CulBeat Express
2018.07.14 21:32
크리스탈 하나 김 소설 'If You Leave Me' 출간...뉴욕공립도서관 대담(8/13)
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If You Leave Me: Crystal Hana Kim with Alexander Chee
Mon. Aug 13, 2018 at 6:30pm
Mid-Manhattan Library Program Room
476 Fifth Avenue (42nd Street Entrance)
Love, war, and refugee life at the dawn of modern Korea
In her debut novel If You Leave Me, Crystal Hana Kim traces the birth of modern Korea through the story of three characters inextricably bound by war and society.
When the communist-backed army from the north invades her home, sixteen-year-old Haemi Lee, along with her widowed mother and ailing brother, is forced to flee to a refugee camp along the coast. For a few hours each night, she escapes her family’s makeshift home with her childhood friend, Kyunghwan.
Focused on finishing school, Kyunghwan doesn’t realize his older and wealthier cousin, Jisoo, has his sights set on Haemi—and is determined to marry her before joining the fight. But as Haemi becomes a wife, then a mother, her decision to forsake the boy she always loved for the security of her family sets off a chain of events that will echo for generations to come.
Kim will discuss her debut with Alexander Chee, award-winning author of multiple books, including the recent essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel.
Mid-Sentence presents a series of conversations with groundbreaking literary voices. Indie authors and cult favorites explore the intersections between literature and lived experience.
“A remarkably absorbing novel of people enduring the unendurables of war with grace, toughness, and undying love.” — Chang-rae Lee
"A gripping, heartrending tale of the birth of modern Korea filtered through the prism of an intimate love story. A strikingly original work."— Jessica Shattuck
“An immersive, heartbreaking story about war, passion, and the road not taken.” — People
"One of the most beautiful and moving love stories you’ll read this year." — Nylon Magazine
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2018 BY The Washington Post • The New York Post • Vulture • Real Simple • Bustle • Nylon • Thrillist • Mental Floss • Self magazine • Booklist • Refinery 29
An emotionally riveting debut novel about war, family, and forbidden love—the unforgettable saga of two ill-fated lovers in Korea and the heartbreaking choices they’re forced to make in the years surrounding the civil war that still haunts us today.
When the communist-backed army from the north invades her home, sixteen-year-old Haemi Lee, along with her widowed mother and ailing brother, is forced to flee to a refugee camp along the coast. For a few hours each night, she escapes her family’s makeshift home and tragic circumstances with her childhood friend, Kyunghwan.
Focused on finishing school, Kyunghwan doesn’t realize his older and wealthier cousin, Jisoo, has his sights set on the beautiful and spirited Haemi—and is determined to marry her before joining the fight. But as Haemi becomes a wife, then a mother, her decision to forsake the boy she always loved for the security of her family sets off a dramatic saga that will have profound effects for generations to come.
Richly told and deeply moving, If You Leave Me is a stunning portrait of war and refugee life, a passionate and timeless romance, and a heartrending exploration of one woman’s longing for autonomy in a rapidly changing world.
Crystal Hana Kim holds an MFA from Columbia University and is a contributing editor for Apogee Journal. She has received numerous awards, including PEN America’s Story Prize for Emerging Writers, along with fellowships and support from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, among others. Born and raised in New York, she currently lives in Chicago. If You Leave Me is her first novel.
