History of Korea: From Antiquity to the Present - Tapa dura

A History of Korea combines Seth's previous surveys of Korean history (A Concise History of Korea; A Concise History of Modern Korea) to provide a general history of Korea from prehistoric times to the present. The book fills an important need for an up-to-date reference survey that includes coverage of both the modern and pre-modern periods in one volume. Seth proceeds chronologically, dividing each major period into topical overviews. Political and social history receive the greatest emphasis, and each chapter ends with one or two selections translated from Korean-language primary sources. Substantial endnotes and an annotated bibliography will help readers push more deeply into English studies of Korean history, and a Korean pronunciation guide will aid students. The prose is extremely clear... An excellent choice for any collegiate library that covers East Asia at all. Summing Up: Highly recommended. CHOICE This textbook is as trustworthy and user-friendly as any other English-language surveys of Korean history from ancient time to the present day and includes much more information. For example, no other survey of Korean history from ancient times to the present includes as much information on North Korea after 1945 than Seth includes in two of his chapters, one on the North from 1945 to 1993 and another covering from 1993 until just a couple years before Kim Jong Il' s death. Seth stands out on his treatment of prehistory as well. Devoting a full chapter on prehistory, Seth takes his time discussing the beginnings of pottery, agriculture, and bronze making... Overall, A History of Korea is a reliable and comprehensive guide. Journal of Korean Studies Michael Seth somehow manages to pack an enormous amount of information into his short overview of the Korean peninsula's long history. With a useful glossary and a helpful bibliography, A History of Korea is especially recommended for those without any prior knowledge of Korean history and culture. -- John Lie, University of California, Berkeley

In this comprehensive yet compact book, Michael J. Seth surveys Korean history from Neolithic times to the present. He explores the origins and development of Korean society, politics, and still little-known cultural heritage, showing how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society was wrenched into the modern world, ultimately to be arbitrarily divided into two opposed halves after World War II. Tracing the six decades since, Seth explains how the two Koreas, with their deeply different political and social systems and geopolitical orientations, evolved into sharply contrasting societies. Throughout, he adds a rich dimension by placing Korean history into broader global perspective and by including primary readings from each era. All readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.