In today’s newsletter, we highlight new reporting by Heidi Blake regarding a Texas doctor who attempted to rescue members of the Saudi royal family. Additionally, we celebrate Han Kang, the recent winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Han Kang, an accomplished novelist and poet, is renowned for her emotional depth and precise language. Her notable works, including “The Vegetarian,” “Human Acts,” “The White Book,” and “Greek Lessons,” explore heavy themes through a delicate and often experimental lens, specifically focusing on women’s experiences under patriarchal systems and the hidden histories of South Korea during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Kang gained international recognition with her novel “The Vegetarian,” translated into English by Deborah Smith. The story follows Yeong-hye, a woman in Seoul, who, after experiencing vivid nightmares, decides to abandon meat and pushes away her husband and family. Another significant work, “Human Acts,” also translated by Smith, deals with the 1980 Gwangju uprising and the ensuing U.S.-backed massacre, a tragic event closely tied to Kang’s childhood. In an author’s note, she references a boy, a victim of the massacre, who had been a student of her father, highlighting the personal impact of historical events.
Her latest novel, “We Do Not Part,” scheduled for an English release, tells a haunting story surrounding the Jeju Island massacre following the Korean War, narrated from the viewpoints of three women. I had the opportunity to meet Kang for a vegetarian meal in Seoul shortly after its release in 2021. In reflecting upon the narratives within her works, I considered the socio-political climate in South Korea, which has grown increasingly authoritarian, especially since Han and Smith won the International Booker Prize in 2016 for “The Vegetarian.” That same year marked the rise of a feminist movement, pre-dating the global #MeToo movement, culminating in a reckoning within the literary community as several prominent figures, including poet Ko Un, faced allegations of abuse. While the momentum of the #MeToo movement in Korea has slowed, Han and other women writers such as Kyung-sook Shin, Kim Hyesoon, and Hwang Jung-eun continue to shape the landscape of contemporary Korean literature.
In another compelling narrative, we turn to the story of the imprisoned Saudi princesses. Following their mother’s departure to London in 2003, Princess Hala and three of her sisters were held captive by their father, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. They endured years of confinement, drugging with tranquilizers, cocaine, amphetamines, and alcohol, while facing constant surveillance, abuse, and deprivation. Dwight Burdick, the doctor who prescribed medications for the princesses, developed a complex bond with Hala over time and remains haunted by their plight. Burdick revealed to the New Yorker writer Heidi Blake that he was repeatedly informed the princesses would never be freed. Blake’s thorough reporting sheds light on the harrowing experiences of these royal women and the doctor who struggled with his role in their lives.
In further news, Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from tennis next month after amassing an impressive twenty-two Grand Slam singles titles. Earlier this year, Gerald Marzorati penned a reflection on Nadal’s career, praising his unique competitive spirit that combined intensity with grace.
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the title of Han Kang’s upcoming novel. Hannah Jocelyn contributed to this edition.