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Overview
A Gesture Life, published in 1999, is a novel by Korean-American author Chang-rae Lee
. The novel tells the story of Franklin “Doc” Hata, a Korean man who immigrates to the United States after World War II and eventually becomes a respected medical supply store owner in a small town in upstate New York. The novel is narrated by Hata as he reflects on his life and the choices he has made, particularly his involvement in the Japanese military during the war. A Gesture Life navigates the complexities of cultural assimilation, guilt, and the consequences of suppressed trauma.Read the full book summary, an in-depth character analysis of Doc Hata, and explanations of important quotes from A Gesture Life.
