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397th out of 879 books
—
1,242 voters
Still Life With Rice: A Young American Woman Discovers the Life and Legacy of Her Korean Grandmother
In this radiant memoir of her grandmother's life, Lee recreates a culture that is both seductively exotic and strangely familiar. Lee's desire to recover the family's history, as well as to understand the intricate weave of her own identity, results in the exploration of universal issues such as the complex nature of family relations and the rapidly changing lives of women...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
April 8th 1997
by Scribner
(first published 1996)
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"A woman must always be the strong stone, for she is the foundation of a family. However, your husband must never be threatened by your power and will. Let him believe it is his. Peace and happiness rest upon you and you alone. Guide him, lead him to his full potential, and most important, open his heart toward the light of God, and also your unborn children's." (pg. 303)
"Be good to your mother, for there will be no one else in thie whole world who will love you more dearly." (pg. 305)
" 'And now...more
"Be good to your mother, for there will be no one else in thie whole world who will love you more dearly." (pg. 305)
" 'And now...more
This book tells the story of the author's grandmother who lived in Korea during the first half of the twentieth century. The author takes on the voice of the grandmother and gives a first perosn account of this turbulent time in history. It is similar to the book Wild Swans which tells the story of 20th century China through the eyes of three generations of the author's female relatives. This book is obviously not that comprehensive, but it is a gripping tale of the hardships that the Korean peo...more
Engrossing and insightful memoir of the life of the author's Korean grandmother, Hongyong Baek, from 1912 to the 1970s, a period during which Korea experienced Japanese occupation, WWII, the resulting split between North and South, the Korean War, and the jarring effects thereafter: searches for refuge, tent cities, impoverished citizens, death, disease, broken families, attempts to rebuild. Throughout, Hongyong's personal struggles are enough to bear: a crippled sister left to die ultimately su...more
I'm going to give this four stars for the first 75%, even though it fell apart for me toward the end.
"Still Life with Rice" reminded me very much of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China -- a young woman's chronicle of her grandmother's life in war-torn Southeast Asia told from her Korean grandmother's perspective. It's pretty amazing to contemplate all the things Helie Lee's grandmother went through and her courage throughout -- married off in an arranged marriage (which, fortunately, developed...more
"Still Life with Rice" reminded me very much of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China -- a young woman's chronicle of her grandmother's life in war-torn Southeast Asia told from her Korean grandmother's perspective. It's pretty amazing to contemplate all the things Helie Lee's grandmother went through and her courage throughout -- married off in an arranged marriage (which, fortunately, developed...more
I LOVED this book!!! Granted, I am biased in my adoration of Korea. This book further clinches that adoration. What a resilient people! The real life aspect of it only makes it more appealing. A wonderful read from start to finish!
This is a fascinating historical/cultural/personal memoir by Helie Lee through the eyes of her grandmother. As basically an American Korean, Helie, is impatient with her "old world" mother and grandmother. Using this as impetus, she explores and learns about the amazing life of these two women -- but mainly the grandmother. Both evolve and defy a very traditional culture out of necessity and personal courage and skill. Grandmother and her family flee to China for a period where she shows amazing...more
I am so unfamiliar with Korean history, so this was a refreshingly new read for me. I was continually surprised at how recent this all took place and how little I know about it, yet how much I know about what went on in Europe at the same time. I thought this book had strong characters but wonder how indicative they were of the other women and men at the time. I also feel like many similar stories I've read center around an abusive husband and women's attempts to accept/overcome her life as a wi...more
The book had a ton of little gems in it that kept me most of the way. Not really the best writing, but very interestingly informative about the history of Korea ~ their life under Japanese rule, what the Soviet Union and America did in creating the division of the country after Japan surrendered, how that affected their families, things about their culture, their food, their customs, the transformation of all those things over three generations, etc ... all of that I really really enjoyed. Once...more
This was required summer reading for all Juniors and seniors at Marianapolis. I enjoyed the book quite a bit, especially the beginning and the middle where the grandmother was trying to make her way in the world and largely controlling her own destiny. Towards the end the book starts to become choppy and episodic and loses focus. I think that this is because the main character, a Korean woman dealing with the massive changes in her country over the past century, largely loses control of her own...more
Absolutely captured by this book. My heart broke time and time again. I loved the insight into the early 1900's Korea and unfortunately the hardships of the civil war. So in love with these characters especially Hongyong. She fought against culture but still kept to traditions. This woman accomplished so much even thought she left so much behind. I felt as though she did enough living for three lives. I cringed at many of the social stigmas particularly how female children are viewed. Amazing th...more
I had such doubts when beginning this book, "Oh another biography about hard times and redemption." However, I was drawn deeply into the life of the protagonist (the author's grandmother) who honors the ofttimes simultaneity of suffering and joy. I now have such a deep respect for the lives of those who lived in North Korea during the Japanese occupation and the subsequent war between north and south. What a great story of love for a culture, a family, and the growth of a woman who learns her ow...more
I loved this book at first, then it got harder for me to read. I read it as a newly wed. In the beginning, I was so happy for her happiness in married life because I related to it. Perhaps that is why it was so hard to see things change, and become troubled. I found myself wondering if I would always be as happy as a newly wed, or if life would become oppressive and cruel as it did for her. Great depiction of life in Korea before, during, and after Korean war. Sad, annoying, and difficult to rea...more
I don't think the author is the best writer, but the true story about her grandmother makes a great read.
The grandmother, Hongyong, lived in Korea and then moved to China to escape the Japanese occupation. They then returned to Korea during the Korean war and most of the family made it to South Korea before the border closed. The story is about her life -- her parents, sisters, husband, children and all of her business enterprises (including smuggling opium, selling sesame oil and starting a res...more
The grandmother, Hongyong, lived in Korea and then moved to China to escape the Japanese occupation. They then returned to Korea during the Korean war and most of the family made it to South Korea before the border closed. The story is about her life -- her parents, sisters, husband, children and all of her business enterprises (including smuggling opium, selling sesame oil and starting a res...more
the first chapter was a little hard for me to read but from then on, i couldn't put it down. i am about the same age as helie and so my grandparents and parents went through many of the same experiences. i brought this book to read as i visited my dad who is now sick with dementia and parkinsons...and i wept. it gave me so much more understanding of what they suffered through the occupation of korea, the fleeing to north korea, the horrors of war and the effect on families separated by war.
One of those powerful books that are hard to read but impossible to put down. So much suffering. So much heartache. Such unbelievable sacrifice. As a mother this book was especially heart wrenching. I think everyone should read this read this book. I have a better understanding of Korean traditions and am in awe of these amazing women who had more courage than I will ever know. I just want to go hug my kids and cry with gratitude that I have never had to see them go hungry.
Travis recommended this book. I really enjoyed it. It is a story of a Korean woman and her struggles. It is amazing what she endured. She had so many trials.
The first part of the book does have some graphic sexual details. As in many cultures no one taught young girls what would happen after they were married. So if you can get through those few pages it is a very interesting book. You learn a lot about Korean history in a very interesting way.
The first part of the book does have some graphic sexual details. As in many cultures no one taught young girls what would happen after they were married. So if you can get through those few pages it is a very interesting book. You learn a lot about Korean history in a very interesting way.
This book was awesome up until the end where she finds god or whatever. I'm not against any of that, nor do I feel it should have been omitted (it is part of her life after all), I just think it could have been integrated into the story without it feeling like the book was trying to convert me. It painted a very vivid portrait of war, heartache, & what it means to be proud of who you are. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Since I'm living in Korea, I've been on a kick reading books about Koreans. This one is great because it tells a story of 3 generations of Korean (and eventually Korean American) women. They battle everything from health problems, to arranged marriages, to the Korean war. As an adoptee who actually understands very little about Korean culture, this book explained some of the reasons why Koreans think and act the way they do.
I enjoyed this book so much. Helie Lee, a Korean American woman, tells the story of her grandmother's life. Speaking in the voice of her grandmother, she tells of her childhood during the Japanese occupation of Korea, moving to China as a young mother so their family could 'Be Korean', moving back to North Korea just before the communists take over, and trying to escape to South Korea and rebuild her life afterwards. Beautifully written. I could barely put it down until I was finished. I highly...more
This is another Korean cultural book I read that a friend reminded me of. I guess I need to go to Korea. I feel like a know so much about them....yet I've only brushed the surface! As this young woman discovers the history of her people that she had ignored, it made me want to search my own people to see where I've come from and how they made me who I am today.
I found this book to be a compelling read-although the ending was alittle choppy and I had to go back to the beginning to look for clues. I found it fascinating to learn about Korean history and the struggle of Helie Lee's grandmother and family. I was amazed at her strength and courage through the difficult times of war.
To have the opportunity to learn so much from one's grandmother is a true gift and to be able to share her story is wonderful.
To have the opportunity to learn so much from one's grandmother is a true gift and to be able to share her story is wonderful.
Interesting way to relay a true story-writing in her grandmother's voice to depict her escape from North Korea and the subsequent lives of her family members that were torn apart by the war. I got to meet Helie Lee at a book group and she was very articulate and personable-she looked just like one of my many Asian friends. Got a photo with her!
I don't mind reading historical novels, and this one started out very interestingly in my opinion. It did a good job of informing the reader about how the narrator lived in pre Japan-occupied Korea. And then suddenly, halfway through the book I could hardly stand the author's writing style. It seemed like she was trying to force a metaphoric writing style, which she wasn't particularly good at. It was a bit of a struggle to finish...but I had to, for class =P. And the end..I thought everything c...more
Truly an enjoyable read, I read it in one sitting. Only the first and last chapter was the writer actually in the book itself as the body of the book is written fiction-like through the viewpoint of the writer's grandmother.
This book follows the writer's grandmother from her early days in Korea (North) in the early Japanese colonisation to running away withe her husband and children to China and returning to Korea (North) when the Japanese lost the war to once again running away from home, this...more
This book follows the writer's grandmother from her early days in Korea (North) in the early Japanese colonisation to running away withe her husband and children to China and returning to Korea (North) when the Japanese lost the war to once again running away from home, this...more
I would never have happened upon this book, but it came highly recommended by a friend on Facebook. I LOVED this book, the story was riveting, and sad, and hopeful. To find how the author was personally involved was wonderful...a beautiful story of the Korean heritage and a wonderful read for all.
I think this book was so great because Helie Lee took me literally through the entire, complete, life of her grandmother.
OF COURSE it was probably immensely exaggerated.
But still, she's a great writer and this is a good book.
Helie Lee doesn't leave anything out by the way, so its quite bit graphic.
OF COURSE it was probably immensely exaggerated.
But still, she's a great writer and this is a good book.
Helie Lee doesn't leave anything out by the way, so its quite bit graphic.
I would have never read this book had it not been on the book club list I belong to (that is one reason I love book club so much)because it just isn't the type of book I normally read. BUT I LOVED this book. I could hardly put it down until I finished it. I recommend this book to anyone.
A narrative biography about a Korean woman who lives through the Korean war, this account embodies a description of the Korean spirit of steadfast will, the change in women's roles, and the importance of looking beyond the self and loving others and your family.
I was impressed.
I was impressed.
Wonderful book that gave me a more in depth look into Korean history, especially during the Korean war. After reading this book I also feel like I understand the culture a bit better. I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction.
Great book about a Korean family fleeing North Korean. I learned what great endurance women have during perilous times and in difficult and seemingly impossible situations. But still the human spirit rises to the occasion and people still overcome the worse times.
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14 de Jun 10:25