Eugenia Kim's Blog, page 6

The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee

What happens to life after you survive the atrocities and randomness of war? Chang-rae Lee examines the deep intricacies of this question and its ramifications in THE SURRENDURED, portraying three survivors (Korean War, China-Japan War) whose lives mesh at an orphanage somewhere in South Korea after liberation. From that common crossroad, the lives of Sylvie, a missionary wife, Hector, a G.I.,

The Art of Korea: Highlights from the Collection of San Francisco's Art Museum, by Kumja Paik Kim

The San Francisco Asian Art Museum has an exceptional collection of Korean art, extraordinary in breadth of periods, styles, mediums and scholarship. This gorgeous, large-format book halves each spread to display works of art prominently, surrounded by lots of restful white space, with concise paragraphs of description and lists of pertinent data, all annotated and referenced should one wish to

Korean Shamanist Ritual: Symbols and Dramas of Transformation, by Daniel A. Kister

A well-organized study in approachable narrative that investigates Korean shamanism, from the perspective of an author with a background in dramatic arts--a key component of shamanist ritual. A thorough review of this scholarly work by Kang-Nam Oh, University of Regina, appears on the Korean Studies Internet Discussion List. 

Korean Shamanistic Rituals, by Jung Young Lee

This book (published 1980) is derived from Japanese scholar Takashi Akiba's research and  analysis published in 1950, Field Research on Korean Shamanism. The elaborate and dramatic kut rituals are described relative to shamanism's focus on nature, birth, death and life. Lee's research was criticized in a 1982 review by Ch'oe Kil-song for the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, as being a

Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars, by Sheri Holman

(Young Adult) The coming-of-age fiction, told in diary form, explores the life of Korean Princess Sondok (595 AD) during the Three Kingdom period of ancient Korea before she became the first reigning queen of Silla in 632 AD. During a period of rife factionalism between Buddhism, Confucianism and Shamanism/Animism, young princess Sondok finds peace in the studying the stars. Barred as a female

To Swim Across the World, by Ginger Park

A fictionalized biography of the lives of the parents of authors Frances and Ginger Park. Told in the alternating viewpoints of the boy and girl, the story also traces historical information about relevant Korean history as the narrators come of age, survive the Korean War, fall in love, immigrate to America, assimilate and explore Christian faith.

Quiet Odyssey: A Pioneer Korean Woman in America, by Mary Paik Lee

Born in 1900, Lee's aristocratic Christian family fled Korea in 1905, fearful of the plight of their famiy with Japan's growing political influence and imminent colonial takeover. Her family were among the earliest emigres to California and her father was reduced to an agricultural laborer. They faced harsh living conditions and always mistaken for Japanese or Chinese because of U.S. ignorance

Under the Black Umbrella: Voices from Colonial Korea, 1910-1945, by Hildi Kang

A memorable collection of essays, letters and narratives by citizens who lived through the Japanese occupation of Korea. The personal voices of the people give a unique perspective to a difficult period of Korean modern history for which, at the time of the publication of this book, 1980, few writings in English existed.

The Bridge at No Gun Ri: A Hidden Nightmare from the Korean War, by Charles J. Hanley, et al

An examination of the U.S. massacre of Korean civilians on this bridge during the Korean War, an incident uncovered in 2001 by investigative reporters Hanley, Choe and Mendoza, who won the Pulitzer Prize for this work. Thoroughly researched and told through personal experiences.

Aunt Jean, by Jeannette Walter

A 1969 family biography of a Korean missionary.