Review: The Master Key

The Master Key by Masako Togawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read through several reviews and I seem to be the only person who had this particular issue with the book, but here goes. 

I enjoyed it a lot. It is intertwining, told out of order at times, and very interrelated. The characters were a bit many for me, but nothing too extreme, and I was curious to see how it would end. 

However, without giving anything away, the final 2 chapters seemed just too contrived and Deus ex Machina-like for me. The whole denouement seemed out of left field. I guess that's all I can really say without giving anything away. 

Still, I enjoyed the book otherwise. Not sure yet, but I may still read other books by the same author. 

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Review: Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 1

Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Volume 1 by Royal Asiatic Society
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a gem! A reprinting of the first-ever issue of Transactions. I got this at the RASK offices in Seoul. The first two essays concern the Chinese influence (one emphasizing that it is large, and the other rebutting saying it isn't so), and then there is some commentary, and an essay on the Buddha of Eun-jin. 

What is fascinating is that these discussions are taking place during the Chosun dynasty, so we get to see a foreigners' (quite well-informed, imho) view of Korea prior to any Japanese colonization, North-South division, etc.. 

An oddity: This claims King Se-jo (not Sejong) had metal types cast and developed a new alphabet (Hangul), and that it happened in 1406, so before Sejong's reign. This can't be right, can it? 

Some of my notes:

The author says he met people who still cut off their fingers (and fed the blood to their parents??) to show their filial piety. 

The Qing dynasty apparently wasn't respected in Korea during the Chosun dynasty, since they were Manchus. 

Korean native histories are almost impossible to find at this time. Almost all history in school and elsewhere deals solely with China (sort of like Taiwan now maybe??)

There is still native contempt for Hangul script. I guess it really was revived only after the Japanese occupation. 

A list of the most important Korean holidays are Samyungil, Hansik, Tano, and Chinese Harvest Home festival (Chuseok??)

文獻通考 is almost the only Chinese authority on Korea from back then. 

This claims King Sejo (世祖， not Sejong) had metal types cast and developed a new alphabet (Hangul), and that it happened in 1406, so before Sejong's reign. This can't be right, can it?

It says "The green cloak worn by women as a veil over their heads" is not Chinese but Korean. What is this??

 

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Review: An Appointment with My Brother

An Appointment with My Brother by Yi Mun-Yol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great book by Yi Mun-Yol. Although this is an "imagined" encounter with his North Korean half-brother, it seems autobiographical enough that my theory (completely without basis in anything), is that it actually happened. As he mentions in the book, any such encounter would have been illegal both in South and North Korea. Nowadays it would probably be ok to admit it in the South, but probably not in the North. Anyway, it's much more likely that he imagined it, since I'm sure all these thoughts have been ruminating in his mind all his life, since his father escaped to the North, but still. 

Also, apparently I read an earlier translation, but I think it's ok. The newer translation seems to add context for international readers. 

Regardless, a great book, including a lot of thought on what reunification of the Koreas might entail and the different opinions and parties that would be involved. 

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Review: A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball

A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball by Cho Se-Hui
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A few points: 

1) The book I read was quite short (88 pages), but apparently this was originally a collection of 12 intertwining stories. I get the impression I read an abridged version. 

2) I understand this is a classic in Korean literature, but having read other, more modern renditions of the same plight beforehand, I have to say I enjoyed this one less. My favorites are those by Hwang Sok-yong, such as "At Dusk" and "Familiar Things". 

Having said that, the story was poignant, and the struggle of this family, and others like it, which very much existed in 1970s Korea, becomes vivid.

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Review: Between Heaven and Earth

Between Heaven and Earth by Daenyeong Yun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an excellent book! It was a tad reminiscent of some contemporary Japanese fiction, only in that it had that same dreamy/semi-surreal feel that you can get with Murakami or Yoshimoto.

Bonus that it takes place in Wando, an island I visited around a decade ago, quite randomly.

Regardless, a great novella with a resonating story, and the Pansori music as a backdrop. I wish there were more by this author in translation, but it looks like there isn't, at least not yet.

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Review: The Camellias

The Camellias by Kim You-jeong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm very glad I picked this up (a nice selection of these "Portable library of Korean Literature" books are available at Kyobo bookstore for 5,000 KRW each).

The first story, "The Camellias" was probably my favorite, about 2 teenagers being very very bad at dealing with feelings. 

The second was a bit depressing, but very nice, also touching on superstitions of poor people getting in their way (the wife not wanting to get an operation).

The third was quite interesting as well. Again, a story of the poorer people in the countryside. 

I wish there were more available by this author in translation. 

 

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Review: Off to Battle at Dawn

Off to Battle at Dawn by Hyeon-seok Bang
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My first book by this author, and a grim look at the inside of a (I'm guessing) somewhat typical factor in Korea in the 1980s. This is a group of (mostly) women on strike, and a view from the inside at all the trials, tribulations, doubts, conversations, arguments, etc. involved with endeavors like this. And an illustration of how the deck is stacked against them from the beginning. 

To be honest it wasn't my favorite. While it is probably very realistic, it didn't really do much other than take the premise and squeeze out various scenarios that might occur over time, ending with a still-ongoing strike. 

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Review: 소설가 구보씨의 일일 = A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist

소설가 구보씨의 일일 = A Day in the Life of Kubo the Novelist by Pak Taewon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Apparently this novel was sort of an exercise in the Korean language and what it was capable of. So unfortunately I'm sure a lot was lost in translation. 

However, it was also a fascinating glimpse into a solitary life during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

A very interesting short read.  And I see from another commenter that Yi Sang drew of picture of Kubo!

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Review: Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles

Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles by Simon Winchester
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Like others, I read (and loved) "The Professor and the Madman", so when I saw the same author had written a book about Korea, I had to read it. Hmmmm. 

Some interesting notes:

- There used to be fencing all along the East coast (was this still there when I was there? It definitely wasn't as popular as it is now)

- Apparently you couldn't keep maps you bought outside the country. 

- The maps also didn't specify a border between North and South Korea (is this true??)

- Koreans weren't issued passports during the 1980s (?)

- I'd like to know more about the Catholic priests and nuns in Jejudo at the time. 

- The story about Jeju's (possibly) communist uprising before the Korean war was fascinating. 

- And at some point he says he mentions a Korean poet (brother of the buddhist monk he is hanging out with), called Hwang Chi-woo. Thanks to google, I can now confirm that it is probably this person: https://wordswithoutborders.org/contributors/view/hwang-ji-woo/

- Also fascinating about the Chollipo arboretum. 

Some others have commented on how critical he seems of US military personnel in Korea. While I find his general attitude very annoying, from what I remember from the 90s in Korea, some of that military personnel really wasn't the type you'd want to hang out with. Back then we would avoid Itaewon like the plague. Still, he constantly makes use of Americans and their facilities for places to stay, transportation, letting him go to the DMZ, etc., but feels the need to trash them at every turn, and loves to mention how much more he is respected as an Englishmen than an American would be. 

While we're at it, his attitude toward Korean women is irritating to say the least. Apparently they all can't get enough of him and seem to throw themselves at him. 

The most interesting part of the book is at the very end, when he mentions someone (whose name he isn't allowed to disclose), who apparently was allowed to go back and forth from South to North Korea and back freely. I assume, at this point, this person is retired and/or has passed away, but I can't seem to find any information on who it might be. 

2.5 stars

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Review: Play Nice But Win: A Ceo's Journey from Founder to Leader

Play Nice But Win: A Ceo's Journey from Founder to Leader by Michael Dell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Reading through this I can't help wondering what he's leaving out. 

While I'll buy that he made 18,000 during a summer working for a local paper (I don't doubt he's a genius at business), the whole spiel about how, due to the freedom of information act, he knew he could get this-or-that information, seems odd. People don't tend to just know about the FOI act, especially a high-schooler back in the 80s with no relatives in the legal profession. But maybe I'm just picking nits. 

Another odd point is when his parents are dead against his taking a leave from school to pursue his business, which is apparently already making 30K a *month* (in the 80s!). I don't know many parents who had been so supportive while he was a child who wouldn't at least entertain the fact that this might be a good path to follow. 

Anyway, otherwise it's interesting to read a general history of Dell. He keeps alternating history with his efforts in taking the company private, which was also quite interesting, mainly because of Carl Icahn's efforts to derail everything. 

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Review: Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It might be quickest here to just list the stories I didn't like as much, which were: 'Scissors' and 'Do you Remember Candy?'. All of the others were 4.5 and 5 stars. This is an excellent collection. I bought the book purely on spec in Kyobo (I was on a spree), but I'll be reading more by this author. 

Ok ok, if I had to pick, '#Climbingnation' might be my favorite. 

4.5 stars

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Review: Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry

Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry by Elizabeth McCracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent collection of fun stories. Many of them take place quite some time ago, and there are interesting themes in multiple stories, like doing homework assignments, cutting hair, and Waltham, MA. 

My favorites were probably “Here’s Your Hat, What’s Your Hurry”, "Secretary of State" and "The Bar of our Recent Unhappiness". But none of them were bad. The first story, "It's bad luck to die", was probably my least favorite. And "June" was a little too heavy for me. 

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