Latest news with #Esther
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: Grief is profound, painful and personal in this debut novel from J.B. Hwang
'Mendell Station' is Korean American writer J.B. Hwang's first novel. And it is all about death — its horror, finality and mystery, and, most of all, how those who knew and loved that person must cope. Miriam, the main character, who is a Korean American postal worker living in San Francisco, learns that her best friend, Esther, was found dead, having fallen two stories onto the train tracks at Van Ness station. The mystery of how Esther died is never solved in the book, although we learn she had been intoxicated and wobbly on her feet when last seen at a bar. The narrative focuses more on Miriam's initial confusion and the painful emotional attempt at mourning and eventual acceptance. 'The love I had for Esther distended and became a fluid that filled my skull… My skeleton felt ripped out of my body, and I crumpled to the floor. The sound of many waters, weighted clouds in the sky, thin black grooves between the wooden floorboards teeming with darkness.' Like many great novels, the specifics are clear — the Asian American experience, which is quite different from the white or Black American experience, in many ways, or the details of working at the post office, the menial, never-ending repetition — as fitting the expression 'going postal' — but also the gentle kindness of the regular folks who are her co-workers. The universal human story of losing a loved one comes alive amid the backdrop of these specifics, like many great novels. It is very moving. The experience, happening amid the confusion that came in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, is so unsettling Miriam's faith in God is shattered. She starts writing letters to Esther that never get delivered to cope with her grief. 'Esther, I wondered why I didn't want to kill myself after you died, when I couldn't stop thinking about it after my father's death. Would I be recognizable to you now, without my faith, without you? I don't like who I am without you,' goes one of her letters. This is a book that speaks to women, especially Asian American women, and those who have just lost a loved one. And this writer happens to fit all those categories. Still, it's a good book for anyone. Hwang is comfortable switching from a language that is a myopic closeup in its descriptiveness to free-wheeling poetic grandeur on the same page, entering the mind and soul of the woman who is our heroine. It matters more than ever that she is an Asian American in a storytelling universe dominated by white people. Yet it matters not at all. Hwang's writing often doesn't bother with stage-setting, or scene or character descriptions. Readers feel as though they have simply slipped into Miriam's skin. We know through our own skin and bones, rather than read and learn, the sad memories of our upbringing, the routine drudgery of work, the loneliness and the joy of finding a friend, and the unbearable grief of losing one. The effect is mesmerizing, and strangely comforting. We affirm through the journey that Hwang takes us on that lesson we knew all along: We must live. Those who have gone want that and expect that of us. ___ AP book reviews:
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Book Review: Grief is profound, painful and personal in this debut novel from J.B. Hwang
'Mendell Station' is Korean American writer J.B. Hwang's first novel. And it is all about death — its horror, finality and mystery, and, most of all, how those who knew and loved that person must cope. Miriam, the main character, who is a Korean American postal worker living in San Francisco, learns that her best friend, Esther, was found dead, having fallen two stories onto the train tracks at Van Ness station.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Book Review: Grief is profound, painful and personal in this debut novel from J.B. Hwang
'Mendell Station' is Korean American writer J.B. Hwang's first novel. And it is all about death — its horror, finality and mystery, and, most of all, how those who knew and loved that person must cope. Miriam, the main character, who is a Korean American postal worker living in San Francisco, learns that her best friend, Esther, was found dead, having fallen two stories onto the train tracks at Van Ness station. The mystery of how Esther died is never solved in the book, although we learn she had been intoxicated and wobbly on her feet when last seen at a bar. The narrative focuses more on Miriam's initial confusion and the painful emotional attempt at mourning and eventual acceptance. 'The love I had for Esther distended and became a fluid that filled my skull… My skeleton felt ripped out of my body, and I crumpled to the floor. The sound of many waters, weighted clouds in the sky, thin black grooves between the wooden floorboards teeming with darkness.' Like many great novels, the specifics are clear — the Asian American experience, which is quite different from the white or Black American experience, in many ways, or the details of working at the post office, the menial, never-ending repetition — as fitting the expression 'going postal' — but also the gentle kindness of the regular folks who are her co-workers. The universal human story of losing a loved one comes alive amid the backdrop of these specifics, like many great novels. It is very moving. The experience, happening amid the confusion that came in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, is so unsettling Miriam's faith in God is shattered. She starts writing letters to Esther that never get delivered to cope with her grief. 'Esther, I wondered why I didn't want to kill myself after you died, when I couldn't stop thinking about it after my father's death. Would I be recognizable to you now, without my faith, without you? I don't like who I am without you,' goes one of her letters. This is a book that speaks to women, especially Asian American women, and those who have just lost a loved one. And this writer happens to fit all those categories. Still, it's a good book for anyone. Hwang is comfortable switching from a language that is a myopic closeup in its descriptiveness to free-wheeling poetic grandeur on the same page, entering the mind and soul of the woman who is our heroine. It matters more than ever that she is an Asian American in a storytelling universe dominated by white people. Yet it matters not at all. Hwang's writing often doesn't bother with stage-setting, or scene or character descriptions. Readers feel as though they have simply slipped into Miriam's skin. We know through our own skin and bones, rather than read and learn, the sad memories of our upbringing, the routine drudgery of work, the loneliness and the joy of finding a friend, and the unbearable grief of losing one. The effect is mesmerizing, and strangely comforting. We affirm through the journey that Hwang takes us on that lesson we knew all along: We must live. Those who have gone want that and expect that of us. ___ AP book reviews:
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: Grief is profound, painful and personal in this debut novel from J.B. Hwang
'Mendell Station' is Korean American writer J.B. Hwang's first novel. And it is all about death — its horror, finality and mystery, and, most of all, how those who knew and loved that person must cope. Miriam, the main character, who is a Korean American postal worker living in San Francisco, learns that her best friend, Esther, was found dead, having fallen two stories onto the train tracks at Van Ness station. The mystery of how Esther died is never solved in the book, although we learn she had been intoxicated and wobbly on her feet when last seen at a bar. The narrative focuses more on Miriam's initial confusion and the painful emotional attempt at mourning and eventual acceptance. 'The love I had for Esther distended and became a fluid that filled my skull… My skeleton felt ripped out of my body, and I crumpled to the floor. The sound of many waters, weighted clouds in the sky, thin black grooves between the wooden floorboards teeming with darkness.' Like many great novels, the specifics are clear — the Asian American experience, which is quite different from the white or Black American experience, in many ways, or the details of working at the post office, the menial, never-ending repetition — as fitting the expression 'going postal' — but also the gentle kindness of the regular folks who are her co-workers. The universal human story of losing a loved one comes alive amid the backdrop of these specifics, like many great novels. It is very moving. The experience, happening amid the confusion that came in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, is so unsettling Miriam's faith in God is shattered. She starts writing letters to Esther that never get delivered to cope with her grief. 'Esther, I wondered why I didn't want to kill myself after you died, when I couldn't stop thinking about it after my father's death. Would I be recognizable to you now, without my faith, without you? I don't like who I am without you,' goes one of her letters. This is a book that speaks to women, especially Asian American women, and those who have just lost a loved one. And this writer happens to fit all those categories. Still, it's a good book for anyone. Hwang is comfortable switching from a language that is a myopic closeup in its descriptiveness to free-wheeling poetic grandeur on the same page, entering the mind and soul of the woman who is our heroine. It matters more than ever that she is an Asian American in a storytelling universe dominated by white people. Yet it matters not at all. Hwang's writing often doesn't bother with stage-setting, or scene or character descriptions. Readers feel as though they have simply slipped into Miriam's skin. We know through our own skin and bones, rather than read and learn, the sad memories of our upbringing, the routine drudgery of work, the loneliness and the joy of finding a friend, and the unbearable grief of losing one. The effect is mesmerizing, and strangely comforting. We affirm through the journey that Hwang takes us on that lesson we knew all along: We must live. Those who have gone want that and expect that of us. ___ AP book reviews:
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Esther conquers fear, claims triathlon title on home soil
KUALA LUMPUR: : National triathlete Esther Joy stole the show at the World Triathlon Development Regional Cup on Saturday, delivering a dramatic comeback to clinch the women's title on home soil — her second international triumph in just two months. Racing in front of a supportive local crowd at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Kampar, the 22-year-old overcame her biggest fear — the swim — before powering through the bike and producing a storming final surge on the run to snatch a memorable victory. "I'm quite happy. My fear has always been the swim, so I've been training a lot on it," said Esther, who clocked 1:07:18s to beat Indonesia's Renata Berliana Aditya (1:07:36) and Singapore's Herlene Natasha Yu (1:08:01). "Although we don't have many open-water places to train in Malaysia, I've just been swimming a lot in general. The bike was as good as it could get — four of us on the bike trying to drop each other — and I just tried my best to hold the gap. "I really didn't expect to catch anybody on the run. I was just happy to catch the first person. Then the crowd kept shouting 'one more!' and I had the shock of my life when I came back and was first!" Saturday's win added to her recent gold at the Southeast Asia Triathlon Federation Championships in Lumut last month, and marked her final international outing before the SEA Games in December, where she hopes to earn national selection. In the men's race, Isaac Tan reinforced his status as Malaysia's top male triathlete by emerging as the fastest home finisher, placing 12th overall in 1:01:29. However, the 20-year-old admitted to feeling disappointed after falling short of expectations, especially after his victory at the World Triathlon Development Regional Cup in Tam Chuc, Vietnam in April. "I feel it's a five out of ten," said Isaac. "Particularly didn't do well on the bike. The swim and the run were good. Timing-wise, I'm not sure if I'm happy or not, but the effort is important. Anyway, we're going to continue to buckle up strong. "It was a lot different than in Vietnam. There were a lot of strong competitors here, especially the Koreans. I'm still not sure what will be my next race, but I'm going to prepare well for the SEA Games." Indeed, South Korea were a dominant force in Kampar, sweeping the men's podium through Kim Seong-sik (58:09), Choi Gyu-seo (58:15) and Jeong Woo Sik (58:22), while also topping the junior women's race through Park Seo-eun (1:06:11). "We decided to bring a large team this time because many of our junior athletes are already familiar with this event — some of them raced here last year as well," said South Korea manager Mok Lee. "Our focus is on giving our athletes as many opportunities as possible to compete in international events like this. The more experience they gain, the better their performances will become. "Korea last qualified a triathlete for the Olympics in 2012. Since then, we've been working hard to grow our talent pool so that we can return to the Olympic stage." RESULTS World Triathlon Development Regional Cup Men: 1. Kim Seong-sik (Kor) 58:09s, 2. Choi Gyu-seo (Kor) 58:15, Jeong Woo Sik (Kor) 58:22; Best Malaysian: 12. Isaac Tan 1:01:29. Women: 1. Esther Joy (Mas) 1:07:18, 2. Renata Berliana Aditya (Ina) 1:07:36, 3. Herlene Natasha Yu (Sgp) 1:08:01. Asia Triathlon Junior Cup Men: 1. Ramazan Ainegov (Kaz) 58:46, 2. Seymur Anthony Caglayan (Tur) 58:56, 3. Yelmurat Kanay (Kaz) 59:02; Best Malaysian: 19. Yap Qi Yi 1:01:37. Women: 1. Park Seo-eun (Kor) 1:06:11, 2. Kayla Nadia Shafa (Ina) 1:06:22, 3. Diana Biktimirova (Uzb) 1:07:16; Best Malaysian: 21. Koh Pao Yee 1:21:03.
