Kwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age [Paperback]

Jae-Eui Lee (Author), Kap Su Seol (Author), Nick Mamatas (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1883191033 | ISBN-13: 978-1883191030 | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

First publication in English of this eyewitness account of the 1980 civilian uprising against Chun Doo Hwan's military coup. First published in Korean in 1985 under the name of dissident novelist Hwang Sog-yong, this revised edition includes an introduction by Bruce Cumings, University of Chicago, and an essay by investigative journalist Tim Shorrock on U.S. involvement in the repression. This book sold more than one million copies in Asia in its Korean and Japanese editions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For interpreting developments in the 1980s and 1990s, the 'Kwangju Incident' is pivotal. I know no other book that provides us with the realities of those few days in Kwangju." -- George Ogle, author of South Korea: Dissent within the Economic Miracle

"It is by far the most accurate account, and is a major contribution to modern Korean history." -- Bruce Cumings, University of Chicago

"The book [Kwangju Diary] became the bible of the Korean democracy movement." -- Common Dreams News Center

"They were the children of the people, but the support of the people was slipping away from them..." -- New York Review of Books, Feb 22, 2001

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

"The Kwangju Rebellion was South Korea's Tiananmen crisis, deeply shaping the broad resistance to the dictatorship in the 1980s and paving the way for democratization in the 1990s, and for the conviction on charges of treason and sedition of the perpetrators who massacred innocent citizens in Kwangju. This experience is a strong warning to other authoritarian regimes, in Asia and elsewhere, about the possible consequences of their draconian actions. An anti-American movement also followed in the wake of the rebellion, and so it is particularly appropriate that we now have an English translation of Lee Jai-eui's classic narrative, Kwangju Diary. It is by far the most accurate account, and is a major contribution to modern Korean history. It is also a book that concerned Americans should read not just because of its critical importance to recent history in Korea, but also because the Kwangju tragedy had a joint authorship: in Seoul, and in Washington." -From the Introduction by Bruce Cumings, University of Chicago

Product Details

• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: Univ of California Los Angeles (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883191033
• ISBN-13: 978-1883191030
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,723,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting first-hand account of a fight for human rights, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Kwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age (Paperback)

This detailed, almost moment-by-moment account of the Kwangju rebellion is a fascinating read. A student protest leads to a vicious government crackdown so extreme - using elite paratroop forces against simple protesters - that the people of the city give up their lives and eventually take up arms to take their city back. The introduction provides a capsule history of South Korea, and the afterward an account of the American government's cowardly behavior before, during and after the rebellion. It's a fast read but will leave a lasting impression.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful and wrenching historical account, November 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Kwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age (Paperback)

This is an important book for anyone interested in Korea, human rights, or political movements. An excellent introduction by Bruce Cumings establishes the context; an equally excellent afterward by Tim Shorrock addresses the incident from the viewpoint of US foreign policy. But it is the diary itself that is truly unforgettable.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing account of human courage and solidarity, July 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Kwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age (Paperback)

This book leaves the reader forever changed. It tells the story of the Kwangju uprising--one of the most important events in the history of the struggle for freedom in the latter part of the 20th century. Beyond a history of Korea, this book and its story is of utmost importance to all human beings.