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Title: Captivating -- I couldn't put it down.
Review: As an avid student of Asian history and culture, I've read many accounts of the Japanese occupation of Korea. This is the best so far.As I have lived in Korea for 10+ years, I have Korean friends in the same age group as the author, Richard Kim. From the first-hand accounts I have heard from my friends, I believe Lost Names accurately describes conditions for the common Korean citizen during the Occupation period.Through the entire book, I believed I was reading the author's autobiography. I didn't realize that was not the case until I read the Author's Note on the last page. I kept wondering why, since these were his memoirs, the author didn't write in the past tense.For me personally, the book would have been easier to read if it had been written in the past tense. In any case, I highly recommend this book for those who love to learn about the tragic history of the beautiful Land of the Morning Calm.
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