As I research my historical fiction books and read more and more about Joseon Korean history, I become more and more fascinated! There is so much to learn, and this book is a wonderful place to start! I LOVED this book. Such a fascinating and eye-opening overview of Joseon.
Letters from Korean History 3: Joseon – from founding to later years by Eunbong Park
BOOK REVIEW
| I loved reading this book! Rather than listing dates or facts, this book focuses more on society and the Joseon people themselves – how they lived, what they wore, what they ate. I loved the paintings, illustrations and photographs, and the section that covered a ‘day in the life’ for a king, a minister, a slave, etc. It also touches on some very interesting important historical events (really fascinated reading about the Manchu invasions, which I didn’t know much about previously at all), and also it looks at the founding and layout of Hanseong / Hanyang, the different scholarly movements (and literati purges!), and also the arising factions within government, which I often find quite difficult to get my head around. I really loved reading this. It is a really nice taste of Joseon life and culture. Well worth your time, and a very easy read, with lots of photos and artwork throughout. |
