The Koreans

Within a single generation, Korea went from a largely farming society to a place that competes in the high-tech industries of Silicon Valley. That transformation makes the country one of the more surprising success stories of recent decades. The nation's momentum was jolted in 1997, when a fragile banking system and debt-laden conglomerates pushed it close to collapse. Observers around the world are now waiting to see whether Korea can restructure its economy and keep growing.

Korea's history is older and more layered than its recent rise suggests. Early Koreans shaped ancient Japan in notable ways, and they were the first people to cast movable metal type for printing. Much of the modern story is darker, marked by political bloodshed, hardship and war, chapters that many Koreans would prefer to leave behind as they look toward the future. Because so little of this history has reached the wider world, understanding the country has become increasingly important as its global role grows.

Michael Breen offers a detailed portrait of Korea and its people. He opens with the nation's values and temperament, then moves to a closer examination of its turbulent past, especially the split between the Communist north and the Western-aligned south. The result is a readable account aimed at anyone who wants to understand the history and character of this compelling country.