The two books under review are welcome contributions to the growing body of English translations of modern Korean literature. The primary audience for both anthologies would be scholars and students of Korean studies but they may also be of interest to readers of East Asian and comparative literature.
On the Eve of the Uprising is a collection of six stories from the colonial era, with a brief introduction and glossary. According to the translator, the book is intended to contribute to the knowledge of “the founding period” of modern Korean literature and “to meet the rising demand for colonial stories in translation in recent times” (p. xvii). Park is commended for her choice of the primary texts, available in English translation for the first time through this volume. The six narratives are interesting not only for their socio-historical reflections, but also for their presentation of diverse literary forms, styles, and...
