In March 1919, Korean patriots form the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) to resist Japanese occupation, but their efforts are largely symbolic and ignored by global leaders. Following Japan's defeat in World War II, the KPG dissolves, leading to a civil war and the enduring division of Korea. The novel explores an intriguing "what if" scenario where the KPG still exists today, secretly collaborating with a powerful tech company to pursue a unified Korea. This premise sets the stage for an extraordinary narrative that intertwines Korean history, American pop culture, and contemporary technology. The story unfolds through three distinct voices, with Soon Sheen, an employee at the international tech giant GLOAT, discovering an unfinished manuscript by the KPG. This document presents a revisionist history that connects notable figures, from architect-poet Yi Sang to Jack London and Marilyn Monroe, while also referencing cultural touchstones like M*A*S*H and the Moonies. The narrative weaves a complex tapestry of connections, reinterpreting the past and revealing a history of violence that spans from President McKinley’s assassination to the Soviet downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007.
Ed Park Books
This author is recognized for their debut novel and as a founding editor of THE BELIEVER magazine. Their writing delves into the intricacies of human connection and societal expectations, offering a nuanced perspective. Beyond their fiction, they have contributed significantly to literary discourse through insightful introductions to notable works and incisive reviews, particularly of graphic novels for The New York Times Book Review, demonstrating a broad engagement with contemporary arts.
Personal Days
- 256 pages
- 9 hours of reading
In an unnamed New York-based company, the employees are getting restless as everything around them unravels. Rich with Orwellian doublespeak, filled with sabotage and romance, this astonishing literary debut is at once a comic delight and a narrative tour de force.
The Believer monthly books and culture magazine is three-time finalist for National Magazine Awards in General Excellence and Design. An amiable yet rigorous forum for books and book criticism, The Believer provides an alternative to the plot summary that has increasingly become synonymous with "book review," extending the ever-shortening shelf life of new books, reviving interest in books long overlooked, and stressing the interconnectivity of books to pop culture, politics, art, and music. To that end, each issue includes essays on these topics, as well as lengthy interviews with philosophers, politicians, and poets. Nick Hornby has a widely celebrated monthly books column, and Amy Sedaris (and well-known guest-columnists) offers an advice column comprised of hilariously bad advice. The celebrated graphic novelist Charles Burns illustrates the cover each month, and the magazine is littered with illustrations by a wide range of established and emerging artists, with regulars like Tony Millionaire, Marcel Dzama, and others.