After having lived a little more
When I stand at the edge of death
Will I be able to think
That I truly held life tight (through writing).
So begins “After Having Lived a Little More”, a contemplative two-page essay by Han Kang that drifts between lyrical poetry and prose.
This brief meditation on the act of writing graces the final pages of the South Korean author’s latest book, Light and Thread, her first publication since winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in October 2024.