Dictee
Dictee by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha is a newly restored edition published by Univ of California Press on September 13, 2022. This second edition honors the author’s original intentions and vision, presenting the work as an art object in its authentic form. Originally published in 1982, Dictee is recognized as a classic of modern Asian American literature, showcasing Cha’s multidisciplinary approach.
In this edition, readers will encounter the stories of several women, including the Korean revolutionary Yu Guan Soon, Joan of Arc, and Cha’s own mother, Hyung Soon Huo. The narrative is structured in nine parts around the Greek Muses and employs a variety of texts, documents, and images to explore themes of dislocation and the fragmentation of memory. This dynamic autobiography reflects Cha’s unique perspective and artistic vision, making it a significant contribution to literary collections in the realms of Asian American and women’s literature. The book spans 178 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Newly restored, this version of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s masterpiece honors the author’s original intentions and vision for the book. Originally published in 1982, Dictee is a classic of modern Asian American literature.
Dictee is the best-known work of the multidisciplinary Korean American artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha.
This restored edition, produced in partnership with the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), reflects Cha’s original vision for the book as an art object in its authentic form, featuring:
- The original cover
- High-quality reproductions of the interior layout
Dictee tells the story of several women: the Korean revolutionary Yu Guan Soon, Joan of Arc, Demeter and Persephone, Cha’s mother Hyung Soon Huo (a Korean born in Manchuria to first-generation Korean exiles), and Cha herself.
This dynamic autobiography:
- Structures the story in nine parts around the Greek Muses
- Deploys a variety of texts, documents, images, and forms of address and inquiry
- Links the women’s stories to explore the trauma of dislocation and the fragmentation of memory it causes
The result is an enduringly powerful, beautiful, unparalleled work.
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