Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I didn't feel like going out in the rain yesterday and was having trouble getting into any of the books around the apt, so I browsed around Project Gutenburg. If you are not familiar with it, it is a site that publishes books that are no longer under copyright.

I ran into Bret Harte, whose name I was familiar with because of one story of his (Outcasts of Poker Flat) I'd read years ago. I knew he wrote stories about the California Gold Rush, but that was all. I ended up spending several enjoyable hours of good reading time --'Tennessee's Partner' was my favorite -- but almost all of the short stories I found in "Selected Stories" were fun. Like his literary hero Dickens, he wrote characters.

I was just wondering if anyone knows any other good online sites with free stuff to read. Also, does anyone have any recommendations from the authors published on Gutenburg?


PS: I do not think that we ever knew his real name...But to return to Tennessee's Partner, whom we never knew by any other than this relative title; that he had ever existed as a separate and distinct individuality we only learned later. It seems that in 1853 he left Poker Flat to go to San Francisco, ostensibly to procure a wife. He never got any farther than Stockton. At that place he was attracted by a young person who waited upon the table at the hotel where he took his meals. One morning he said something to her which caused her to smile not unkindly, to somewhat coquettishly break a plate of toast over his upturned, serious, simple face, and to retreat to the kitchen. He followed her, and emerged a few moments later, covered with more toast and victory. That day week they were married by a justice of the peace, and returned to Poker Flat.

[Hyeon Een]

I really, really, really enjoyed Henry Savage Landor's book "Cho-sun, Land of the Morning Calm". It's like a travelogue of modern day Korea, except it was written more than 100 years ago (With good references towards shady Japanese trying to take over, Koreans being bad drivers, dirty love motels and so on..) Most of his social comments still feel really relevant today. It was by far my greatest read from the Gutenburg project. (I guess the Sherlock Holmes Mysteries was/were my second favorite..)

Interestingly, ON THIS DAY in 1908 or 1912 or some such year the same guy (L. Henry Savage-Landor), fresh from travels in Asia, announced an amazing vertical take off flying machine capable of unlimited altitude and distances if it was built big enough. (He appeared on the "In this day in history" page of todays Joong-Ang Daily which comes *free* with the International Herald Tribune in Korea).

[Ya-ta Boy]

Thanks for the 'Cho-sun' tip. I'll check it out. By the way, that book by Hamel in the 1600's also has quite a few references to things that sound just like modern Korea. The one I remember was how everyone flocked to mountain valleys for picnics.

[Rusty Shackleford]

http://www.truly-free.org/

This guy has recent titles. Claims to be legit but blatantly infringes copyright laws. I'm not one to complain mind you.

http://www.bookglutton.com/
This site has a good idea. You can comment on and discuss books as a group. Sort of like the myspace of books.

[lohengrin]

If you like science fiction, check out www.baen.com
all legal, but be warned: your friends might not see you for a year...
brilliant stuff!