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Reflections from Prison
THE ALL-TIME KOREAN CLASSIC
“The thinker I admire the most” - Moon Jae-In, President of Korea
Reflections from Prison: 20 Years and 20 Days as a Political Prisoner is a collection of letters and essays from renowned Korean thinker Shin Young-Bok written during his 20 years and 20 days as a political prisoner under the military government.
The letters range from post cards to tiny characters squeezed onto his Army Prison daily ration of two sheets of toilet paper. They provide a window not only onto his personal suffering during imprisonment on a life tariff, but also more importantly, how he pulled crystal-clear wisdom from deep reflections on Korean society, history, and human relationships.
Reminding us of Nelson Mandela, he is a symbol of long-suffering, and at the same time, of great triumph through strict self-restraint and self-discipline. He emerged as a great teacher of numerous Korean intellectuals. Since its publication in 1987, a year before his release, Reflections from Prison has been a steady-seller for over 30 years in Korea.
Now well-settled as a Korean classic, it still enjoys its status as a book of healing and insight, teaching and changing people through its inspiration and wisdom. With this translation, our objective is to share with readers abroad the precious experience of illumination and awakening that Korean readers have enjoyed.
“The thinker I admire the most” - Moon Jae-In, President of Korea
Reflections from Prison: 20 Years and 20 Days as a Political Prisoner is a collection of letters and essays from renowned Korean thinker Shin Young-Bok written during his 20 years and 20 days as a political prisoner under the military government.
The letters range from post cards to tiny characters squeezed onto his Army Prison daily ration of two sheets of toilet paper. They provide a window not only onto his personal suffering during imprisonment on a life tariff, but also more importantly, how he pulled crystal-clear wisdom from deep reflections on Korean society, history, and human relationships.
Reminding us of Nelson Mandela, he is a symbol of long-suffering, and at the same time, of great triumph through strict self-restraint and self-discipline. He emerged as a great teacher of numerous Korean intellectuals. Since its publication in 1987, a year before his release, Reflections from Prison has been a steady-seller for over 30 years in Korea.
Now well-settled as a Korean classic, it still enjoys its status as a book of healing and insight, teaching and changing people through its inspiration and wisdom. With this translation, our objective is to share with readers abroad the precious experience of illumination and awakening that Korean readers have enjoyed.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1988
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March 15, 2024
I think I may be in love with this man.
I felt oddly drawn to this book in the bookstore, but worried it might be boring. However, each of these letters is filled with some combination of poetry, heartbreak, humor, love, wit, humility, pain, compassion, or gratitude. Shin Young Bok is wise beyond his years and the era in these letters, encouraging his sister-in-law to get a job and read books about women’s liberation. He never feels sorry for himself, and in fact early in his sentence asks his parents to stop sending letters about how sad they are for him and to instead send letters that are more “interesting and conversational.” Despite the prime of his life being taken from him by a corrupt government, he uses that time to devour history books and learn from his fellow prisoners. I gained so much insight from this book, and expect to return to it throughout my life.
I felt oddly drawn to this book in the bookstore, but worried it might be boring. However, each of these letters is filled with some combination of poetry, heartbreak, humor, love, wit, humility, pain, compassion, or gratitude. Shin Young Bok is wise beyond his years and the era in these letters, encouraging his sister-in-law to get a job and read books about women’s liberation. He never feels sorry for himself, and in fact early in his sentence asks his parents to stop sending letters about how sad they are for him and to instead send letters that are more “interesting and conversational.” Despite the prime of his life being taken from him by a corrupt government, he uses that time to devour history books and learn from his fellow prisoners. I gained so much insight from this book, and expect to return to it throughout my life.
Displaying 1 of 1 review