Customer Reviews

The Unforgotten War: Dust of the Streets

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a definite two thumbs up whether the reader is a Korean adoptee, adoptive parent, birth parent or just someone interested in knowing more about the Korean adoption experience. Clements' book is more than a narrative of his life as an orphan, mixed race child or adoptee. His book is an amazing blend of innovations, adventures, joys and disappointments. Toward the end of the book the reader can't help but be overwhelmed by the complex life Clement has led, and by the manner in which he currently lives.

It must be stated up front that this autobiographical account by Thomas Park Clement is not comparable to the one written by Elizabeth Kim, author of 10,000 Sorrows. Readers wanting to read a captivating, authentic, and verifiable story of a mixed race Korean War orphan will find The Unforgotten War a truly memorable work. His book is filled with names, dates and photographs of himself with other people, including his adoptive family and friends. In the end he shares with readers how he might be contacted. Kim on the other hand tells a gripping and emotionally loaded story of her alleged life as a mixed race orphan that seems to attract tragedy after uncontrollable tragedy. She portrays herself as a survivor of numerous and horrendous abuses, however she provides no substantive information to lend credence to her story. Given the lack of verifiable data, one can only conclude Kim's book is actually fiction disguised as fact.

Clements' life was no bed of roses either - however unlike Kim, he does bravely reveal the name of the orphanage where he suffered both physical and mental abuses. And unlike Kim who seems determined to be the queen of all martyrs, Clement is able to put his personal experiences into productive and admirable perspective. Most readers will find it incomprehensible to learn that Clement was abandoned by his birth mother when he was about four years of age. They will be drawn in by his poignant memory of his last time with her, how she carefully and lovingly buttoned up his coat for one last time before leaving him alone on the street to fend for himself.

After his birth mother abandoned him, Clement tells chilling tales of how he was beaten up on the streets because of how he looked and smelled, and how he would go days before finding a piece of garbage that would temporarily ease his hunger pains. After several years of fighting the other street orphans for every bite of food, he finally meets a young Methodist missionary who takes him to an orphanage.

Orphanage life provided Clement both good and bad aspects. He describes haunting stories of life in the orphanage, bringing to mind images that anyone else who has ever been an orphan in a Korean orphanage would recognize. At the orphanage Clement is initially thrilled with being given a fresh pair of socks and clean clothing. He is delighted with getting one meal a day, even though it is very diluted and hardly substantial for a young boy. However Clement soon learns that he has to fight the other children and staff if he wants enough to eat. He learns to tuck his blanket around his body at night, so he doesn't get his blanket stolen and awake freezing. He also learns, like in the streets, that his mixed race looks means he is the lowest of the low even among the other orphans and staff. Along with the other children, he experiences both physical and mental abuse until it becomes known that a family in the States wants to adopt him. Not surprisingly, he is fed more and his physical bruises allowed to take a break.

As he leaves the orphanage, Clement is told menacingly by an orphanage worker that if he ever tells anyone of his experiences in the orphanage, that they would come after him and take him back to Korea. Terrified, he is relieved to finally board the plane where everyone is smiling, happy to see him, and not interested in hurting him.

Adopted life in the States brought numerous challenges, as well as wonderful benefits. At his first family meal he is introduced to the concept of having his own full plate of food, and then offered seconds and then at future meals thirds! His story about how he had a hard time adjusting to a raised bed is just one of many cross-cultural transitional stories that most Korean adoptees would similarly recall. Another time his adoptive mother invites a couple of Korean students over to the house in order to have them talk with Clement about what had happened to him in Korea. Terrified Clement refuses to talk, choosing instead to hide behind his adoptive mother's skirt, frightened that the students were going to try and take him back to Korea and the war.

From beloved son to: mixed-race bastard, street fighter, orphan, adoptee, rock musician, motor cycle dare devil rider, group home worker, carpenter, administrator, emergency "medic," husband, father and humanitarian Clement has led a rich existance. His stories are amusing, serious and thoughtful. His outlook on life commendable. In a presentation for adoptees Clement said, "If I think about the Korean War, living on the streets and the orphanage, I could be `totaled' by these thoughts; or I could use these life experiences to feed the fire...feed the fire to motivate me to make a positive change...make the world a better place for our children in the future." Certainly those words are ones that all parents, regardless of adoptive or birth status, would find memorable.

Thomas Park Clement's autobiography provides rare insight into the experiences of Koreans of mixed heritage. Many of these children of "mixed blood" were adopted by European Americans. These experiences of being Transracially Adopted (TRA) have not always proved positive. Clement's story is fairly upbeat, as his second family seems to have given him a strong sense of self and the will to do it all (as exemplified by his later success in business). However, one still finds a strong sense of being outside or on the boundaries of society in this text, as indicated by the subtitle, "dust of the streets," which is one of the terms used to describe the Korean "war babies."

Clement is not a writer by trade, so "The Unforgotten War" does not reach the artful heights of a text like Nora Okja Keller's novel, Comfort Woman, or even journalist Elizabeth Kim's memoir Ten Thousand Sorrows. However, very few texts, whether fiction or autobiography, have been written by hapa (Asian of mixed heritage) men, and for that alone his perspective is valuable. It is more than that, however, and I think many people would find his self-published text very interesting.

I am an avid reader and purchase many books but I, generally, only purchase one copy. I have purchased multiple copies of this book and given them away to friends because I believe that this memoir is extraordinary in its honesty, in-depth narrative of his early orphan life, his transition to an American home, adult years, and issues of transracial adoption.

As far as I as know, this is the first autobiography by a Korean adoptee about his life. It is moving and extraordinary because he remembers life as a young child fending for himself prior to going into an orphanage, the life in the orphanage, and coming to America. In this rich tapestry, Thomas Clement tells about his early years with humor, warmth, and raw honesty.

It's been hard for me to review this book because of all the intense memories it brings up for me. While reading about Thomas Clement's story, I came across the name of his orphanage. It sounded vaguely familar and I searched for my adoptee records and found that I, too, had come from the same orphanage. His story of life at the orphanage had special relevance for me since it was a small orphanage and I did not remember much about life there. The details and stories of orphanage life has filled some parts of the amnesia that is my early childhood life.

He also tells of his life adventures: school days, university life, and working. Finally, he discusses his in-depth experiences of coming back full circle and meeting with other Korean adoptees and the meaning that it has for him.

This memoir provides us, the reader, a warm and inviting true story of an unusual and fascinating life. A wonderful and heartwarming book.

I highly recommend his book. Two thumbs up!

Reading Mr. Clement's book is an emotional and interesting journey that he has been through. He made me feel that I was actually there. While reading his book I was crying, laughing, and could not put it down until I finished it. Very insightful of what he went through living on the streets of Korea, during and after the Korean war, and then here in America as an adoptee trying to fit in. You can see life was not always an easy journey for him, but he faced life with humor and determination and achieved many accomplishments in his life.

I recommend that everyone should read this book, he makes you feel like you can face life's challenges by just taking one more step, it has helped me out.

This is one of those books that I think every Korean/transracial adoptee should read and have in their collection of books. As one of the first generation of Korean adoptees, I could relate to a lot of what Mr. Clement shared in his book. It was at times gripping and other times, funny and interesting. The beginning narrative was especially gripping when he talked about his very early memories of Korea, of his mother and of the war. It brought tears to my eyes. Later in the book he shares what it is like to grow up as an almost typical American kid immersed in the American culture - only it wasn't so typical in that he, like many of us Korean adoptees, faced racism and ignorance from others. He goes on to share about his different achievements and accomplishments, proving that in spite of some of the obstacles we face in life, we can achieve many things and make a difference in life.

I got to know Tom Clement, first at the Korean Adoptee Gathering in Wash-DC, back in September 1999, along with other KAs. Since then we've emailed each other.

I'm also one of the first waves of Korean Adoptee orphans to land on the American shore. As such, I became Americanized with all ties broken from my Korean past. Many of us KAs became reacquainted with our past only recently, as adults. With mixed feelings of self-consciousness, denial, guilt, isolation, fustration. It is a strange thing to confront your past as a adult.

I listened for other voices similar to mine. For the most part, thousands of other KAs were looking too. There still aren't that many KA's speaking out. The few, as Tom Clement are just beginning to speak. Clement's book is worth reading for his harrowing accounts as a street orphan in Korea, and for his journey into manhood as a KA and as an American.

It's still too early to be overtly critical or to make generalizations on the books written about KAs. I don't argue the point of the subject matter seeming biased or being emotional. Well, it is bias and emotional, and more. Many of us are still trying to come to terms with our past and present.

It was very touch for human being's emotional change or settlement based on different culture. He described those stages very clearly and naturally. Many people doesn't have those painful experience which they don't even think or understand. I tried to get into his feeling as much as he wrote and it helped me much.

Thomas Clement uses this book to tell his story of being one of the first Korean Adoptees. He tells of his struggle to "fit in", in a culture that is different from the one he knew. He also tells what it has been like for him to "grow up Asian in a Caucasian" family. Mr.Clement uses humor like no other. There are some parts that will have you laughing, but others that will bring you to tears.

Being an adoptive parent of a child from Korea, I found The Unforgotten War to be a book that has helped me have an understanding of what it it can be like to be adopted from another country. This is a great book not only for people who have adopted, or are adoptees, but for everyone!! Thanks to Mr. Clement for sharing such a well written, informative, life experience book with us.

Being an adoptive parent of a child from Korea, I have read alot of books written by Korean adoptees. None have touched me like The Unforgotten War!! Knowing what Mr.Clement was feeling at different times in his life, I might have an insight which could possibly help my daughter at times. Also Thomas Park Clement has chosen to include a sense of humor like no other. There are also parts of this book that will bring you to tears as I was. This is a book that will make you feel so many different emotions. I recommend this book to EVERYONE, not only to people that have an association with adoption.

Thomas Clement's journey from scavenging the streets of Seoul to building his own business in America is not about an orphan being saved. Rather, it is the journey of a Korean orphan surviving hardship and coming into his own. His prose is not heavy handed or bitter, but hopeful. With humor and insight he allows the reader to experience what it was like to be bi-racial and grow up in a world far from his birthplace. His autobiography is poignant and gripping. Though some of his experiences seem "out of this world" and incredible, it rings true. There is no taint of embellishment, unlike other autobiographies that tell of horrific lives --no matter how beautiful their prose.

Over 300,000 Koreans have been adopted out of Korea since the Korean War. One out of ten Koreans in the U.S. is an adoptee. This book gives a wonderful look into the mind and feelings of what it is like to be adopted into America. It should be read by everyone who is Korean, knows a Korean, or has an interest in Korea or Asia, not just because of the insight it provides, but because it is moving and delightful to read.

I was moved to tears in several parts and cheering in others. It is a true testimony to how an individual can triumph over unbelievable difficulties. I read several hundred books each year but keep only a few. This is one I have kept.

(A Korean Adoptee)