 The shifting， stirring， tossing of multitudes。 Nothing is eternal。 。。。more

andreea。 （paperrcuts） ，

"Why do old memories constantly drift to the surface here in this unfamiliar city？ When I go out into the streets， the scraps of conversation that pull into focus when the speaker brushes past me， the words stamped on street and shop signs， are almost all incomprehensible。 At times my body feels like a prison， a solid， shifting island threading through the crowd。 A sealed chamber carrying all the memories of the life I have lived and the mother tongue from which they are inseparable。 The more st "Why do old memories constantly drift to the surface here in this unfamiliar city？ When I go out into the streets， the scraps of conversation that pull into focus when the speaker brushes past me， the words stamped on street and shop signs， are almost all incomprehensible。 At times my body feels like a prison， a solid， shifting island threading through the crowd。 A sealed chamber carrying all the memories of the life I have lived and the mother tongue from which they are inseparable。 The more stubborn the isolation， the more vivid these unlooked-for fragments， the more oppressive their weight。 So that it seems the place I flee to is not so much a city on the other side of the world as further into my own interior。" 。。。more

Sunny ，

I enjoyed reading these personal and short fragments。 Also， the idea of continuously dealing with the color white I find interesting and described beautifully。 Personally， it's all a bit too short and thus。。。 undeveloped for me， which makes this a nice collection for in between！ I enjoyed reading these personal and short fragments。 Also， the idea of continuously dealing with the color white I find interesting and described beautifully。 Personally， it's all a bit too short and thus。。。 undeveloped for me， which makes this a nice collection for in between！ 。。。more

Anna ，

Beautiful First I read The Vegetarian， and The White Book is the second work I’ve read by Kang。 Really beautiful and poetic work。

Lea ，

This book is a beautiful collection of memories and loss and the symbolism of the color white。It's sad， honest and vulnerable in the way the author describes the world around her and her own inner world and strings together a book that is a part of herself， of her life。It feels very personal。The writing is gorgeous， I just wish I could've been able to read it in the original Korean version because I think some words just get lost in translation or loose their beautiful meaning。 This book is a beautiful collection of memories and loss and the symbolism of the color white。It's sad， honest and vulnerable in the way the author describes the world around her and her own inner world and strings together a book that is a part of herself， of her life。It feels very personal。The writing is gorgeous， I just wish I could've been able to read it in the original Korean version because I think some words just get lost in translation or loose their beautiful meaning。 。。。more

Hafsah ，

A journey to the human soul and emotions presented simply as a walk in the park with complexities of human nature presented in a language we all speak。 The language of the heart; feelings

manilovefrogs ，

a beautiful book， although i think sometimes the emotion felt slightly detached， which could be as a result of the translation，， i'm not truly sure。 also i feel like i didn't really understand what was happening but that could just be my （questionable） reading comprehension :'） conceptually interesting， and an enjoyable read， i look forward to reading more of han's works （♡） a beautiful book， although i think sometimes the emotion felt slightly detached， which could be as a result of the translation，， i'm not truly sure。 also i feel like i didn't really understand what was happening but that could just be my （questionable） reading comprehension :'） conceptually interesting， and an enjoyable read， i look forward to reading more of han's works （♡） 。。。more

Alina Denisa ，

I liked how the author wrote a list of white things and then just created a story for each thing， but somehow all connected。 I also liked the concept of expressing your grief and pain through the color white， it was an interesting reading。

Isis ，

é um livro bonito， mas tive dificuldade de me conectar com ele。。。 gostei bastante da autora ter feito um livro assim， com coisas que remetem a cor branca， tudo tem um significado ali no meio （mas tem coisas que não entendi， então só segui mesmo“the earth will one day vanish， everything will one day vanish）， the fact that our lives are no more than brief instants is felt with unequivocal clarity。”“Within that white， all of those white things， I will breathe in the final breath you released。”

Will Henry Ames ，

This book succeeded where On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous failed for me- both authors were poets before turning to fiction， and both of these books are semi-memoirs， taking events from their real life。 The difference between the two， however， is that Han Kang （and therefore the translator， Deborah Smith） has total mastery of the story she is trying to tell。 It's a series of interconnected moments rather than a straightforward narrative， so every word on the page is intentional and meaningful。 Yo This book succeeded where On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous failed for me- both authors were poets before turning to fiction， and both of these books are semi-memoirs， taking events from their real life。 The difference between the two， however， is that Han Kang （and therefore the translator， Deborah Smith） has total mastery of the story she is trying to tell。 It's a series of interconnected moments rather than a straightforward narrative， so every word on the page is intentional and meaningful。 You can tell that this is a master of her craft without being overwhelmed by it， like I was with Vuong's work。 She says what she needs to say， nothing more， and then puts it out into the world。 I am very grateful she did。 。。。more

Pustulio ，

Algo raro pero muy bello。

Swapnil ，

The white book reads like an epitaph， even before you realise it is one。 The tensity， the cleanliness， the succinctness and the absolute punch that comes with a delicateness that only happens if it’s steeped in grief。 The white book is beautiful。 People have said it before， and it can’t be more true， each page is art。 Woven with the snowy strands of loss in a pattern of melancholy， the white book excels in giving me sentences that are profound yet simple。 Placing my cheek on the cool white sheet The white book reads like an epitaph， even before you realise it is one。 The tensity， the cleanliness， the succinctness and the absolute punch that comes with a delicateness that only happens if it’s steeped in grief。 The white book is beautiful。 People have said it before， and it can’t be more true， each page is art。 Woven with the snowy strands of loss in a pattern of melancholy， the white book excels in giving me sentences that are profound yet simple。 Placing my cheek on the cool white sheets to the way the fog bathes the city in the morning， and you feel it’s only for you。It’s tricky writing about this book， it’s so perfect in doing what it does with words that anything that one writes about it seems almost ugly。 So， I shall stop now。 Please， go read it。 Books are seldom as lovely as this。 （A shout out to the book designers， the font， the size， the placement， everything is beautiful and enhances the words that Han Kang set out to haunt us。Also， I have major appreciation for the translator， Deborah Smith。 While I am sure that the book in Korean would be even more beautiful， King has gifted us with this seamless translation that is so pretty that one forgets that this would not be the language that the author set out to write in） 。。。more

Carolyn Tung ，

！！！ this is a novel that must be read slowly to appreciate the beautiful poignancy of every line。 han kang is simply a genius。。。 her mind is soooooo unparalleled。

Jeni Brown ，

This is a book for people who love the field of literature， who enjoy engaging with it on a meta level。 It is not a book many would enjoy reading， or even necessarily to learn and grow from， unless they are simultaneously appreciating that metal level。 There are beautiful passages， and there is a subtle narrative。 The poetical prose structure and actual physical printing of it are beautiful and interesting。 I can appreciate what this book is， how it is different and holds a place in the field of This is a book for people who love the field of literature， who enjoy engaging with it on a meta level。 It is not a book many would enjoy reading， or even necessarily to learn and grow from， unless they are simultaneously appreciating that metal level。 There are beautiful passages， and there is a subtle narrative。 The poetical prose structure and actual physical printing of it are beautiful and interesting。 I can appreciate what this book is， how it is different and holds a place in the field of literature。 But I did not enjoy it as such， or get much from it - hence the 3 stars。 。。。more

Blanca ，

No estoy bien。 Me siento vacía。 Qué bien escribe esta mujer。。。el hecho de que trate temas como la muerte， la soledad y la fugacidad de la vida sin pelos en la lengua， de una manera directa， pero que lo contraste con un estilo poético tan bello。。。es una combinación perfecta。 Han kang no decepciona。

Scott Baird （Gunpowder Fiction and Plot） ，

No， I didn't like this。 No， I didn't like this。 。。。more

Dilara ，

Autobiographical meditation。

Rabicigim ，

Belirli bir tema üzerinden yazılmış öykülere bayılırım fakat bu öykü desem değil， deneme desem değil， günce hele hiç değil gibi。 Yeni bir şeyler denenmiş， benlik değilmiş。

Nancy Violet ，

"We lift our foot from the solid ground of all our life lived thus far， and take that perilous step out into the empty air。 Not because we can claim any particular courage， but because there is no other way。"I loved Han Kang's The Vegetarian and was very intrigued to read her other works。 Picking up The White Book I knew it would be something different as it is non-fiction。 I tend to not connect that well with these types of vignette structured non-fictions， but I really loved this！ Encompassing "We lift our foot from the solid ground of all our life lived thus far， and take that perilous step out into the empty air。 Not because we can claim any particular courage， but because there is no other way。"I loved Han Kang's The Vegetarian and was very intrigued to read her other works。 Picking up The White Book I knew it would be something different as it is non-fiction。 I tend to not connect that well with these types of vignette structured non-fictions， but I really loved this！ Encompassing some similar themes as The Vegetarian， this book is an emotional meditation on the colour white and what the author associates with it， in the form of something that feels like a mix between a novel， poetry， and a memoir。 。。。more

Sarvesh ，

Depressing yet Powerful

gaia ，

notes i took while reading this:• less straightforward than "the vegetarian"， though the style is equally beautiful• seems like a style exercise and it almost goes by association of ideas （basically white things）• maybe written to get out of writer's block？• white is a colour that has been widely used as a symbol for purity; i wonder if that has anything to do with this [as you can see i was Not Getting™️ this book at all]• beautiful style but no substance — at least not that i can understand。 i notes i took while reading this:• less straightforward than "the vegetarian"， though the style is equally beautiful• seems like a style exercise and it almost goes by association of ideas （basically white things）• maybe written to get out of writer's block？• white is a colour that has been widely used as a symbol for purity; i wonder if that has anything to do with this [as you can see i was Not Getting™️ this book at all]• beautiful style but no substance — at least not that i can understand。 i'm fine with books with no plot， but this is just weird• every now and then: a sliver of meaning！• pretty sure someone's having a proper meltdown• apparently han kang's books are all just women slowly losing their mindsa lot of potential， definitely， but it did not work for me 。。。more

Gabriela Kozhuharova ，

It seems strange and somewhat wrong to rate this book。 It feels so deeply personal to the author。 A mournful meditation coated in musings about the pristine and the inviolate in the world。 Beautiful and almost surgically written， nothing reduntant about it。 Not my favourite from Han Kang， but still a very unique experience。

Katja ，

I found it very hard to give this book a rating。 Han Kang has a very interesting view of the world is all I can say。

Dina ，

Una joya， una delicia que parece poesía pero no lo es

süveyda ，

Vejeteryan’ı okuduğumda ne tuhaf bir kadın demiştim Han Kang için。 Kitabının konusu da içeriği de tuhaftı。 Ama oldukça ilginç bir iştahla okumuştum onu。 Beyaz Kitap’ ı da henüz bitirirdim。 İçimde kalan duyguyu nasıl anlatırım bilmiyorum。 Roman olduğunu düşünerek almıştım。 Han Kang’ın travmalarına， düşüncelerine eşlik edeceğimi bilmiyordum。 Yazdığı her şey o kadar tanıdıktı ki bazı cümleleri okuduktan sonra uzun süredir üstüne düşünmediğim anılarıma daldım。 Tuhaf bir kadın。 Bana karanlıkta baktığ Vejeteryan’ı okuduğumda ne tuhaf bir kadın demiştim Han Kang için。 Kitabının konusu da içeriği de tuhaftı。 Ama oldukça ilginç bir iştahla okumuştum onu。 Beyaz Kitap’ ı da henüz bitirirdim。 İçimde kalan duyguyu nasıl anlatırım bilmiyorum。 Roman olduğunu düşünerek almıştım。 Han Kang’ın travmalarına， düşüncelerine eşlik edeceğimi bilmiyordum。 Yazdığı her şey o kadar tanıdıktı ki bazı cümleleri okuduktan sonra uzun süredir üstüne düşünmediğim anılarıma daldım。 Tuhaf bir kadın。 Bana karanlıkta baktığım boşlukların beyaz nesnelere dönüştüğünü hatırlatan tuhaf bir kadın。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The White Book

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The White Book&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The White Book&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0