The Two Koreas - Tapa dura

The standard against which other books on modern Korea will be judged (Donald P Gregg, US Ambassador to Korea, 1989-93.)

Highly credible and accurate. (TLS)

He transmits the anguish of the Korean people unflinchingly. (TRIBUNE)

While the Cold War is over in the rest of the world, a potentially deadly confrontation continues to grow on the bitterly divided peninsula of Korea, where two of the world's largest and most powerful armies - along with 37,000 US troops - face each other on hair-trigger alert across the demilitarized zone, ready to resume fighting on a moment's notice. This family quarrel, initiated and abetted by the great powers of the US, Japan, Russia and China, is one of the epochal struggles of modern times. But while much has been written about the war that began it all, few understand the Koreas of today. For twenty years Don Oberdorfer has had unique access to the key people who have controlled the events and decisions that shape the contemporary Koreas. His book is the only one to explain the Korean history as well as just what political and economic crises loom on the horizon.