Cheon Myeong-Kwan presents 'Whale' at the Seattle Public Library

Wed Jun 07 2023 at 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm

Seattle Public Library (Central Branch) | Seattle

Third Place Books Lake Forest Park
Publisher/HostThird Place Books Lake Forest Park
Cheon Myeong-Kwan presents 'Whale' at the Seattle Public Library
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Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, Myeong-Kwan's debut novel is a sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable and farce
About this Event

Third Place Books and the Seattle Public Library welcome South Korean author Cheon Myeong-Kwan for a discussion of his novel Whale, translated into English by Chi-Young Kim. Originally published in 2004, Cheon's debut novel is a sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable, farce, and fantasy—a masterpiece of modern fiction perfect for fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude. This event is made possible by the author's American publisher, Archipelago Books.

The judges for the International Booker Prize write: "A carnivalesque fairy tale that celebrates independence and enterprise, a picaresque quest through Korea’s landscapes and history, Whale is a riot of a book. Cheon Myeong-Kwan’s vivid characters are foolish but wise, awful but endearing, and always irrepressible. This is a hymn to restlessness and self-transformation."

Venue: Seattle Public Library (Central Branch), Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book, or request a hold at your local library.

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Tickets:

This event is free to attend. Registration is required in advance.


About Whale. . .

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE**

Whale is the English-language debut of a beloved and bestselling South Korean author, a born storyteller with a cinematic, darkly humorous, and thoroughly original perspective.

A woman sells her daughter to a passing beekeeper for two jars of honey. A baby weighing fifteen pounds is born in the depths of winter but named “Girl of Spring.” A storm brings down the roof of a ramshackle restaurant to reveal a hidden fortune. These are just a few of the events that set Myeong-kwan Cheon’s beautifully crafted, wild world in motion.

Whale, set in a remote village in South Korea, follows the lives of many linked characters, including Geumbok, an extremely ambitious woman who has been chasing an indescribable thrill ever since she first saw a whale crest in the ocean; her mute daughter, Chunhui, who communicates with elephants; and a one-eyed woman who controls honeybees with a whistle. Brimming with surprises and wicked humor, Whale is an adventure-satire of epic proportions by one of the most original voices in international literature.

Cheon Myeong-kwan is a South Korean novelist and screenwriter. Upon publication of his first story, "Frank and I" (2003), he received the prestigious Munhakdongne New Writer Award. His debut novel, Whale, published the following year, won him the 10th Munhakdongne Novel Award, and Chi-Young Kim’s translation has been shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize. Cheon’s novels have been translated into Chinese, English, French, Thai, Russian, and Vietnamese. 


About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Seattle Public Library (Central Branch), 1000 Fourth Ave, Seattle, United States

Tickets

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