The Ginseng Hunter

By Jeff Talarigo

Book Overview

A Chinese ginseng hunter lives alone in the valley, where he spends his days preparing for winter. He is scarcely aware of the larger world until shadowy figures, floating bodies, and rumors of murder begin to intrude on his cherished solitude. Then, on a trip to Yanji, he meets a young North Korean prostitute. Through her vivid tales, the tragedy occurring across the river unfolds, and soon the hunter realizes that the fates of the young woman and four others rest in his hands.An unforgettable look at life along the fragile border between China and North Korea, The Ginseng Hunter is a confirmation of Jeff Talarigo's talent for finding humanity in the most unexpected places.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030727523X
• ISBN13: 9780307275233
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful!

In solitude, a man hunts ginseng. Following the tradition of his father, he hunts according to ancient customs. Like his father, communism changes his life as the effects of politics enter into a world seemingly isolated from the changes in the country. During a trip to Yanji, the man hears the tales of a North Korean prostitute. An almost fairy-tale like story reveals unimaginable poverty and inhumanity, a story that gives way to other stories of the concrete deprivation and struggles of individuals on the border of the Tumen river. As the story unfolds, the politics of the times reach into the isolated territory of his home, affecting several individuals whose lives suddenly become intertwined with his, challenging him in his thoughts and challenging him to act. In THE GINSENG HUNTER, Jeff Talarigo presents a stark contrast between the ancient almost mystical traditions of ginseng hunting and the politics of communism in the lives of his characters. Unspeakable poverty influences the actions of his characters, along the border and extending even to the most remote areas of the land and the human heart. Through vivid imagery, THE GINSENG HUNTER details the desperation of those on the edge of survival and the political, ideological ideas which exasperate the situation. As in his earlier book, THE PEARL DIVER, Jeff Talarigo brings out the humanity of his characters in a time of extreme cruelty. THE GINSENG HUNTER is not a political treatise but rather a fictional exploration of the topic and therein lies its beauty. Through well-chosen images, Jeff Talarigo's vision centers on those moments in his characters' lives that reveal the crux of the situation in the interrelationship between characters and as one generation passes to another, from father to son. As time and politics unfold, father and son and are different yet interconnected, not only in details of the ginseng on the mountain but the political effects on their lives. In style, THE GINSENG HUNTER is reminiscent of THE PEARL DIVER. Jeff Talarigo's prose has an elegance in its beautiful, emotional simplicity and precisely connected images. The life and journey of the ginseng hunter is not only an individual and a place but also an inner journey. In its simplicity and directness, Jeff Talarigo's prose is at once stark and poetic. In his newest work, Jeff Talarigo creates a more subtle effect as he narrows his focus and chooses fewer images to highlight the story. THE PEARL DIVER hits a reader with a direct force whereas THE GINSENG HUNTER's fictional beauty evolves more gently. Quite simply, both works are magnificent but those readers who loved THE PEARL DIVER will find a special pleasure in the discovery of the evolution of this author's style. Without sacrificing those elements so special in THE PEARL DIVER, Jeff Talarigo incorporates them while refining his writing, reducing the life story of the ginseng hunter to its most essential transformative and poetic moments

heartbreakingly beautiful

Simply put, it's heartbreaking and unforgettable. The book haunts you and puts a human face on North Korea that will stay with you long after you read it...Tragic situations are hard to read about, but the author's delicate touch renders this one in a way you can put down...

Touching novel

I found this novel after reading the authors first one, The Pearl Diver. It is such a delicately written novel that leaves you thinking long after you have put it down.

The Ginseng Hunter

In this small-sized book, Talarigo paints pictures with his words. It is a sad, beautiful, haunting tale that touches political, environmental and humanistic implications. It is a tale of how the life of any person can be affected in ways beyond his or her control, yet how small acts of human kindness are what make us human. He has helped to educate readers about life in North Korea and thus has given a voice to the voiceless. An excellent read.

Beautifully written

This book was a quick read for me. I couldn't put it down. We don't know anyone's name, but you don't even realize it because the images are written so well you feel like you are with him. We have a Chinese man who lives on his family farm and hunts for ginseng for his living. He meets several different escapees from North Korea and tries to help them. Very interesting to read about and you will not want to put this book down! I didn't.