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To Kill a Tiger: A Memoir of Korea
Against the backdrop of modern Korea?s violent and tumultuous history, To Kill A Tiger is a searing portrait of a woman and a society in the midst of violent change. Drawing on Korean legend and myth, as well as an Asian woman?s unique perspective on the United States, Lee weaves her compelling personal narrative with a collective and accessible history of modern Korea, from Japanese colonialism to war-era comfort women, from the genocide of the Korean War to the government persecution and silence of Cold War-era pogroms. The ritual of storytelling, which she shares with the women of her family, serves as a window into a five-generation family saga, and it is through storytelling that Lee comes to appreciate the sacrifices of her ancestors and her own now American place in her family and society. In To Kill A Tiger Lee provides a revelatory look at war and modernization in her native country, a story of personal growth, and a tribute to the culture that formed her.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 26, 2010
Spanning five generations, this memoir explores the author’s upbringing and the sociopolitical climate of Korea during the last century through the anecdotes and interpretations of her family. The tales come mainly from her father as told to her mother. (Fathers, we learn, would only discuss such matters with their sons and sometimes their wives, but never with their "unworthy" daughters).
Historical lessons such as these are strewn throughout the text, interspersed with details from Lee’s day-to-day life as a child and teenager and anecdotes told to her by her family members (although most are the author’s own). These are all enhanced by the inclusion of black and white photographs of her family and community placed in nearly every chapter.
Lee presents us with analyses and divergent points of view regarding the Korean War, the Japanese-American-Korean triangle, and what’s gone on in South and North Korea for the last century. Lee also presents us with a brief history of the Korean Feminist movement, which was a joy to read about.
To Kill a Tiger is heavy on Confucian family structure and dynamics. We learn that Lee always came last after her brothers: her Big Brother and Less Big Brother, along with her Father, always got the best foods and the biggest portions, whereas Big Sister, the author, Little Sister, Mother, and Grandmother got the least nourishing foods and the smallest portions—especially Mother and Grandmother. Lee's upbringing is a stifling way of life, so oppressive and palpably rendered by the author that it floated off the page and painted my experience of the memoir, sometimes making me shake with disdain. This is particularly true in the passages told from the viewpoint of the author, a vehemently feminist child who argued and fought for her equality in repeated bursts of frustration and anger, way before she ever knew what feminism was or that anyone might agree with her.
Despite many entertaining sections, the book becomes very tiresome to read after one realizes that the drawn-out conversations between Lee and her family members (her mother in particular) do not appear in just a chapter or two, but consistently throughout. We continually receive a one-sided view of decades of Korean history and politics, often unofficial because the facts have ostensibly been covered up by the government. These portions discuss Korea’s strained relationships with Japan and the United States, the torture of political prisoners and women systematically raped in wars, and other tremendously delicate matters. Not only are these dialogues interminable, but they are also unreliable.
We also read redundant arguments between the author and her misogynist father regarding her worth as a female. I understand that Lee wants to make clear the derisive and poisonous attitude of her male family members towards her and women in general, but it quickly becomes like a broken record.
I had to skip entire pages in order to get through this memoir, which I lament because the premise of this book is promising and intriguing. Alas, it sorely disappoints.
What I applaud is this: It is a story of a tough, feminist kid who goes through hell and emerges victorious against everyone’s expectations. Lee triumphantly gives patriarchy the finger and fulfills her dreams, giving women everywhere—and especially those languishing in a sexist society more oppressive than that of Western culture—hope for everything they wish to accomplish.
Review by Natalia Real
Historical lessons such as these are strewn throughout the text, interspersed with details from Lee’s day-to-day life as a child and teenager and anecdotes told to her by her family members (although most are the author’s own). These are all enhanced by the inclusion of black and white photographs of her family and community placed in nearly every chapter.
Lee presents us with analyses and divergent points of view regarding the Korean War, the Japanese-American-Korean triangle, and what’s gone on in South and North Korea for the last century. Lee also presents us with a brief history of the Korean Feminist movement, which was a joy to read about.
To Kill a Tiger is heavy on Confucian family structure and dynamics. We learn that Lee always came last after her brothers: her Big Brother and Less Big Brother, along with her Father, always got the best foods and the biggest portions, whereas Big Sister, the author, Little Sister, Mother, and Grandmother got the least nourishing foods and the smallest portions—especially Mother and Grandmother. Lee's upbringing is a stifling way of life, so oppressive and palpably rendered by the author that it floated off the page and painted my experience of the memoir, sometimes making me shake with disdain. This is particularly true in the passages told from the viewpoint of the author, a vehemently feminist child who argued and fought for her equality in repeated bursts of frustration and anger, way before she ever knew what feminism was or that anyone might agree with her.
Despite many entertaining sections, the book becomes very tiresome to read after one realizes that the drawn-out conversations between Lee and her family members (her mother in particular) do not appear in just a chapter or two, but consistently throughout. We continually receive a one-sided view of decades of Korean history and politics, often unofficial because the facts have ostensibly been covered up by the government. These portions discuss Korea’s strained relationships with Japan and the United States, the torture of political prisoners and women systematically raped in wars, and other tremendously delicate matters. Not only are these dialogues interminable, but they are also unreliable.
We also read redundant arguments between the author and her misogynist father regarding her worth as a female. I understand that Lee wants to make clear the derisive and poisonous attitude of her male family members towards her and women in general, but it quickly becomes like a broken record.
I had to skip entire pages in order to get through this memoir, which I lament because the premise of this book is promising and intriguing. Alas, it sorely disappoints.
What I applaud is this: It is a story of a tough, feminist kid who goes through hell and emerges victorious against everyone’s expectations. Lee triumphantly gives patriarchy the finger and fulfills her dreams, giving women everywhere—and especially those languishing in a sexist society more oppressive than that of Western culture—hope for everything they wish to accomplish.
Review by Natalia Real
August 13, 2016
Jid Lee's memoir of Korea is a fascinating blend of her family's personal and of South Korea's traditions, histories and politics. The author not only recounts her personal experiences as a child and young woman in South Korea, but also explores in depth South Korea's recent history, the concept of class in this society, the importance of education to the South Korean people and why, despite a marked emphasis on education for both men and women, the feminist movement in Korea has progressed so very slowly.
The impact foreign policy, particularly American foreign policy, has had and continues to have on the lives of South Korean people is especially interesting to me a reader, as are some of the parallels that might be drawn between the South Korean and American civil rights and feminist movements-how each impacted, but did not always help, the other in both countries.
This memoir is fascinating, educational and inspirational. Anyone remotely interested in Korean history, the inner workings of another society, feminism or simply in a wonderful true story of personal triumph will find something worth learning, pondering and/or celebrating in Jid Lee's exceptionally well written To Kill A Tiger.
The impact foreign policy, particularly American foreign policy, has had and continues to have on the lives of South Korean people is especially interesting to me a reader, as are some of the parallels that might be drawn between the South Korean and American civil rights and feminist movements-how each impacted, but did not always help, the other in both countries.
This memoir is fascinating, educational and inspirational. Anyone remotely interested in Korean history, the inner workings of another society, feminism or simply in a wonderful true story of personal triumph will find something worth learning, pondering and/or celebrating in Jid Lee's exceptionally well written To Kill A Tiger.
February 12, 2016
Although it did take me a while to get into this one (at times I found the writing to be a bit dry), this was still an enjoyable read for me.
After reading so many memoirs written by North Koreans, I was thrilled to find one written by someone who grew up in the South. It was wonderful to be given a South Korean's perspective on the War and the dividing of her country and to learn about her childhood and life living south of the DMZ. It's fascinating how very similar the lives of both North and South Koreans were faring during those first couple of decades after the War, yet via completely opposite regimes.
As an American, it was also refreshing to hear a South Korean's honest assessment of our involvement there, rather than the usual media-enhanced, glowingly positive bullsh*t that permeates many books on the Korean War.
With that said, despite its writing style not as engrossing as I would have liked, I highly recommend this book. A very engrossing, honest and revealing narrative from a truly remarkable and honorable woman.
After reading so many memoirs written by North Koreans, I was thrilled to find one written by someone who grew up in the South. It was wonderful to be given a South Korean's perspective on the War and the dividing of her country and to learn about her childhood and life living south of the DMZ. It's fascinating how very similar the lives of both North and South Koreans were faring during those first couple of decades after the War, yet via completely opposite regimes.
As an American, it was also refreshing to hear a South Korean's honest assessment of our involvement there, rather than the usual media-enhanced, glowingly positive bullsh*t that permeates many books on the Korean War.
With that said, despite its writing style not as engrossing as I would have liked, I highly recommend this book. A very engrossing, honest and revealing narrative from a truly remarkable and honorable woman.
November 24, 2019
I've assigned this book as outside reading in an East Asian history class that I teach at the SolBridge International School of Business in Daejeon, South Korea. Ms. Lee's book is a perfect complement to my lectures on modern Korean history, especially the Park Chung-hee era. The book provides "a voice" to the historical backdrop and events which shaped modern South Korea. Moreover, on a personal note, I have lived in South Korea for 30 years and I am fascinated with this period of history. As such this book is quite insightful and illuminating.
Jeffrey Miller,
War Remains, A Tale of War and Remembrance
Jeffrey Miller,
War Remains, A Tale of War and Remembrance
June 20, 2022
I came across a hardcover version of Jid Lee's memoir at the local library last year and I purchased a digital copy for my Kindle several months later. This book resonated with me because I am an Asian American whose parents left Vietnam as refugees a few days before the Fall of Saigon (the very day that I was born). There are a lot of commonalities because of Inter-Asian sociopolitical and socioeconomic nuances that were a proverbial snowball effect because of Japan's annexation of Korea in the late 19th century, World War I, World War II, The Korean War, and The Cold War.
What Jid Lee experienced is similar to what my mom had suffered at the hands of her family.
The trauma suffered by the dark part of cultural customs (especially the misogyny), foreign invasion, warfare, and forced nationalism is passed down from one generation to another, which is one of the attributing factors to the mental health problems that affect Asians in the homeland and Asians in the diaspora.
I felt I could relate to Professor Lee because of what my mother had gone through, especially after living in the United States.
The other reason her memoir resonated with me is that I am a Taekwondo instructor. The martial art style that was born in Korea is a hot-button topic because it is the national sport of the two Koreas and there have been reunification talks between World Taekwondo (WT) and the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) where the latter lost legal recognition from the South Korean government because General Choi Hong-Hi chose to spread the style to North Korea.
The revisionist policies of Rhee Syngman and Park Chung-Hee manipulated Taekwondo's history and true origins.
This is a book that I implore martial artists, especially Taekwondo experts, to read carefully. I do know that this is not a book on Taekwondo, but Professor Lee's memoir gives valuable insight into how Park governed the country during his regime. To understand Taekwondo, one needs to dig deep into the country's history and its relationship with other countries. This memoir is a vivid recollection of what life in South Korea was like when Park instilled himself as the junta's leader until he became elected the third President of South Korea.
If you're a mental health specialist who wishes to help the Asian communities at home and abroad, this is an important book to read because Lee's insight paints the picture of the circumstances that led to the never-ending cross-generational traumas.
These are just a couple of reasons out of a long line of reasons one should read To Kill A Tiger: A Memoir of Korea.
What Jid Lee experienced is similar to what my mom had suffered at the hands of her family.
The trauma suffered by the dark part of cultural customs (especially the misogyny), foreign invasion, warfare, and forced nationalism is passed down from one generation to another, which is one of the attributing factors to the mental health problems that affect Asians in the homeland and Asians in the diaspora.
I felt I could relate to Professor Lee because of what my mother had gone through, especially after living in the United States.
The other reason her memoir resonated with me is that I am a Taekwondo instructor. The martial art style that was born in Korea is a hot-button topic because it is the national sport of the two Koreas and there have been reunification talks between World Taekwondo (WT) and the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) where the latter lost legal recognition from the South Korean government because General Choi Hong-Hi chose to spread the style to North Korea.
The revisionist policies of Rhee Syngman and Park Chung-Hee manipulated Taekwondo's history and true origins.
This is a book that I implore martial artists, especially Taekwondo experts, to read carefully. I do know that this is not a book on Taekwondo, but Professor Lee's memoir gives valuable insight into how Park governed the country during his regime. To understand Taekwondo, one needs to dig deep into the country's history and its relationship with other countries. This memoir is a vivid recollection of what life in South Korea was like when Park instilled himself as the junta's leader until he became elected the third President of South Korea.
If you're a mental health specialist who wishes to help the Asian communities at home and abroad, this is an important book to read because Lee's insight paints the picture of the circumstances that led to the never-ending cross-generational traumas.
These are just a couple of reasons out of a long line of reasons one should read To Kill A Tiger: A Memoir of Korea.
December 14, 2024
In this memoire you can enjoy the vision of the protagonist Jid Lee; she reflects, in part, changes in the life of a Korean woman. Her passions and her determination to be free are the creative forces that produce her success and achievements in life.
The intensity of drama in To Kill a Tiger can be compared with the best operas in the world. Reading this book I learned how sweeping historical forces between North and South Korea shaped and directed everyday life on the Korean Peninsula. The author of To Kill a Tiger depicts vividly the poverty, humiliation and suffering experienced by the ordinary Korean citizen as a result of foreign empires attempts to conquer and control the lands of the Korean people.
This book captures the story of Korea through the memory of a child who grew up in a middle class family with values derived from Confucianism. She learns how her country heroically overcomes pain and loss set upon it by outside invaders. She is determined to be different, to be free and give testimony of what she knows about her country's history. Jid Lee learns to master the English language and records her painful yet triumphant journey in life.
The intensity of drama in To Kill a Tiger can be compared with the best operas in the world. Reading this book I learned how sweeping historical forces between North and South Korea shaped and directed everyday life on the Korean Peninsula. The author of To Kill a Tiger depicts vividly the poverty, humiliation and suffering experienced by the ordinary Korean citizen as a result of foreign empires attempts to conquer and control the lands of the Korean people.
This book captures the story of Korea through the memory of a child who grew up in a middle class family with values derived from Confucianism. She learns how her country heroically overcomes pain and loss set upon it by outside invaders. She is determined to be different, to be free and give testimony of what she knows about her country's history. Jid Lee learns to master the English language and records her painful yet triumphant journey in life.
December 5, 2022
To Kill a Tiger is one of those hidden books you don't want to miss. Lee has the extraordinary skills to combine different genres and connect them seamlessly. She can describe a century-long history of pre-modern and modern Korea in 315 pages because she can distill lengthy information into short, precise personal stories with complex implications. This is why I want to read it time and time again because each time I read it, I find something new. I finished reading it a few days ago, but I think I'll find something new in it if I read it ten years from now. The character complexity is as astonishing as the compact, rich historical facts.
December 12, 2022
Before I read To Kill a Tiger, all I knew about Korea was K-pop, K-movies and dramas, and Samsung smart phones. But now, I have some in-depth knowledge about the country.
But it’s not just about Korea. Reading the book exposed me into the truth that any orthodox history has to be questioned because there’s always another, untold side. People like her father, who fought bravely to create another history for their country, must be acknowledged loudly because without understanding them, we’d only know the history, the false history that a small fraction of people created and perpetuated.
To Kill a Tiger is an invaluable read for anyone who wants to understand what history is.
But it’s not just about Korea. Reading the book exposed me into the truth that any orthodox history has to be questioned because there’s always another, untold side. People like her father, who fought bravely to create another history for their country, must be acknowledged loudly because without understanding them, we’d only know the history, the false history that a small fraction of people created and perpetuated.
To Kill a Tiger is an invaluable read for anyone who wants to understand what history is.
January 24, 2020
To me as a researcher, To Kill a Tiger is a relevant document of the history of Korea, with the aftermath of the Korean War and also the history of a family. This weaves into an insightful analysis of how memoir historicizes the personal and personalizes history.
Lee takes on the role of a historiographer highlighting women's issues like education, marriage, domestic life and tragedies like the Sinchon massacre and the lives of "comfort women".
To Kill a Tiger recollects, recreates, and unravels layers of memory and history with a voice that is strong and clear.
Lee takes on the role of a historiographer highlighting women's issues like education, marriage, domestic life and tragedies like the Sinchon massacre and the lives of "comfort women".
To Kill a Tiger recollects, recreates, and unravels layers of memory and history with a voice that is strong and clear.
November 21, 2017
If you have an interest in Korean history and culture in the 1950 and forward. This is a portrait of a young girl in a typical Korean household where women were not held in any esteem. Her journey to change that culture. Very well written and amazing.
February 10, 2022
Interesting perspective of changing times and experiences of one who grew up in South Korea.
February 22, 2022
Multi-level read with multiple genres
September 4, 2010
In this book, the author describes the extreme hardships (“tigers”) she endured growing up, due to the culture of her generation in South Korea.
After WWII, North Korean dictator Syngman Rhee and South Korean dictator Kim Il Sung both conducted witchhunts to root out political dissidents, torturing and killing them. Kim was aided by the U.S. in his oppressive endeavors. The author’s father engaged in anti-government, pro-socialist activities as a college student, and as a consequence, was: expelled from a prestigious university, tortured, imprisoned and forced to accept a lowly position teaching instead of “selling out” to become a high government official. Yes, this happened in South Korea.
The education system was based on rote learning. The author, born in 1955, unfortunately had trouble with memorization, and therefore did poorly in school. Her two older brothers tutored her extensively to help her pass the admissions test that allowed her to attend a decent high school. However, she failed her college admissions test– two eight-hour exam days– twice, and had to settle for a second-tier college a year later than her peers. Since she was female, she was expected to help her mother with all the household chores in addition to attending school and studying, which meant she labored sixteen hours a day starting in middle school. In her male-dominated world, during her teenage years, stress and anger were relieved through abuse heaped upon her by her father, older brothers, grandmother and mother. She in turn rebelliously fought back against her mother and was mean to her younger sister. There was extreme pressure for both genders to attend prestigious schools but the educational elitism for females merely served the purpose of “marrying well.” After college graduation, the daughters were supposed to enter into marriages arranged by their fathers, and be good wives and mothers. Read the book to learn what has become of the author.
After WWII, North Korean dictator Syngman Rhee and South Korean dictator Kim Il Sung both conducted witchhunts to root out political dissidents, torturing and killing them. Kim was aided by the U.S. in his oppressive endeavors. The author’s father engaged in anti-government, pro-socialist activities as a college student, and as a consequence, was: expelled from a prestigious university, tortured, imprisoned and forced to accept a lowly position teaching instead of “selling out” to become a high government official. Yes, this happened in South Korea.
The education system was based on rote learning. The author, born in 1955, unfortunately had trouble with memorization, and therefore did poorly in school. Her two older brothers tutored her extensively to help her pass the admissions test that allowed her to attend a decent high school. However, she failed her college admissions test– two eight-hour exam days– twice, and had to settle for a second-tier college a year later than her peers. Since she was female, she was expected to help her mother with all the household chores in addition to attending school and studying, which meant she labored sixteen hours a day starting in middle school. In her male-dominated world, during her teenage years, stress and anger were relieved through abuse heaped upon her by her father, older brothers, grandmother and mother. She in turn rebelliously fought back against her mother and was mean to her younger sister. There was extreme pressure for both genders to attend prestigious schools but the educational elitism for females merely served the purpose of “marrying well.” After college graduation, the daughters were supposed to enter into marriages arranged by their fathers, and be good wives and mothers. Read the book to learn what has become of the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2015
This is exactly the book I wanted to read. A mix of personal memoir intimately linked with Korean history, politics, and culture. The author writes passionately, and takes a strong stand on her opinions. I've read a lot of non-fiction about the Korean War and about North Korea. But I knew I needed to read more from Korean authors- not American/Western writers. This was a wonderful place to start. The author opened my eyes a bit more to alternative stories, and untold stories about the war and the divide- as well as to the inner workings of a patriarchal Confucian society in transition. Additionally, reading the personal story of such a strong woman who was a feminist and fighter at heart even as a child, was inspiring.
I read this book immediately after finishing (and hating) Catherine Chung's "Forgotten Country", a fictionalized memoir about the Korean-American immigrant experience around the 1980's. It shared many themes with Jid Lee's. (They both are the story of the daughter of a progressive man who was persecuted by his government, and forced into reduced circumstances.) In "Forgotten Country", I read with total horror and confusion about the apparent "normality" of female infanticide, child abuse, emotionally distant parents and evil terrifying grandmothers. In "To Kill A Tiger", I also read about very similar abuses, cruelties and evil grannies. But here, the author attempts to explore and explain why her family and society function the way they do. She looks to the Confucian tradition, the cycle of misogyny, Korean history, Japanese imperialism, American strong-arming, the psychological effects of persecution, and many other sources to illuminate the web of restrictions and motivations individuals in her family lived with. It was truly eye opening.
I read this book immediately after finishing (and hating) Catherine Chung's "Forgotten Country", a fictionalized memoir about the Korean-American immigrant experience around the 1980's. It shared many themes with Jid Lee's. (They both are the story of the daughter of a progressive man who was persecuted by his government, and forced into reduced circumstances.) In "Forgotten Country", I read with total horror and confusion about the apparent "normality" of female infanticide, child abuse, emotionally distant parents and evil terrifying grandmothers. In "To Kill A Tiger", I also read about very similar abuses, cruelties and evil grannies. But here, the author attempts to explore and explain why her family and society function the way they do. She looks to the Confucian tradition, the cycle of misogyny, Korean history, Japanese imperialism, American strong-arming, the psychological effects of persecution, and many other sources to illuminate the web of restrictions and motivations individuals in her family lived with. It was truly eye opening.
October 6, 2017
I have always been interested in novels, memoirs, historical fictions about the development of the East, with a particular interest in China, Japan and Vietnam. I must admit that I know very little about Korea and found To Kill a Tiger to be a great intro to a war I know so little about.
Jid Lee provides a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that although heavily researched, some of the parts of this memoir was based on her memory. Despite this, I am satisfied with the fact that this is an accurate account of what some Koreans feel about this period in time.
Lee's memoir brought out the inequalities of the sexes in Korea before the turn of the millenium. The theme was a combination of the treatment she received at home and the Korean war going on outside her home. Some part of it was grotesque, the stories of the comfort women in Japan was especially disturbing.
My only complaints about the book (and the reason it didn't receive the full 5 stars) is there are too many conspicuous attempts at referencing the "tiger's stomach". On one page, near the end of the book, I counted 4 + references and it almost felt redundant. Also, (and I apologize to everyone who lived through the war before I say this), there was a strong case demanding an apology to various groups of people for what happened during the war. Although an absolutely fair request, I found it to be distasteful to use this as a channel... It does illustrate that war makes victims out of everyone and that I can agree to.
Jid Lee provides a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that although heavily researched, some of the parts of this memoir was based on her memory. Despite this, I am satisfied with the fact that this is an accurate account of what some Koreans feel about this period in time.
Lee's memoir brought out the inequalities of the sexes in Korea before the turn of the millenium. The theme was a combination of the treatment she received at home and the Korean war going on outside her home. Some part of it was grotesque, the stories of the comfort women in Japan was especially disturbing.
My only complaints about the book (and the reason it didn't receive the full 5 stars) is there are too many conspicuous attempts at referencing the "tiger's stomach". On one page, near the end of the book, I counted 4 + references and it almost felt redundant. Also, (and I apologize to everyone who lived through the war before I say this), there was a strong case demanding an apology to various groups of people for what happened during the war. Although an absolutely fair request, I found it to be distasteful to use this as a channel... It does illustrate that war makes victims out of everyone and that I can agree to.
May 17, 2012
In this memoire you can enjoy the vision of the protagonist Jid Lee; she reflects, in part, changes in the life of a Korean woman. Her passions and her determination to be free are the creative forces that produce her success and achievements in life.
The intensity of drama in To Kill a Tiger can be compared with the best operas in the world. Reading this book I learned how sweeping historical forces between North and South Korea shaped and directed everyday life on the Korean Peninsula. The author of To Kill a Tiger depicts vividly the poverty, humiliation and suffering experienced by the ordinary Korean citizen as a result of foreign empires attempts to conquer and control the lands of the Korean people.
This book captures the story of Korea through the memory of a child who grew up in a middle class family with values derived from Confucianism. She learns how her country heroically overcomes pain and loss set upon it by outside invaders. She is determined to be different, to be free and give testimony of what she knows about her country's history. Jid Lee learns to master the English language and records her painful yet triumphant journey in life.
The intensity of drama in To Kill a Tiger can be compared with the best operas in the world. Reading this book I learned how sweeping historical forces between North and South Korea shaped and directed everyday life on the Korean Peninsula. The author of To Kill a Tiger depicts vividly the poverty, humiliation and suffering experienced by the ordinary Korean citizen as a result of foreign empires attempts to conquer and control the lands of the Korean people.
This book captures the story of Korea through the memory of a child who grew up in a middle class family with values derived from Confucianism. She learns how her country heroically overcomes pain and loss set upon it by outside invaders. She is determined to be different, to be free and give testimony of what she knows about her country's history. Jid Lee learns to master the English language and records her painful yet triumphant journey in life.
November 21, 2013
This memoir by Jid Lee starts with her birth in South Korea in 1955.she writes of the turmoil that followed the separation of Korea into a North and South and the occupation of the country by the Japanese. She describes the hardships imposed on families and living under a dictatorship that covered the country of South Korea with a regime of fear and murder that obliterated many lives senselessly and uncountable.She also writes of womens lives in a society ruled by men who believed women were there to wait on men,including the comfort camps that many women were forced to endure with the majority dying and those that lived were shunned when they returned,She also relates the My Lai massacre at No Gun Re and the American involvement and the detrimental effects suffered by S. Koreans because of that interference
June 7, 2010
After being immersed in Chang-Rae Lee's novels, mostly concerning Korean fathers and sons, it was very interesting this combination memoir and recent history of Korea. The writer, a daughter in the middle of the family of Big Brother, Less Big Brother, Big Sister and Little Sister, she vividly describes the traditional Korean emphasis and special treatment of the boys in the family. She replays scenes from her childhood that sizzle with her indignation and resentment, as well as her longing for escape to America. She achieves her dream, but goes back in time to personally understand and forgive all in her family. Very interesting about Korean culture and the history of 20th century Korean history, as understood by a Korean.
August 31, 2013
Among many things, I like the folklore in this book. The genies who give gold to good storytellers and give shit to bad storytellers are fascinating. They are a unique version for the Koreans' belief in the power of language, but universal to all the cultures. They remind me of Arabian Nights.
Her grandmother who tells the author about these genies needs a place in history. She is one of those unsung heroes whose sacrifices made it possible for the author to succeed and eventually create a place of her own in another country. If you read the book between the lines, the author does acknowledge the complexity of her character although to be honest, she has to be mostly faithful to her experience with her.
Her grandmother who tells the author about these genies needs a place in history. She is one of those unsung heroes whose sacrifices made it possible for the author to succeed and eventually create a place of her own in another country. If you read the book between the lines, the author does acknowledge the complexity of her character although to be honest, she has to be mostly faithful to her experience with her.
May 15, 2024
Korean history isn’t pretty. This gritty memoir seems to be as much therapy as memoir for the author. I’m still thinking about it so that’s probably a good thing.
May 3, 2021
Korean culture was somewhat of a mystery to me, as I've not had much exposure to it. As an American, I was shocked to learn Ms. Lee's perspective on what it felt like to grow up as a "second class citizen" in her country that favored everything male. Her book goes behind the scenes to reveal the challenges and courage that it took for a young girl to survive and succeed in a male dominated society.
August 10, 2015
I found Jid Lee's life story fascinating. While the family dynamic broke my heart I was encouraged to see the ways the family was forward thinking and supported each other. Being quite ignorant to the history of South Korea I found Lee's account to be quite eye opening. The history told from her perspective is riveting. My one criticism would be the dialogue between Lee and her mother often felt forced.
November 10, 2015
This book opened my eyes toward a different world. Until I read her book, I used to think my life is was hard, but this book told me that there are other people who struggle more than I do. Anyone interested in Korea should read this book. One will get a very descriptive, comprehensive view about Korean History and culture. She can pack in so much in just 320 pages. I hope someone makes this book into a movie.
July 7, 2010
I learned so much about the history of Korea and Korean family culture. Though this book must be taken with a grain of salt, it is invaluable when trying to understand the inner workings of Korean culture, thinking, and motivation.
July 20, 2010
I read this mostly while administering CASAS tests this spring. It was an informative memoir and interesting introspective work. Not the most compelling story I ever read, but a pleasant read overall.
August 4, 2012
This is a wonderfully crafted book which leads the reader into a deep and heartfelt understanding of aspects of Korean culture by combining several generational and gender narratives as well as historical interpretations into a complex , yet enthralling story.
May 27, 2013
It was an interesting read but choppy at times. It provides a different perspective of the Korean War and post war Korea and acknowledges the biases that both sides have developed. Not a bad addition to my Korean literature library.
October 29, 2012
I want to read it again because it says so many complex things under a simple surface.
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February 16, 2014It is invaluable as a memoir, not just as a book about Korea.
September 20, 2014
The eye-opening content makes up for the dry style; this book's a fabulous example of how narratives teach what other nonfiction can't.
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