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What's a good book on Korean history?

 
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lorenchristopher



Joined: 25 Dec 2007

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:18 pm    Post subject: What's a good book on Korean history? Reply with quote

Just curious if you guys have any suggestions. I picked up one book called "A Cultural history" and it's not that great. Looking for anything that's not too dry, but more easy/enjoyable to read.

Thanks for any tips!!
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PBRstreetgang21



Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Location: Orlando, FL--- serving as man's paean to medocrity since 1971!

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Korea's Place in the Sun" by Bruce Cumings is great. He's a professor at the University of Chicago and is considered one of the world authorities on Korea.

It's a good place to start I think, and his notes (which are exhuastive) provide a good stepping off point into other books.

I will say, a lot of people say it has a very "liberal" or "pro-korea" bias. The book seeks to point out that Korea deserves a lot more credit than it's gotten. All I will say is that when you look through the endnotes, it is one of the most well researched and exhuastive books on korean history you will find outside of a major a library. It covers a whole spectrum from Three kingdoms to present day.

Definetly worth reading. Dense but NOT boring at all.
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definitely maybe



Joined: 16 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=1689678&highlight=#1689678

same question, a few more answers.
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jkelly80



Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

edit: wrong thread

Last edited by jkelly80 on Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:59 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Yu_Bum_suk



Joined: 25 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 9:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The most interesting I've read, bar none, is Andrei Lankov's The Dawn of Modern Korea.
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FMPJ



Joined: 03 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strongly second the Cumings. His North Korea is also good, if not as authoritative (for pretty obvious reasons).
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