Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang's latest nonfiction collection, "Light and Thread," will be available to English-speaking readers worldwide when it hits bookstore shelves on March 24. The announcement comes from Penguin Random House, marking the first major publication release for the celebrated South Korean writer since she received the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature.
The English translation represents a collaborative effort by three talented translators: Maya West, E. Yaewon, and Paige Aniyah Morris, who worked together to bring Han Kang's powerful prose and poetry to international audiences. The book originally debuted in South Korea this past April, where it quickly gained attention from readers and literary critics alike.
The collection contains twelve distinct writings that showcase Han Kang's versatility as an author, featuring five original poems alongside several newly written prose pieces. These works offer readers intimate insights into the author's thoughts and creative process during a transformative period in her career.
Three particularly significant pieces in the collection directly connect to Han Kang's Nobel Prize experience from December of last year. The book includes the complete text of her laureate lecture titled "Light and Thread," which she delivered during the formal Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden. Additionally, readers will find her acceptance speech "Even in the Darkest Night," which she presented at the prestigious Nobel banquet that followed the main ceremony.
The collection also features a more personal touch with the inclusion of "A Small Teacup," a meaningful message that Han Kang wrote when she donated a traditional teacup to the Nobel Prize Museum. This piece offers readers a glimpse into the author's private reflections on her historic achievement and its significance.
Han Kang's Nobel Prize win represents a milestone achievement not only for Korean literature but for Asian writers globally. She became the 121st recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature since the award's establishment in 1901, and remarkably, she is only the 18th woman ever to receive this honor. Her selection also marks her as the first Asian author to win the literature prize since Chinese novelist Mo Yan claimed the award in 2012.
The upcoming English release of "Light and Thread" is expected to further cement Han Kang's international reputation and introduce her philosophical and artistic perspectives to an even broader global readership.
