Jan 2025 read: White by Han Kang

This month, time was scarce, and so was complexity. My literary journey led me to a single, minimalistic yet deeply contemplative read. Han Kang’s The White Book unfolds in quiet fragments, weaving reflections on grief, memory, and the delicate presence of absence. In a month of simplicity, this book felt like a fitting companion—spare in words but expansive in thought.

White by Han Kang

German title: Weiß

In "The White Book," Han Kang presents a meditative exploration of life, death, and the color white, intertwining personal grief with reflections on existence. Through a series of poetic vignettes, the narrative delves into the loss of the author's older sister, who died just two hours after birth, and the lingering impact of this absence on her family. Set against the backdrop of a city rebuilt after wartime destruction, each fragment contemplates white objects—such as swaddling bands, snow, and rice cakes—serving as conduits for memory and introspection. As I engaged with Kang's evocative prose, I was drawn into a contemplative space where the fragility of life and the omnipresence of death are gently laid bare, inviting a profound reflection on the ephemeral nature of our existence.