"Please Look After Mom" by Korean author Kyung-Sook Shin won the the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2011.
"Intimate and hauntingly spare.... A raw tribute to the mysteries of motherhood." -- The New York Times Book Review
There are so few literary books on motherhood worth recommending and this is one rare gem. I did not expect much when I opened its pages but eventually found myself reading with delight.
The book captures the Korean family culture and starts the narrative when the mother disappears from the subway station. Efforts to find her like printing flyers and posting ads were executed by the children. Along the way, recollections and memories resurface.
The book provokes thought. How much do you know your mother? Regrets often come when she is gone. For mothers, the stories may resonate as they find themselves living similar lives as the character.
The mother takes on many roles and is often neglected especially when children move out of the nest and start their own lives. Children don't often realize that their mother was her own person before taking on the role. And sometimes, certain moms even have secret lives too.
How much do you know your own mother? Read the book and do a little reminiscence. It also comes with a grand ending in Rome. Don't want to say much so as not to spoil the fun. Enjoy!
-----
Kyung-Sook Shin is the author of numerous works of fiction and is one of South Korea's most widely read and acclaimed novelists. She was the first woman to be awarded the Man Asian Literary Prize (for Please Look After Mom).
Source: www.penguinrandomhouse.com
