Book Review: Please Look After Mom

Title: Please Look After Mom (엄마를 부탁해)
Author: Kyung-Sook Shin (신경숙)
Translated by: Chi-Young Kim (김지영)
Softcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Knopf (April 5, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0307593916
ISBN-13: 978-0307593917

Seemingly effortlessly translated into English, Please Look After Mom unabashedly attacks the heart and leaves the speechless reader in a state that can only be remedied by picking up the phone and calling your mom. Internationally recognized author Shin Kyung-Sook's unforgettably poignant 2008 novel is the recipient of several literary awards. However, is it all just culturally specific schmaltz lost on American readers or is there enough literary substance to warrant its international acclaim?

The story is about an elderly woman who accidentally becomes lost amidst a busy Seoul subway stop and her selfish family's frantic, consequential search. The book is contextually divided into four narratives: the critical eldest daughter, the favorited eldest son, the nomadic absentee husband, and finally the saint-like mother herself. Each chapter delves more into the tender, borderline naive characterization of the mother and the subsequent guilt felt by those who ultimately failed to live up to their proper familial roles. The characters are humanly flawed but forgivingly empathetic. You find yourself criticizing almost each family member for their insensitivity but then apologetically root for their redemption.

Culturally speaking, the setting is a striking contrast between socially progressive Seoul-centered modernization and war-torn traditional country-side values that are more and more lost with each passing generation. The mother's poverty-stricken childhood is but a dim memory to her doted children who knew little of her sacrifice and sorrow. Other than a few culturally contextualized moments, the narration needs very little pretext for the average non-Korean reader to appreciate the depth of this story. After all, everyone has a mother.

That's the general consensus with this touching story. At some part in most people's lives, like the characters in the story, we all have an epiphany and realize that our own mothers were not born mothers but instead chose to be mothers. Even though my own mother's personal sacrifices were naturally different than the ones described in the book, her loving presence is echoed in this story, as many other readers, too, have expressed.

It's indeed a sentimental Korean tear-jerker but thankfully it's also well-written enough to be almost effortlessly appreciated by an international audience. Having read the English version, I'm anxious to read the Korean version in hopes to further pick up on certain nuances that were likely to have been inescapably lost in translation, such as the subtle differences between "Mom (엄마)" and "Mother (어머니)" and the title's ambiguous message (엄마를 부탁해) which could be interpreted as either a dutiful order or a spiritual request.

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This novel doesn't exactly pertain to Korean studies, but it is a work that deserves to be talked about. It's got me wondering what else I'm missing in Korean literature, that's for sure.

Book Review facelift

I've been prompted by the failure of Books.LivingSocial to merge my book collection over to LibraryThing. I like it so far. What's more is that I've gone back over my previous reviews and spruced them up a bit. Nothing major, just a few typo fixes and some rephrasing.

I'm happy that I left such detailed notes about how I felt about these books. Rereading what I wrote reminded me that I actually paid attention and cared about the subject matter. I strongly recommend others to do the same. I had almost forgotten that I had read certain titles until I looked back at both my notes on the inside cover and scattered all over almost each margin - let alone the review online. It's inspired me to pick up some new books that have been collecting dust on my shelf.

So, I give you the new and improved book review list.

Wait One

Funny how a single belated post updates and at the same time disappoints.

I'm currently serving in the United States Navy so consistency and quality of postings are likely to be even more scant than before. Believe me when I say that not a day goes by when I wish I could devote all of my day to simply studying the Korean language and the history of her people. Unfortunately, bills have to be paid.

Whether this blog falls into further obscurity is irrelevant, really. I use it to track my personal passions and clearly they have been on hold for some time. I'd like to think that one day I'll get back into a routine that allows me to read more about Korea.

Oh and it seems I backed the wrong horse in regards to linking book reviews. Books.LivingSocial.com has ceased operations and with it, all of my online library of reviews. Thankfully, I still have them here. I suppose step one will be to re-create my online library based on my physical library.

Any suggestions?

Thoughts on AAS conference

crossposted.

This trip has been eye-opening in many ways. I’ve reaffirmed my distaste for traveling, discovered that the ability to speak Korean is impressively useless to ever-present Chinese and Japanese-speaking tourists, and realized that becoming a Korean history go-to guy may not be in the cards for me.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy myself; well, actually, maybe that’s precisely it. Yes, I didn’t enjoy myself. But, I must allow into consideration that I had many factors stacked against me. Taking a travel-hating country boy far away from the comfort of long, open highways, the Dallas Mavericks and locally brewed Shiner Bock, I was already cranky by the time I left Dallas. Away from my picturesque wife and stunningly sweet little girl, I was missing home mere moments after takeoff. I attempted to remedy this by calling and/or texting every five seconds. Think I went over on my minute plan. Is that even possible anymore?

Regardless, traveling is expensive I usually don’t feel more enlightened as a person after I get back. I usually just feel a little fussy. I mean, really? An eighteen dollar hamburger? What do you mean twenty five dollar “checked baggage” fee? And you, how do you sleep at night, Mr. Overpriced Surfing Instructor? I didn’t mean to put my head through your windsurfing sail; it just happened during one of many falls off your one hundred thirty dollar windsailing board. You don’t have to rub my nose in it. I already did that, clearly.

Secondly, I didn’t know anyone at the conference other than my hotel rooming buddy. All other social engagement responsibility rested solely on my sunburned shoulders. I tend to give up easily when it comes to making friends. Call me shyly introverted, please, but don’t call me cynical; I’d hate to start avoiding you, too. Making friends is hard.

Finally, and most importantly, I was out of my professional element. I was at a conference with some of the world’s most brilliant academics; men and women who have dedicated the better part of their lives on a hyper-specified subject that has questionable real-life application. Multilingual and perfectly drilled to recall random facts and figures, I was but an unwelcome fly on the wall.

The conference was for Asian studies academics, which I am not. I knew that going into it but I didn’t realize the level of detail and hair-splitting involved with post-doctoral panels pursuing the difference between 노예 and 노비 or Joseon dynasty codes of punishment; let alone arguing the value of said distinctions over the course of several hours. In truth, I found several panels delightfully stimulating while others seduced me into believing I was at my grandmother’s house relaxing in the back bedroom on Thanksgiving; the only place on Earth capable of bringing even the most pill-popping, energy-drink fueled teenager to a gentle lull. Some non-native speakers spoke almost poetically while others struggled to finish a coherent sentence. Some had dazzling visuals while others monotonously read right off their paper with nary a powerpoint slide or handout. Shame.

Most of all, I found myself in utter mediocrity. The “Independent Scholar” label stamped on my name badge was ambiguously mysterious and erroneously led to some asking when I finished my dissertation. I humbly corrected them by meekly replying that being an “Independent Scholar” actually meant that I was a bottom feeder located snugly at the bottom of the academic food chain – just above summer interns but decidedly below pretentious first year grad students.

What could I have expected, though? I haven’t formally studied anything yet. I suppose that the aspect of trying to hang with the big boys in the future is almost too much to live up to. No matter if I started grad school today would I ever be able to live up to some of the panelists I met. Yes, I’ve read their books. Yes, they are rock stars to my world. No, I can never match their linguistic ability let alone academic ability. I am Jack’s sense of defeat.

I’ve rethought my (future) position very much this past week. It all comes down to a few basic questions that are still not adequately answered: What am I? Who am I? Am I a school teacher? A future professor? A would-be scholar? Am I a sailor? Or am I just a husband? A father? A family guy? Is there room for a real balance?

When I get in ruts like this, I try to count the good in my life and I’m relieved to be able to list so many blessings. I’ve got a good job, a good looking future job with the Navy, health insurance, a car, clothes on my back, a college degree, and, most importantly, an incredible family. I am the world’s luckiest guy just to know my wife and daughter, let alone be a part of their lives. I got it good, it’s just not the same type of good that I was aspiring to.

I know that graduate school is still very much a goal for me, but as far as what type of profession I want to get into later in life, which specific field of Korean studies do I want to focus on, or if I even want to go past the master’s and go for the PhD is still up in the air. I come away from this a little more wise and a lot more open to possibilities. Oh, and sunburned and jet lagged. That too.

Not Forgotten

What's that you say? I've given up on the Korean studies? Not a chance!

However, teaching fourth grade doesn't exactly give me a lot of free time to pursue the passions, now does it? Take that plus a little baby due next month and there you have a perfect reason for why nothing seems to have gotten done.

How I miss the free time allotted to English teaching in Korea. I could knock out a book in a month; now I'm more like a book every three.

However, I am approaching a career change that just might give me the chance to not only study independently but to go to graduate school. More on that later.

Have faith and stay tuned!

December Link Dump

- Perfect timing. Just as I email Charles over at Korean Modern Literature in Translation for a request, he publishes this excellent newbie's guide to Korean literature. Read. Absorb.

- Psst. Knock it off already.

- Ah the Gapsin Coup. Always an interesting topic.

- Learned a lot about the Tokyo Rose the other day.

Happy Holidays. Miss you, Korea. Here's a laugh for you.

AAS 70th Annual Conference

Who's got two thumbs and going to be in Hawaii from March 31st to April 3rd?

This guy.

I somehow convinced my loving, supportive and incredibly pregnant wife to let me go to the 70th Annual Conference put on by the Association for Asian Studies (AAS). Not only does 2011's event plan to be the biggest it has ever been boasting three times the amount of presenters, it will also be jointly hosted by the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS). What does all this mean for an aspiring Korean historian? History Nerd Overload. I can't wait.

This will be an especially memorable event for me because my new job has taken up virtually all available time to do the things I'd like to do. This is a real treat. I know that AAS will have other conferences in the future but this one really seems like it'll be one to remember. Sure the flight ticket is unnecessarily expensive, I have to take off quite a chunk of work to attend and the conference just happens to be taking place roughly two weeks after the birth of our daughter, but hey, why not, right?

If you'll be there too, shoot me an email or a comment and let's meet up.

UPDATE: Thoughts on conference.