--- product_id: 374584883 title: "Human Acts" price: "£22.12" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/374584883-human-acts store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Human Acts **Price:** £22.12 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Human Acts - **How much does it cost?** £22.12 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/374584883-human-acts) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Gwangju, South Korea, 1980. In the wake of a viciously suppressed student uprising, a boy searches for his friend’s corpse, a consciousness searches for its abandoned body, and a brutalized country searches for a voice. From the award-winning author of The Vegetarian comes a riveting and poetic examination of humanity at its most appalling, and its most hopeful. Review: Human Acts is a superb story that is well written book and enlightens readers - The Gwangju Uprising is another of many historical examples where a country’s leadership murdered many of its citizens. It lasted from May 18 to May 27, 1980. It was a movement against the military dictatorship of General Chun Doo-hwan. It began on May 18 after the assassination of longtime dictator Park Chung-hee in late 1979. General Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a coup. He expanded martial law nationwide. He closed universities and arrested political opposition leaders. Students responded with demonstrations. Chun deployed elite paratroopers who responded with brutal force, beating, stabbing, and shooting unarmed student protesters and bystanders. Outraged by the military's random killings, ordinary citizens joined the students. On the morning of May 27, Chun unleashed a massive force of tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopters, crushing the rebellion in just a few hours. The number of casualties remains a subject of ongoing historical investigation and division. The military regime claimed only 144 to 165 civilians died, alongside roughly 23 soldiers and 4 police officers. Local civic groups, bereaved families, and historians emphasize that thousands of people disappeared or were buried in mass graves outside the city. Modern scholarship and census analyses estimate that between 600 and more than 2,000 citizens were murdered or vanished during the 10-day massacre. Over 4,000 others suffered severe injuries. How can people describe the horrors of the thousands of citizens who were murdered, the suffering of those who died and their relatives and friends, and the government hiding bodies from relatives and friends? It needs the skill of a Nobel Prize Winner. Han Kang undertook the task in her 212-page book, in which we see a terrible, outrageous history of “Human Acts,” far from what “human” is supposed to mean. Han Kang was born on November 27, 1970, in Gwangju, the site of the uprising and murders. When she was nine years old, her family moved to Seoul. She grew up in a literary family; her father, Han Seung-won, is an acclaimed novelist. Han began her literary career in 1993 by publishing poetry in a Korean literary journal. In 1995, she made her fiction debut with the short-story collection called Love of Yeosu. What followed were many acclamations that she was one of South Korea's most distinguished novelists. Her international breakthrough came with The Vegetarian. In 2024, she became the first South Korean writer and the first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her principal works include Love of Yeosu, Black Deer, Your Cold Hands, The Vegetarian, Breath Fighting, Greek Lessons, Human Acts, The White Book, Europa, and We Do Not Part. She has also published poetry, essays, and children's literature. The Swedish Academy awarded her the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." The Committee stated that her fiction explores the relationship between body and soul; examines the connection between the living and the dead; illuminates historical violence without sacrificing artistic beauty; and that her poetic, experimental style has made her an innovator in contemporary fiction. Han Kang also enjoys an exceptionally high reputation among literary critics who praise her for the beauty and precision of her prose; her emotional depth; her originality and experimentation with narrative form; her ability to transform historical tragedy into deeply personal stories; and her moral seriousness without sentimentality. General readers likewise admire her work, although many note that her novels can be emotionally demanding. Readers often describe her books as unforgettable, haunting, compassionate, and intellectually stimulating. Some readers find her style challenging because of its nonlinear narratives and unflinching depictions of suffering. Still, even many who find the material difficult acknowledge her extraordinary craftsmanship and the insights that her novels disclose. Human Acts is widely regarded as one of the finest novels of the twenty-first century and arguably Han Kang's masterpiece—the novel centers on the Gwangju Uprising. Rather than presenting a conventional historical narrative, Han tells the story through a series of interconnected voices: a young boy searching for a missing friend, grieving parents, former prisoners, editors, and survivors whose lives remain damaged decades later. The novel asks timeless questions: What happens to ordinary people when civilization collapses because of cruel leadership? How does memory preserve the dignity of the dead? Can beauty exist alongside unimaginable cruelty? What responsibilities do survivors bear toward history? These are questions that are also forefront for all-too-many similar “Human Acts,” such as the murders committed by Stalin and the Holocaust. While the novel's subject is harsh, Han's prose is remarkably restrained. She rarely resorts to melodrama. Her book’s emotional force grips readers through quiet descriptions, intimate reflections, and carefully chosen images that invite them to experience both horror and compassion. Her shifting perspectives reveal how violence continues to shape lives long after the events themselves have ended. The book's greatest strength is its humanity. None of the characters is an idealized hero. They are ordinary people confronted with extraordinary moral choices, making the novel universally relevant despite its specific historical setting. By the conclusion, the reader understands not merely what happened in Gwangju but also how historical violence echoes across generations. Critics have described Human Acts as "beautiful," "devastating," "urgent," and "one of the most powerful novels about political violence ever written." Readers learn much more than knowledge of Korean history. The novel teaches that human dignity can survive even in the darkest circumstances; historical atrocities leave psychological and hurting moral scars for generations; remembering victims is itself an act of justice; compassion is one of humanity's greatest strengths; and fiction can reveal truths that official histories sometimes suppress and/or are incapable of expressing. Human Acts is an unforgettable reading experience. It is emotionally painful, morally profound, and artistically magnificent. Few contemporary novels combine historical witness, philosophical reflection, and poetic language with such power. It fully justifies Han Kang's reputation as one of the world's leading contemporary writers and helps explain why the Nobel Committee honored her with literature's highest award. Review: powerful and introspective of societal practices - Riveting, disturbing, but necessary sometimes to reflect and question decisions society makes to control others. We read it in our book club and many of us thought it was ingenious and a couple thought it was overwhelming. I thought the author was very creative and was able to draw a great picture of the impact of human death on oneself and those who loved the deceased. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,613 Reviews | ## Images ![Human Acts - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71cxeC0TK4L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Human Acts is a superb story that is well written book and enlightens readers *by I***N on July 15, 2026* The Gwangju Uprising is another of many historical examples where a country’s leadership murdered many of its citizens. It lasted from May 18 to May 27, 1980. It was a movement against the military dictatorship of General Chun Doo-hwan. It began on May 18 after the assassination of longtime dictator Park Chung-hee in late 1979. General Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a coup. He expanded martial law nationwide. He closed universities and arrested political opposition leaders. Students responded with demonstrations. Chun deployed elite paratroopers who responded with brutal force, beating, stabbing, and shooting unarmed student protesters and bystanders. Outraged by the military's random killings, ordinary citizens joined the students. On the morning of May 27, Chun unleashed a massive force of tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopters, crushing the rebellion in just a few hours. The number of casualties remains a subject of ongoing historical investigation and division. The military regime claimed only 144 to 165 civilians died, alongside roughly 23 soldiers and 4 police officers. Local civic groups, bereaved families, and historians emphasize that thousands of people disappeared or were buried in mass graves outside the city. Modern scholarship and census analyses estimate that between 600 and more than 2,000 citizens were murdered or vanished during the 10-day massacre. Over 4,000 others suffered severe injuries. How can people describe the horrors of the thousands of citizens who were murdered, the suffering of those who died and their relatives and friends, and the government hiding bodies from relatives and friends? It needs the skill of a Nobel Prize Winner. Han Kang undertook the task in her 212-page book, in which we see a terrible, outrageous history of “Human Acts,” far from what “human” is supposed to mean. Han Kang was born on November 27, 1970, in Gwangju, the site of the uprising and murders. When she was nine years old, her family moved to Seoul. She grew up in a literary family; her father, Han Seung-won, is an acclaimed novelist. Han began her literary career in 1993 by publishing poetry in a Korean literary journal. In 1995, she made her fiction debut with the short-story collection called Love of Yeosu. What followed were many acclamations that she was one of South Korea's most distinguished novelists. Her international breakthrough came with The Vegetarian. In 2024, she became the first South Korean writer and the first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her principal works include Love of Yeosu, Black Deer, Your Cold Hands, The Vegetarian, Breath Fighting, Greek Lessons, Human Acts, The White Book, Europa, and We Do Not Part. She has also published poetry, essays, and children's literature. The Swedish Academy awarded her the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." The Committee stated that her fiction explores the relationship between body and soul; examines the connection between the living and the dead; illuminates historical violence without sacrificing artistic beauty; and that her poetic, experimental style has made her an innovator in contemporary fiction. Han Kang also enjoys an exceptionally high reputation among literary critics who praise her for the beauty and precision of her prose; her emotional depth; her originality and experimentation with narrative form; her ability to transform historical tragedy into deeply personal stories; and her moral seriousness without sentimentality. General readers likewise admire her work, although many note that her novels can be emotionally demanding. Readers often describe her books as unforgettable, haunting, compassionate, and intellectually stimulating. Some readers find her style challenging because of its nonlinear narratives and unflinching depictions of suffering. Still, even many who find the material difficult acknowledge her extraordinary craftsmanship and the insights that her novels disclose. Human Acts is widely regarded as one of the finest novels of the twenty-first century and arguably Han Kang's masterpiece—the novel centers on the Gwangju Uprising. Rather than presenting a conventional historical narrative, Han tells the story through a series of interconnected voices: a young boy searching for a missing friend, grieving parents, former prisoners, editors, and survivors whose lives remain damaged decades later. The novel asks timeless questions: What happens to ordinary people when civilization collapses because of cruel leadership? How does memory preserve the dignity of the dead? Can beauty exist alongside unimaginable cruelty? What responsibilities do survivors bear toward history? These are questions that are also forefront for all-too-many similar “Human Acts,” such as the murders committed by Stalin and the Holocaust. While the novel's subject is harsh, Han's prose is remarkably restrained. She rarely resorts to melodrama. Her book’s emotional force grips readers through quiet descriptions, intimate reflections, and carefully chosen images that invite them to experience both horror and compassion. Her shifting perspectives reveal how violence continues to shape lives long after the events themselves have ended. The book's greatest strength is its humanity. None of the characters is an idealized hero. They are ordinary people confronted with extraordinary moral choices, making the novel universally relevant despite its specific historical setting. By the conclusion, the reader understands not merely what happened in Gwangju but also how historical violence echoes across generations. Critics have described Human Acts as "beautiful," "devastating," "urgent," and "one of the most powerful novels about political violence ever written." Readers learn much more than knowledge of Korean history. The novel teaches that human dignity can survive even in the darkest circumstances; historical atrocities leave psychological and hurting moral scars for generations; remembering victims is itself an act of justice; compassion is one of humanity's greatest strengths; and fiction can reveal truths that official histories sometimes suppress and/or are incapable of expressing. Human Acts is an unforgettable reading experience. It is emotionally painful, morally profound, and artistically magnificent. Few contemporary novels combine historical witness, philosophical reflection, and poetic language with such power. It fully justifies Han Kang's reputation as one of the world's leading contemporary writers and helps explain why the Nobel Committee honored her with literature's highest award. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ powerful and introspective of societal practices *by C***E on April 16, 2026* Riveting, disturbing, but necessary sometimes to reflect and question decisions society makes to control others. We read it in our book club and many of us thought it was ingenious and a couple thought it was overwhelming. I thought the author was very creative and was able to draw a great picture of the impact of human death on oneself and those who loved the deceased. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful and brutal *by J***N on April 5, 2017* Dong-ho is only 15 years old when he's violently killed during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising in South Korea. In a series of interconnected stories, Han Kang tells the story of Dong-ho and the people around him whose lives were taken or forever changed. If you've read Anthony Marra's The Tsar of Love and Techno, you'll recognize Kang's approach: while each story is distinct, together they unravel a loosely connected narrative. There's such immense, unflinching brutality in these page. This is a book about oppression, torture, violence, cruelty, trauma and death, and Kang isn't in the business of sugarcoating any of it. It's upsetting to confront the reality that this is all part of humanity—and has been all along. Kang reminds us that we're all bodies and those bodies can be destroyed in an instant, without a second thought. And yet there's also beauty in these pages. Because humanity is more than just its worst parts. And those bodies are more than just flesh and blood. Kang is an exceptional writer with prose that flow like poetry, and some of the stories in Human Acts are deeply affecting. That said, this book presumes a knowledge of recent South Korean history that I just don't have, so I think some it didn't resonate with me as much as it could have. This, of course, is not Kang's fault, however I rate books based in part on my subjective enjoyment of them so I feel compelled to reflect that in my rating. Some of the stories were 5-stars reads for me, others more like 3 stars, so I'm rating this in between. ## Frequently Bought Together - Human Acts: Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature - The Vegetarian: Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature - The White Book: Winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/374584883-human-acts](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/374584883-human-acts) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-09-20*