The next book to be featured this season on the Sara Cox Radio 2 Book Club is Minbak by Ela Lee—A sweeping story of three generations of women who cross continents and decades to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.
The book was released on 5 March and Ela’s interview with Sara is on BBC Sounds from Tuesday 10 March.
Read an exclusive extract.
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Minbak
The night the baby without a surname was born, the army rolled into his mother’s town.
Incheon, South Korea, 1985. The country is revolting against a dictatorship, but in the local boarding-house, the chaos inside is only just beginning. When Hana is pulled from school to work in her family’s minbak, all she wants is to escape her small town. When she finally does, she leaves as an exile, a ruin, or
a martyr, depending on who you ask. Her mother Youngia is left behind with the torment of both of their decisions.
London, 2008. Ada knows little about her mother, Hana. When tragedy hits, Hana has no choice but to move her daughter and ailing mother into a single room and turn the rest of their home into a minbak. As the past collides with the present, Ada is determined to unearth her mother’s secrets. But her obsession
will lead to a discovery that unravels not just her family’s dark past, but that of an entire country’s.
From Korea’s industrial estates to London’s suburbs, the three women cross continents and generations to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.
About the author
Ela Lee was born in 1995 and is a British-Korean-Turkish writer. She studied Law at the University of Oxford and went on to practise as a City lawyer. In 2021, during the global pandemic, Ela began work on her debut novel, JADED, which explores themes of consent, race, and identity. She lives in London, with her partner and their mini Aussie Shepherd.
A word from Ela
“It’s an incredible honour that Minbak has been selected for the BBC Radio 2 Book Club. Knowing it was chosen by librarians and expert readers makes it even more special. As the only child of immigrants, I couldn’t speak much English until I started school. Librarians were the ones who introduced me to my childhood favourites, including Phillip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson and Markus Zusak. Through their guidance and care, my confidence in – and love for – the English language blossomed, which ultimately made me a writer.”
“That is just one of the myriad of ways libraries care for their communities. To now see Minbak being championed by librarians feels especially poignant – a true full circle moment.”
“Thanks to you, my book about three generations of Korean women, and their untold stories, will reach so many readers, and hopefully bring people together. Thank you so much The Reading Agency, I’m so grateful for the support.”
Get involved
To hear all the author interviews and other Book Club features, subscribe to the BBC Sounds podcast.
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