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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject: Korean History and Culture books |
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I was thinking of having some books shipped to my mother's in the US and then pick them up on my visit to the US.
I'm sure all the ones on Amazon that come up when I do a search for Korea have been read by someone here.
Please, post your reviews. |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Is your mother a big fan of fiction and fantasy? |
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Woden
Joined: 08 Mar 2007
Location: Eurasia
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:41 am Post subject: Re: Korean History and Culture books |
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| dogshed wrote: |
I was thinking of having some books shipped to my mother's in the US and then pick them up on my visit to the US.
I'm sure all the ones on Amazon that come up when I do a search for Korea have been read by someone here.
Please, post your reviews. |
Koreas Place in the Sun A Modern History Revised: A Modern History (Paperback)
by B Cummings (Author)
This book was a brilliant introduction to Korean history and culture. It covers Korean history from its beginnings to the present, although it concentrates slightly more on the twentieth century. It is really good for an open discussion on the issues arising from the Korean war and it delves past the Western propaganda, most of which you will find is false, if you needed telling. I believe the author is an American professor at a university in Seoul, but I can't remember which and the book is a few thousand miles away.
I would definitely recommend the book, well worth it. |
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caniff
Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:44 am Post subject: |
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| Ilsanman wrote: |
| Is your mother a big fan of fiction and fantasy? |
Good one. |
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RedRob
Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Location: Narnia
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 1:51 am Post subject: |
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| Pick up a copy of anything by local expat journo M. Breen. Good stuff. WTBook should have 1 or 2. |
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faster
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Korean History and Culture books |
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| Woden wrote: |
| dogshed wrote: |
I was thinking of having some books shipped to my mother's in the US and then pick them up on my visit to the US.
I'm sure all the ones on Amazon that come up when I do a search for Korea have been read by someone here.
Please, post your reviews. |
Koreas Place in the Sun A Modern History Revised: A Modern History (Paperback)
by B Cummings (Author)
This book was a brilliant introduction to Korean history and culture. It covers Korean history from its beginnings to the present, although it concentrates slightly more on the twentieth century. It is really good for an open discussion on the issues arising from the Korean war and it delves past the Western propaganda, most of which you will find is false, if you needed telling. I believe the author is an American professor at a university in Seoul, but I can't remember which and the book is a few thousand miles away.
I would definitely recommend the book, well worth it. |
Strongly seconded. Cumings is the reigning Korea expert in the U.S.
I also recommend his North Korea: another country (sometimes just North Korea). |
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recoba
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 2:53 am Post subject: |
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Hmm...I read "Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History" about a year ago, and was very disappointed. I found the style overcooked, to the point where it actually annoyed me. Other reviewers (check amazon) have commented on how much they love the style of this author, so very much a matter of personal taste.
It is worth pointing out that this book can be easily found in Korea, so just go and take a look at it before you buy, no need for Amazon. I got my copy in Coex Bandi & Luni's.
I did look for a good history of Korea...didn't find one yet. However, I liked "The Korean War" by Max Hastings. Some interesting commentary on the first stage of US - Korean relations, and how / why they rapidly declined.
On Korean culture, I'd can recommend "Korea unmasked - in search of the country, the society and the people" by Won-bok Rhie. This is a cartoon book (yes, a cartoon!). It's part of a 9 volume series including books on some European countries, Japan and Korea. I read it in English translation, the Korean editions were bestsellers in Korea. When I say I recommend it, I need to clarify something. Korean culture is often compared to other cultures...I did not always agree with what the author wrote, but I still think it is a valid take on how Korean people see their place in the world. This too, can be bought in Korea. |
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dogshed
Joined: 28 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| recoba wrote: |
It is worth pointing out that this book can be easily found in Korea, so just go and take a look at it before you buy, no need for Amazon. I got my copy in Coex Bandi & Luni's.
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I thought I might get a good used price from Amazon, but the cheapest used with shipping is more than the Amazon new sale price with free shipping. If I have time to check in Seoul I will. |
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GoldMember
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:06 am Post subject: |
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| Cumings is a raving lefty. Probably the most credible source on Korea is Professor Andrei Lankov |
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faster
Joined: 03 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| GoldMember wrote: |
| Cumings is a raving lefty. Probably the most credible source on Korea is Professor Andrei Lankov |
Cumings is indeed a lefty, but he's the authority on the subject, and at least his biases are out in the open for all to see (and take with as much salt as they want). His research speaks for itself (both in his plentiful footnotes and pioneering use of the Freedom of Information Act, as well as his fluency in the Korean language). His wife is a professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan, and he teaches at the University of Chicago (a top-tier univ. best known these days for having spawned the neocons via professor Strauss). He was in Korea last May to receive an award from the city of Gwangju for his groundbreaking work on the Gwangju uprising. |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| Dr. Bruce Cummings is a former Peace Corps Worker (English Teacher) from the Midwest area of the United States of America and is a Professor at the Univ. of Chicago in Illonois, U.S.A. |
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