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Korean History Project
YouTube: News Reports Regarding the Kwangju Uprising
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by William Amos
"Trouble is the seed of joy."
— Korean proverb
Paul Harkin, a naive US Peace Corps Volunteer, comes to South Korea in 1979 hoping to experience the excitement of living deep within a foreign culture. His relationship with a Korean schoolteacher, however, draws him into a violent struggle against dictatorship. Against his better judgment, he defies the Peace Corps, the United States government, and — most dangerously — the Korean martial law authorities. At the center of the conflict is Mi Jin, a troubled schoolteacher who, with Paul, sacrifices everything for the promise of happiness. From the sometimes comic glimpses of Peace Corps life to the orgy of bloodletting during the disastrous Kwangju Uprising, this sweeping historical novel is an unforgettable experience for the reader. Many readers have compared it to Christopher Koch's well-known novel, The Year of Living Dangerously.
A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Korea calls The Seed of Joy "EXCELLENT! Mr Amos's book has made me relive those turbulent yet exhilarating times. I can only recommend this book with all my heart and pray that the reader can understand what was happening in Korea during those times."
If you have purchased The Seed of Joy, I thank you and invite you to send me your thoughts. If you have not bought a copy, and have been drawn here out of curiosity, I hope this Web site sparks your interest in the novel.
Important Ordering Information
The price for your copy of The Seed of Joy is UK£6. That's about US$12.00. Your credit card company will automatically convert the amount to your currency.
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the 2000
All written material in and accessible from this site © 2000-04 by William P. Amos. All Rights Reserved.