The Ginseng Hunter [Paperback]

Jeff Talarigo (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Doubleday - Nan Talese, New York, New York (2008)
• ASIN: B0018QCX32
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the distant land of the human heart, April 20, 2008

By 

John C. Wiegard "Virginia Librarian" (Chester, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ginseng Hunter: A Novel (Hardcover)

This novel explores, at first, the psyche and existence of a middle aged Ginseng Hunter is western China, at the North Korean border. He wanders through silent and fragrant mountain forest in pursuit of his elusive and rare quarry, with no company other than the memories of a solitary and painful life.

Gradually, like the nearby river, the tale flows into the land of political oppression, as dead bodies float down the river, and a child steals corn from his garden. He visits a whorehouse and a new woman there speaks of the "Dear Leader" across the border, the terrible punishments for disloyalty, the death for stealing a grain of rice.

In the tradition of Steinbeck, Talarigo speaks of the good and evil of everyday life- of the choices we make, of the personal as politics and of politics as personal. In choosing a distant and obscure cataclysm of human madness, he seems to say to us- look in a mirror. The secrets of your heart, silent as a forest and as eternal as the changing seasons, are no mystery. In the final scene, a garden is planted without the farmer knowing who will eat of it. Nothing ends here and there is no closure, but that is true of life as well.
This book is about what makes us human and how we survive our own darkness.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, April 26, 2008

By 

Tonya Speelman "Hoarder of books" (Goldendale WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ginseng Hunter: A Novel (Hardcover)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ginseng Hunter, August 2, 2008

By 

Grayser "Book Lover 1000" (Brookhaven NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ginseng Hunter: A Novel (Hardcover)

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.