Human Acts cover art

Human Acts

Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free

$8.99/month after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 29 July 2026 at 11:59 AEST.
More purchase options

Human Acts

By: Han Kang, Deborah Smith - translator
Narrated by: Sandra Oh, Deborah Smith, Greta Jung, Jae Jung, Raymond J. Lee, Keong Sim
Get this deal

$8.99/month after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offer ends on 29 July 2026 at 11:59 AEST.

Buy Now for $23.74

Buy Now for $23.74

Gwangju, South Korea, 1980. Amid a violent student uprising, a young boy named Dong-ho is killed. As his friend searches for Dong-ho's corpse, we also meet an editor struggling against censorship, a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories, and Dong-ho's grief-stricken mother. Through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope comes a tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice.

©2014 Han Kang (P)2017 Penguin Random House LLC
Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Political War & Military World Literature Heartfelt
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic Reviews

'Exquisite, painful and deeply courageous.' (Philippe Sands, Best Books of the Year, Guardian)
'Human Acts is a stunning piece of work. The language is poetic, immediate, and brutal. Han Kang has again proved herself to be a deft artist of storytelling and imagery.' (Jess Richards, author of Snake Ropes)
'Powerful and disturbing ... lyrical and chilling.' (Mail on Sunday)
'[A] remarkable novel ... A technical and emotional triumph.' (Daily Telegraph)
All stars
Most relevant
I found this story harrowing, shocking and so vivid. All the perspectives taken and the clearly enunciated events, came together in my mind and were almost as unbearable as the facts themselves. My first Han Kang novel - it was lucid and so close. Listen with care.

The deeply personal observations burned.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This is a true story that I had never heard before. A true history of South Korea. Such horror and pain that should not be forgotten.

A must read if interested in True stories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.