Books to Drool Over, September edition

Books to Drool Over is a semi-monthly feature in which I discuss cookbooks that have crossed my path over the past month or so. This month I'm excited about two cookbooks.

I found The Whole Foods Market Cookbook at the Multnomah County Library's used bookstore, The Title Wave. A bargain at $3, it left room in the $25 gift certificate I won from Reading Local: Portland for a library t-shirt, a book bag, and a Portland Thomas Guide. (Thanks, Gabe!)

This cookbook, subtitled A Guide to Natural Foods with 350 Recipes, was put out in 2002 by Whole Foods, a natural grocery store chain with aspirations of taking over the world. Seeing as Whole Foods has fabulous deli dishes, I thought the book was worth a try.

Will I Use It? Here's a good indication: I've already fixed Baked Felafel Balls, the first recipe in the book. These Middle Eastern yummies are usually deep fried, or I've bought the dry mix and pan fried them, but I've never made them from scratch before. This was super easy to whip up in the food processor, starting with a can of garbanzo beans and some soaked bulgur. The end result was tastier and a nicer texture than any of the versions I've had. Definitely a keeper.

There are so many recipes in here that I want to try, including Orange-Glazed Sweet Potato Oven Fries, Wheatberry Waldorf Salad, and Sonoma Chicken Salad. And the Maple Butterscotch Macadamia Blondies.

From the library this week, I brought home Rustic Fruit Desserts, by Portland chef Cory Schreiber and baker Julie Richardson. It's chock-full of fruit crisps and bread puddings and cobblers and the like, organized by season, with beautiful tempting pictures. And if you've ever wondered about the difference between a grunt, a slump, and a pandowdy, this is your source.

Will I use it? The fall rains have arrived so I'm guessing I'll test out at least one of these before it has to go back to the library. Maybe the Apple Cranberry Oat Crumble or the Maple Apple Dumpling?

C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call: Blogs

This week rather than diversity in books, I'd like to focus on diversity in book bloggers.

For me, part of the joy of blogging—and of the Roll Call in particular—is learning from such a wide variety of people. It's been a great chance for me to open myself up to new ideas and perspectives. (Okay, it's backfired on me a couple of times, and I've stuck my foot in my mouth, but those are stories for another day.) At the same time, I notice that the vast majority of book bloggers seem to fall into the same demographic.

So this happens to be my week to write the question for both Weekly Geeks and the C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call. So, I thought to myself: "What a great opportunity! Just this once, I'll meld the two memes into one big Diversity-Geek-Roll-Call thingy, offering the chance for Geeks and C.O.R.A.s to play together." (If you normally do both, you can either consider yourself off the hook for one, or do one option for each, or whatever suits you best.)

Pick one of these:

1)Write a post highlighting one or more bloggers who are extremely different from you in some way. For example, think about blogger(s) who:
a. Identify with another race and/or ethnicity, religion, cultural background, age, etc. from you
b. Live the farthest from you
c. Have entirely different tastes in books from you (but you love their blog anyway)

If you can't think of any, go exploring and find some! Or . . .

2) Write a "Personals Ad" post to find bloggers who are outside your norm. Mine might read:

MWF (married white female) homeschool mom from a Pacific Northwest U.S. city seeks bloggers who enjoy literary (but not too literary) fiction, long walks on the beach, music, and will make me laugh.

Then other participants can recommend bloggers (including themselves, of course) who come from a different demographic and have similar interests.

3)Another option: If you consider yourself to be in the minority in some way in the blogosphere, write about that experience and/or highlight favorite bloggers who fit into that same subgroup. Interpretation of this is up to you—-be creative! If we look hard enough, we're probably all different-from-the-norm in one way or another.

When your post is done, add it to the Mr. Linky here, AND head over to Weekly Geeks and put your link there, too. (Weekly Geeks runs Saturday through Friday and has the same open door policy that the Diversity Roll Call does—new people show up every week and are welcome to join in once, or as often as they wish).

Be sure to visit the other posts to discover new bloggers, recommend some old favorites, and maybe broaden some horizons a bit in the process.

Hate List--Jennifer Brown (book review)

Hate List is a young adult book about the aftermath of a school shooting, told from the point of view of Valerie, whose boyfriend, Nick, was the shooter. The story begins months after the shooting, when Valerie feels recovered enough physically (she was shot in the leg trying to stop Nick from killing a girl she despised) and emotionally to return to school to complete her senior year.

The chronology of the book is mixed up a bit, so readers see parts of the shooting and Valerie and Nick's relationship beforehand, though most of the story focuses on Valerie's recovery and her classmates' and family's reaction to the tragedy. The result beckons readers to understand how someone could naively participate in the events leading to tragedy, without realizing the outcome that seems so obvious after the fact. It's a powerful read that has much to say about the potential we have to impact other people's lives in both positive and negative ways.

The soundtrack: Here's a full playlist, courtesy of author Jennifer Brown. Brown says that Nickelback's If Everyone Cared was the inspiration for the book.

Want to win this book and other goodies? There's a contest for you on Jennifer Brown's blog. Add to her "Love List" (a list of things and people she loves) to help balance out the "Hate List" that Valerie and Nick shared for three years before the shooting, and you could win a bag full of goodies (including a copy of Hate List) or a $20 Barnes & Noble gift certificate.

Just for fun, and in no particular order, here's my love list:
1. the people who brought grapes, apples, and rhubard from their garden on Sunday
2. my homeschooling friends because they have great kids and are fun to hang out with
3. those three guys I live with (they should be first)
4. the big old gray tabby cat I saw yesterday at the animal shelter. I want him.
5. my neighbors when they have their friends over to play bluegrass music together on the porch
6. the dog my son read to me about, who saved kittens from a fire
7. Ben and Jerry, for making Coconut 7-layer bar ice cream
8. my library, for offering $5 gift certificates to Ben and Jerry's for summer reading.
9. Traveling to Teens, for organizing the blog tour for this book and for not yelling at me for posting this two days late.
10. All the people who've let me know they're still reading my blog by leaving comments. Thank you! Who's on your Love List? (Note that to enter the contest, you must post your list on Jennifer's blog)

Catching My Breath

On Weekly Geeks, Unfinished Person asked what keeps us blogging, and whether we get burnt out by events like Book Blogger Appreciation Week.

Having returned from vacation Sunday night, with my blog reader overflowing and my family ready to settle into our fall routine, I was probably not in the best mindset to appreciate book blogging. To be bluntly honest, after spending nearly three weeks mostly away from blogging, as we launched into BBAW I found myself questioning whether the benefits of frequent blogging outweighed the cost.

The benefits:
Participating in a vibrant online community of bloggers
Participating in a real-life community of readers and writers
Keeping track of my reading
Feeling proud when something I write makes has an impact on others
Helping authors get the word out about their books
Being more "in the know" about new books and authors
Discovering wonderful books I wouldn't have known about
Being a better advocate for reading (quicker to recommend books to friends, etc.)
And let's not forget: fun

The costs:
Time with my family
Time and energy to write non-book-blog stuff (fiction and my other blog)
Time and energy for other creativity

Okay, I came up with far more benefits than costs, so I guess that answers the question of why I keep blogging. But, could I get those same benefits with fewer costs? What would happen if I didn't review every book I read? Or, wrote fewer full reviews and more mini-reviews? What if I dropped the Twitter time-suck? What if I stopped accepting review copies and participating in book tours altogether? Would my readership go down? Do I care if my readership goes down? Why?

Those are the questions I've been wrestling with this week while avoiding writing reviews and the posts I've promised other people, avoiding even catching up on blog-reading. But I don't feel burnt out, I just feel like I'm living my life and it's not focused on the blogiverse at the moment.

Do you go through phases with your blogging or other hobbies? Ever given up a hobby entirely because the benefits didn't outweigh the costs?

Reading Habits

Conveniently timed to help me get back into the swing of things after my vacation, here's a little Q & A for Book Blogger Appreciation Week.

Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy. The harder the better, baby. Only the rare audio book keeps my attention.
Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I read until I'm interrupted or falling asleep.
What are you currently reading?
It's a really good book week!
Nonfiction: Nurtureshock. Loving it.
Fiction: I just finished Jennifer Brown's Hate List, haven't started my next book yet. Listening to Eoin Colfer's Benny and Omar on CD in the car, though, and loving it. I haven't laughed aloud so much at a book in a long time.
With my kids: James Dashner's The Maze Runner. Also loving it.
Short Stories: Louise Erdrich's Red Convertible. Sort of. I keep meaning to start it, and now it's due at the library in a few days and won't renew, so I'm really going to start it soon. I think.
Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?
Take a guess!
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
Stand alone.
Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Let's just say, Ron Carlson should be paying me as a PR person.
How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
No.
There's the Read Really Soon pile. The Read Someday pile. The Wishful Thinking pile. And the bathroom.

It's Meet-a-blogger Day!

As part of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I've had the pleasure of interviewing Katie, a twenty-five year old YA librarian from the Chicago area, who blogs at Read What You Know. Katie has only been blogging since June, so obviously this is her first BBAW--she hopes that participating in BBAW will help her cement her book blogging and make new blogging friends. Katie says, "When I'm not blogging, reading, or being a librarian, I can be found in any of the local Chicago theatres, watching Broadway musicals. I just love them." Read on to get to know more about Katie. And, if all goes well, there will be an interview with me on Katie's blog at some point today. Seeing as I spaced on sending her the answers to her questions until, er (:::Ali checks her watch:::) 14 minutes ago, we'll allow her some slack, shall we?

Edited: Katie got my interview posted in an astounding 23 minutes! You rock, Katie!

What's the highlight of your job as a YA librarian?

That's an easy one -- sharing books with teens. My day is made when I have a teen come into the library just to chat about a book they've been reading. Or if they come into the library to talk about school and then ask me what's new in the section.

Do you have an opinion about adults who blog about teen books, just because we like them?

I think that teen books need adults just as much as they need teens. Adults are the ones who control a lot of the book industry. Adults choose the books to be published, choose the books sent to libraries and bookstores, and choose to read these books of course! Anyone who loves books should be happy that people are reading books, no matter how old the reader or the intended book audience.

Have there been any books you've thought teens would love, that they surprised you by not generally liking them as much as you thought?

The "Blue Bloods" series didn't go over like I thought it would. When I heard about the books, I thought they were genius -- marrying the "Gossip Girl" and "Twilight" population in one series. But I think the book wound up being too melded. Not enough gossip and drama, not enough blood-sucking fiends and love triangles. But it has found it's own audience, it just wasn't who I expected to check it out.

How about books teens love that you just don't see the appeal of?

I see the appeal of horror and zombies, but I have a hard time getting into them personally. I've had "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" checked out for nearly two weeks at this point (our checkout time is three) and I keep putting it off. I'm scared of the possible gore!

Are there blogs or other sources you routinely turn to for reviews of YA books when deciding what to read/order?

Absolutely. I read a *bunch* of YA review blogs, both professional and non-professional. I try to read across a wide variety of ages too. So, yes, I read teen blogs and adult blogs. I love using the amazing resources that YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) puts out every year, including the BBYA (Best Books for Young Adults) committee's work and other booklists. I also read VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) -- a special review journal/magazine that only reviews young adult books. I also let my teens do a fair amount of selection. They know that they can always request a book and I'll do my best to get it in the collection.

I'm curious about the population of teens you serve--is it pretty diverse? What sorts of things do you do to meet the needs of teens of varied backgrounds?

I serve an incredibly diverse population. At the 2000 census, my community was 54% Hispanic/Latino. We are predicting that the number is actually closer to 75% for the 2010 census. The rest of the community is split about half and half between African-Americans and Caucasians.

I have the benefit of being raised in this community my whole life, so it's easy for me to relate to my teens because they know I went to their high school and they see me around the neighborhood, eating out at the local pizza place and shopping. (Like Target. Every time I go, I run into someone from the library!)

One of the things that I really try my hardest to do is to listen to what teens want. Some of my teens really take to reading Hispanic authors like Isabel Allende, Sandra Cisneros, and René Saldaña. Some of my teens don't want to read Hispanic authors. What I try to do is to present options to them. So, I stock a little bit of everything and make sure to let them know that whatever their reading choice is, it's fine by me.

Do you ever take the time to read books that aren't YA?

Yes! Occasionally, heh. I actually made a New Year's Resolution to try and read a bit more out of YA. It hasn't gone so well... Right now, I'm reading "Columbine" by Dave Cullen. I have "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell (43 holds), "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown (somewhere around 558 holds), and "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger (71 holds) all on hold at the library. Mostly popular reads.

How about a favorite book (or top 2-3) of the year?

Yikes. I think this is the hardest question yet. I loved "Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta (this year's Printz Award winner) and refused to read another book for about a week after I finished it. "Hate List" by Jennifer Brown ripped my heart out, stomped on it, and mended it all under 420 pages. And of course, I read both "The Hunger Games" and "Catching Fire" and spoiler-free, cannot wait until the third book comes out. "Fire" by Kristin Cashore was also beautiful. I can't wait until it's out in the world. It's been a great year for YA.

It's been great getting to know you, Katie, and I hope BBAW turns out to be all you had hoped it would be!

House and Home--Kathleen McCleary (book review)

House and Home is the story of a woman obsessed with her home and the meaning it holds for herself and her family. Ellen's husband has lost their life's savings in an inventor's investment gone wrong and her marriage is over. She can live with that, but not with the fact that she and her two young daughters will have to move across town to a perfectly nice home that doesn't hold the same appeal. Not only that, but one of the new owners irritates her, and for this reason she decides to burn the house down.

In order to enjoy this book, you have to get over the fact that the main character is throwing a mid-life tantrum because she doesn't get to live in her perfect house.

Underneath that, though, is an apt commentary on the emphasis that American culture puts on the perfect home creating the backdrop for the way we want to see ourselves and to be seen. We know that the joy of life is made up of far more important things than hardwood floors and big windows, and yet how much do we covet lazy Sunday mornings with Fiestaware cups of coffee and patches of sun on a beautiful hardwood floor? Ellen's story puts it all into perspective in a big way.

The Soundtrack: An old favorite of mine, Our House by Crosby Stills Nash and Young, which probably better reflects my own attitude towards home than Ellen's.

Our house is a very very very fine house
With two cats in the yard
Life used to be so hard
Now everything is easy 'cause of you.

This review is part of a promotional book tour, which I am participating in as a volunteer. The opinions are my own, and have not been endorsed or approved by TLC Book Tours, the author, or the publisher. Other stops on the tour can be found at the TLC Book Tours site.

Books to look forward to (Guest post: Kailana of The Written World)

While I'm away, Kailana of The Written World offered this guest post. Her thoughts about fall releases are perfectly timed for me, because I'm just starting to feel a hint of autumn here in Oregon as I prepare for my family's annual fall trip to the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound off of Washington state. I'll be back in time for Book Blogger Appreciation Week on the week of September 14th.

For me, fall is the best time of the year. It's almost always when the books I have been looking forward to all year are going to be released. I also enjoy hearing what other people are waiting for, so I thought I would do my post on that very topic. There are several books I am looking forward to, but here is just a list of a few of them:

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Nieffenegger - Released October 6, 2009
By the author of The Time-Traveler's Wife, this is probably the book I am most looking forward to this fall. It's been 5 years, so it is exciting that she finally has a new book out. Plus, it is already getting good reviews!

From Amazon.ca:

Another brilliant, original and moving novel from the author of The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers — normal, at least, for identical “mirror” twins who have no interest in college or jobs or possibly anything outside their cozy suburban home. But everything changes when they receive notice that an aunt whom they didn’t know existed has died and left them her amazing flat in a building by Highgate Cemetery in London. They feel that at last their own lives can begin … but they have no idea that they’ve been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, from the OCD-suffering crossword setter who lives above them to their aunt’s mysterious and elusive lover who lives below them, and even to their aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the mother of the girls — her own twin — and who can’t even seem to quite leave her flat….

The Maze Runner by James Dashner - Released October 6, 2009
I saw this book being discussed on Twitter and knew I was going to have to give it a read when it comes out. I have only seen positive reviews, but I don't know if I will buy it myself or see if the library will get a copy.

From Amazon.ca:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Peter & Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham & Steve Leialoha - Released October 13, 2009
I am a huge fan of the Fables series by Bill Willingham, so when I heard they were making a novel version I put it on my wish list immediately. I am a little worried because this is new territory for them, but I am confident they can pull it off.

From Amazon.ca:

A new stand-alone FABLES NOVEL from award-winning and wildly acclaimed author, Bill Willingham.

This story stars Peter Piper and his incorrigible brother Max in a tale about jealousy, betrayal and revenge. Set in two distinct time periods, prepare to travel back to medieval times and learn the tragic back-story of the Piper family, a medieval-era family of traveling minstrels. Then, jump into the present to follow a tale of espionage as Peter Piper slowly hunts down his evil brother for a heinous crime, pitting Peter's talents as a master thief against Max's dark magical powers.

Based on the long-running and award-winning comic book series FABLES, PETER AND MAX is its own tale. Readers don't have to be familiar with the comics to fully enjoy and understand this book.

Fire by Kristin Cashore - Released October 6, 2009
I was going to leave this one off because it's part of a series. The list just looked barren without this one, though, so I am adding it on. Besides, you have a month to read the first book, so I recommend doing so if you haven't already! It is called Graceling.

From Barnes & Noble.com:

She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don't need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven't, you'll be dying to read it next.

Going Bovine by Libba Bray - Released September 22, 2009
I loved her first trilogy, so I was thrilled to see she had a new book out! She has a tough debut to follow, so fingers crossed this book is worth the wait!

From Amazon.ca:

Can Cameron find what he’s looking for?

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

That's just some of the books I am looking forward to this season! What about you, what are some books that you are looking forward to? I can always use more books on my wish list, right?

When Setting is Character (Guest Post: Mattox Roesch)

Mattox Roesch wrote this piece for me when I asked him to write about the cultural milieu of his book, Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same, which takes place in a tiny town in Alaska. Talk about a town being a character--I felt completely enveloped by Unalakleet and its unique citizens as I read the book. Roesch's essay about his adopted hometown filled me with nostalgia for a tiny place I've never been to, except through his fiction.

Our town is getting paved roads. “Finally,” some people say. Kids carrying skateboards to the only skateable square of concrete have told me, “Man, I can’t wait!” And when they make plans with me to skate some busted piece of something, I tell them, (in my best attempt at not sounding like a man-child), “Dude, I’m there.” But I’ve heard a handful of less enthusiastic reactions to the paved roads rumor. Some Why?’s. Some Big Deal’s. And a whole bunch of I’ll believe it when I see it’s. And I can understand the cynicism as well.

For hundreds of years, since before the first Russian-American trading post opened up in Unalakleet in the 1830’s, since before a tuberculosis outbreak wiped out many of the townsfolk, since before the village was on the south side of the river, people have existed here without pavement. It was one of the first things I noticed as a newcomer six years ago—gravel roads. And recently, while flipping through the pages of my Unalakleet-based novel, looking for passages to read at my upcoming event at Annie Bloom’s Books, I noticed, There’s a lot of gravel in this book. And there is. There is a lot in town, too. On dry days, every pickup or four-wheeler sends a cloud of gravel through every screen window and every bike-riding adolescent’s lungs.

This whole thing is interesting to me because I grew up accepting pavement as a given. But my wife, on the other hand, grew up here. She remembers when there was no TV in Unalakleet, and then just one channel, and now, satellite dishes bolted to almost every home. She remembers dialing only four-digit phone numbers, and she’s only thirty-two years old. Her gram remembers a time before vehicles. Her gram remembers hunting and fishing and collecting everything the family ate. “Progress” has happened a lot more quickly here than in the rest of the country. And people have experienced many gravel-road-type rumors, and many gravel-road-type “improvements.” It is a major part of the village’s collective experience—this thing we call “progress”—and now I’m here to experience a part of the excitement and the ambivalence of modernization.

My wife’s gram is very quick to praise innovations like the washing machine and refrigerator/freezer and stove. She’s told me of how much time and energy subsistence living took, especially without those amenities. But these days, she doesn’t have an opinion about paved roads, because her memory is failing. She often asks for her mother and confuses her daughters for her sisters. But, despite her Alzheimer’s, she still loves to laugh. Last weekend we were all picnicking together upriver, and as the food was settling and the stories started flying, one cousin shared an anecdote that sent my wife and all the aunties laughing hysterically. Gram didn’t hear the story, because her hearing is bad, but she busted out laughing with all the ladies anyway. Gram said, “I don’t even know why you’re laughing, but I laugh along with you.” We’ve all heard this a hundred times. We all laughed anyway and kept telling more stories.

Our town is getting paved roads. But despite the pavement, I think progress is still happening here all the time. It’s just like anywhere else.

Roesch will be doing a reading in Portland at Annie Bloom's bookstore on Thursday at 7:30. If you're in the area and haven't read Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same (released today!), I highly recommend heading over there and getting a taste of the prose. Wish I could go!

On Korea (Guest Post by Softdrink)

Jill of Fizzy Thoughts wrote this guest post, inspired by the Diversity Roll Call Around the World question. Thanks, Jill!

I am currently reading The Calligrapher’s Daughter. Written by the talented Eugenia Kim, it is set in Korea in the early 1900s, a politically turbulent time in Korea’s history.

Since I pretty much know squat about Korean history (other than the fact that M*A*S*H was set there during the Korean War), I decided to do a little research. Now granted, this research is mostly comprised of info from www.korea.net and Wikipedia, but hey…it’s a start.

Korea is located in Asia, just west of Japan:

It’s that small yellow country in the top right of the map. The one without a name. How rude.

Korea actually has a long history. And since I used to be a history teacher, I can’t resist the opportunity for a little history lesson.

Way back in 2333 BC Dangun united many of the warring tribes of the Korean peninsula to found Gojoseon. This date is generally regarded as the beginning of Korean history. Gojoseon fell in 313 and several smaller kingdoms emerged. In 918 Wang Geon united these kingdoms and founded the Goryeo Dynasty, from which the name Korea is derived. The Goryeo Dynasty marks the beginning of a tradition of a strong central government and political and cultural independence that survived until 1910.

In 1392 the Joseon Dynasty replaced the Goryeo Dynasty and introduced Confucianism as the guiding philosophy of the kingdom. Civil service exams allowed for social mobility and emphasized learning. In the 1400s court scholars created Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Invasions by both the Japanese and the Manchurians were successfully repelled. By the 1800s Korea had become known as the “Hermit Kingdom” due to its resistance to demands for diplomatic and trade relations.

However, in 1910 Korea was forcibly annexed by Japan, which adopted a policy of cultural assimilation. It outlawed the Korean language and gave preference to Japanese for many jobs. On March 1, 1919 a peaceful demonstration for independence was brutally squashed. During this same period, many members of the Korean royal family died under suspicious circumstances and the Joseon Dynasty came to an end. Life only got rougher during WWII. Beginning in 1939 over 5 million Koreans were conscripted for labor. And over 200,000 Chinese and Korean women, known as “comfort women,” were forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military.

After WWII North Korea was occupied by Soviet forces, while US forces occupied the South. The UN Commission planned general elections, but since the Soviet Union denied access to North Korea the elections were never held there. South Korea elected Syngman Rhee as its first president, while North Korea established a communist state under Kim Il-sung.

War broke out in 1950 when North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. After three years of fighting a cease fire was called and the peninsula remained divided into two countries. The demilitarized zone, or DMZ, marks the boundary between the two countries. It is still heavily patrolled by the military, including US forces. Today North Korea remains a communist state under the leadership of Kim Jong-il, the son of Kim Il-sung. It has a completely nationalized economy with a heavy focus on military and nuclear arms. South Korea is a democratic republic with a strong economy. It has focused on high-tech industries, although it also maintains a large army.

Flag of North Korea

Flag of South Korea:

Some additional facts:

• In Korea, the family name is placed first.
• Koreans are considered 1 year old when born.
• In 1234, during the Goryeo Dynasty, the world’s fist moveable metal type was invented.
• The yangban class was the traditional ruling class of the Joseon Dynasty. It exemplified the Confucian ideal of the “scholarly official” and relied on the slave labor of the lower classes to enjoy the life of scholarly gentlemen.
• Despite the cease fire of 1953, a peace treaty was never signed. Therefore, North and South Korea are still officially at war.

Besides The Calligrapher’s Daughter, here are a few other novels set in Korea:

The Red Queen, Margaret Drabble

Jia, Hyejin Kim

Year of Impossible Goodbyes, Echoes of the White Giraffe and Gathering of Pearls, Sook Nyul Choi

And a non-fiction book that looks interesting:

Korea: A Walk through the Land of Miracles, Simon Winchester