tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post1866765096529882715..comments2024-02-05T01:55:53.566-08:00Comments on Gently Mad: Pachinko by Min Jin LeeSharon Wilfonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-6327292155953169672020-12-09T13:29:32.201-08:002020-12-09T13:29:32.201-08:00Hi Cleo.
That's the thing. Asians and Jews w...Hi Cleo.<br /><br />That's the thing. Asians and Jews were horribly discriminated against in the U.S. and yet they are now known for being the most successful sub-pops in my country (probably yours, too). Until people take personal responsibility for their life and stop blaming others nothing is going to improve.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-55242160732197947982020-12-08T17:13:30.723-08:002020-12-08T17:13:30.723-08:00So interesting. My Korean friend said her grandpa...So interesting. My Korean friend said her grandparents were literally eating bark off trees to survive and now look how far they've come. Too bad about the book though.<br /><br />This sentence in your review really resonated with me: <i>"These people, who were truly victims, did not try to self-identify as victims or expect a free ride. "</i> So different from today. Cleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13152128642971612433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-38754373970424427662020-12-05T20:57:20.476-08:002020-12-05T20:57:20.476-08:00Hi Carol,
I would really like to read a good book...Hi Carol,<br /><br />I would really like to read a good book on the history of Korea and how events transpired there.<br /><br />I agree about foul language. It is symptomatic of an impoverished vocabulary. I also think the writers are told by editors that they have to have so much sex and language in order to get the book published.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-40416111275831205962020-12-05T20:55:57.248-08:002020-12-05T20:55:57.248-08:00Hi Debbie,
I'm far choosier now than when I w...Hi Debbie,<br /><br />I'm far choosier now than when I was younger. Maybe because there is so much out there that is worth reading I don't want to waste time with reading less worthy works.<br /><br />And thank you for the compliment. That means a lot coming from an artist like you.<br /><br />Hope you have a blessed season.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-46159708080313400862020-12-05T15:37:05.267-08:002020-12-05T15:37:05.267-08:00Sharon thank you for your candid review. I am ver...Sharon thank you for your candid review. I am very selective about the books I read. It is always a challenge to find something that is good and interesting at the same time. Btw love your Christmas card. I used to make my own but haven't for several years. Yours is beautiful. Hugs!Debbie Nolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11168646638438558551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-76772971344739483432020-12-04T16:47:13.810-08:002020-12-04T16:47:13.810-08:00It’s not easy to find decent books about that aspe...It’s not easy to find decent books about that aspect of history, unfortunately. It’s hard enough trying to work out why the war started and I agree about the vulgar language. It sends a message that the author has a pretty limited vocabulary.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06820925595506920754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-63310672173558820102020-12-01T13:33:07.735-08:002020-12-01T13:33:07.735-08:00Hi James,
I also found the historical aspects int...Hi James,<br /><br />I also found the historical aspects interesting. I just don't understand why authors include foul language. It doesn't contribute a thing and it interferes with my ability to enjoy the novel.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-30557871905736208392020-12-01T13:30:33.487-08:002020-12-01T13:30:33.487-08:00Hi mudpuddle,
I completely agree with you. That w...Hi mudpuddle,<br /><br />I completely agree with you. That word is the sign of a poverty-stricken vocabulary.<br /><br />And it is why I also rarely read fiction published in the last thirty years.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-11775240018359801702020-12-01T13:27:51.722-08:002020-12-01T13:27:51.722-08:00Hi Brian,
I agree. I guess what I protest is the ...Hi Brian,<br /><br />I agree. I guess what I protest is the emphasis in this country in media on America's 'sins' against the Japanese as if we started the war or as if less people would have been killed if we hadn't ended the war by dropping the H bomb.<br /><br />Hope you and your family had a blessed Thanksgiving.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-39661592691557094592020-11-30T01:52:34.584-08:002020-11-30T01:52:34.584-08:00I read this book almost a year ago and enjoyed it ...I read this book almost a year ago and enjoyed it a bit more than you did. I found the relationships and the history of Koreans in Japan demonstrably interesting. This helped me to overlook the more negative aspects of the novel.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00561320676355168336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-49626913667478547722020-11-29T21:12:41.030-08:002020-11-29T21:12:41.030-08:00i still consider the "f" word to be outs...i still consider the "f" word to be outside civilized discourse... yet another reason to avoid modern lit. at least some of the book was worthwhile; maybe the author felt impelled to include the amoral stuff: i sense a publisher's greedy paws reaching out... "do you really want this book to take off, Ms. Lee"... etc.mudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16647084124715892324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-2915582776016999292020-11-29T20:25:35.467-08:002020-11-29T20:25:35.467-08:00Excellent review Sharon. It sounds like the author...Excellent review Sharon. It sounds like the author was not approving of some of the actions of the later generations. But I can see how it could be a let down after the early chapters in the book.<br /><br />The Japanese army and government behaved brutally throughout Asia in World War II..I agree that there is no moral comparison between those actions and American action. With that, I think it is OK to examine past American actions to learn from past mistakes as long as that examination does not descend into the worst excesses of identity politics.<br /><br />Have a great week!<br /><br /><br />Brian Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15139559400312336791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-49959822421017387362020-11-29T20:05:56.757-08:002020-11-29T20:05:56.757-08:00Hi Marion,
You know, it makes me mad because ther...Hi Marion,<br /><br />You know, it makes me mad because there were so many positive elements to this story. If she had simply left out the language and sex, I would have really liked this novel.Sharon Wilfonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17466621290140789056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-948826710613032587.post-31678027011704647192020-11-29T19:57:11.714-08:002020-11-29T19:57:11.714-08:00Hmm, thanks for the heads up! It's too bad the...Hmm, thanks for the heads up! It's too bad the book took a downward turn. I remember thinking about reading this - it might be on my TBR? - but your review confirms my hesitation.<br /><br />The only Korean novel I've read so far is Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin. It's set in the modern day, but I thought it was pretty well written and didn't rely on shock value to convey its message.Marian Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115916138435761469noreply@blogger.com