nandupress homepage
Seasons in the Kingdom is the story of Mike and Songhi, an American MP and a young Korean woman. Descriptions of their village life evoke the shadowed world generations of young American men knew, merging history and fiction into a memorably poignant love story.
The banality of military life at the Ascom City Stockade, Korea, circa 1973-74, is contrasted with the uncompromising society of human struggle that was the camptown village of Sinchon, a cauldron of hope and despair. Revealing narratives of young Korean women demonstrates great sympathy for the transformation of their hopes and dreams while shackled by economic and social bondage, victims of their own poverty and the economic weight of America. Deceit, betrayal, prostitution, racism, violence, are intertwined in this absorbing true story of camptown society.
"It is so carefully crafted, so clever in its slow build up of love, affection, and all the life questions that go with it. BRAVO, congratulations on telling so much of what went on in a completely unbelievable fantasy land, a tour of service in the Republic of Korea."
"ANY ONE SERVING IN ASCOM SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. You sucked me in, I'm not sure how but the effect I think is because of a young man's compassion for a culture and the harsh realities of survival of both young men and the Korean people you seen struggling in a cruel unforgiving environment."
"This is a great book especially veterans that have lived across the pond in Asia. It was great to get away from Uncle Sam and find a companion to stay with for the night or for longer. Staying in the Village was a real eye opener to a much different kind of life than we were used to. It gave one a real look into such a different culture. This book describes this place very well and will take you back to the Land of The Morning Calm called Korea.
"In the military milieu, if there is war, it is within the hearts of these brave souls in this strange place. How each survives is neither heroic or cowardly; it is simple pragmatic. The alchemy of necessity. Songhi knows this better than Mike." KOREAN QUARTERLY review
"I love it! It's just plain brilliant."
"I remember the changing seasons. The drabness of winter, the beauty of spring, the steaming wetness of summer, and the cooling sense of fall."
"I think it was great. It portrayed our time in Korea so well that I felt like I was back there."
I received your book in the mail 3 or 4 days ago. As the title of this note says "Wow!". I am not normally a reader. I probably only read one book a year, but this one of yours I could not put down.
["Seasons in the Kingdom], ... was a very well written and written against an accurate background of the times."
Yes, I did finish Seasons in the Kingdom. I enjoyed it very much and I suggest that any G.I. that served in korea and had a yobo should read it. The story made me relive some good times ...it also reminded of the last few months when I realized that all the dreams we had of marrying were not going to be. The day I left Korea [my Yobo] followed me to Kimpo airport and called me from the gate, I was about to board my flight so we talked on the phone. The last thing she said to me was "you be cool yobo". That was one of the most depressing days of my life. When I arrived home the next day I found out that my girl friend was seeing another guy that had just returned from "Nam". I took my experiences from Korea and made out somewhat well. Tim thanks for helping me to finally get rid of some of the guilt I have been carrying around for almost forty years.
I thoroughly enjoyed your novel, it brought back alot of memories of Ascom, and Korea. The factory girls waving from their dormitories, as we drove by heading to the MSR, that was a long lost memory. You captured the everyday life perfectly. ...thanks again for writing the book, I will recommend it.
My wife finished the novel and she said it was a very interesting and great story.
I am interested in how good your book does. It will tell us how many guys really remember this place in our past. I hope it does super for you. I was so young and in shock when our ship landed at Inchon. They then bused us over to Ascom
I wanted to let you know what a great book you have written. I was in Korea in the army up in the 2nd Div near the Imjin River in 66-67. Your book takes me back to those days. I had a yobo for a while and lived thru some of the things you write about. I broke up with her when they shipped me up north from my original compound and she had someone type me a very sorrowful letter describing the girls as "Trodden Flowers". I think that was a good description of their miserable lives. My little gal treated me very well and I did kinda feel for her but like many soldiers I was just young and a long way from home. I wondered what ever became of her and the many like her? This book, [Seasons in the Kingdom], actually woke me up some as really didn't know their whole dilemma. I guessed they were like slaves to a mamasan-but didn't really understand it.
WOW! I finished your novel last night. This is just an opinion from an old farm boy down in southeast Texas. I think it was great. It portrayed our time in Korea so well that I felt like I was back there.
I am to Man and the Tiger. For a slow reader I'm moving along. I really really like the story. It's like I'm there watching all this happen. Can't wait to read some more.
I received the copy of Seasons In The Kingdom today and can't wait to start it.
You certainly brought the memories of the village life. The girls, the booze,the food, the total different way of life, we all experienced over there.
I remember the changing seasons. The drabness of winter, the beauty of spring, the steaming wetness of summer, and the cooling sense of fall. I can see the meat markets with flies all over the meat hanging in the display cases. The bikes loaded with whatever stacked as high as they could. The pigs drunk on mokali (sp) going to market. Seeing the man walking down the dike with what seemed to be a large white sack over his shoulder and when we got close enough, it turned out to be large dog slaughtered and on the way to market or home. The smells of kimchi at the pass and i.d. gate in the mornings, I can still smell it, damn near 40 years later. Yes, you brought back the memories, of a different time in our young lives. Do you ever wonder how things have changed over there?
Hi Tim: Yes I started your book and I'm enjoying it very much. Things are coming back to me as if they happened yesterday.
Seasons in the Kingdom is a touching novel. It stays with you long after the read is completed.
"Seasons in the Kingdom stays with you long after the read is completed...Norris has written a moving novel that weaves real life events and places with a memorably touching love story between a U.S. GI and a local Korean girl." ROK Drop review
Extraordinarily beautiful and detailed "word paintings" of the land and its people round out this unforgettable book, resonating with the experiences of hundreds of thousands of US service men and the Koreans who knew them during their seasons in the kingdom.
The banality of military life at the Ascom City Stockade, Korea, circa 1973-74, is contrasted with the uncompromising society of human struggle that was the camptown village of Sinchon, a cauldron of hope and despair. Revealing narratives of young Korean women demonstrates great sympathy for the transformation of their hopes and dreams while shackled by economic and social bondage, victims of their own poverty and the economic weight of America. Deceit, betrayal, prostitution, racism, violence, are intertwined in this absorbing true story of camptown society.
"It is so carefully crafted, so clever in its slow build up of love, affection, and all the life questions that go with it. BRAVO, congratulations on telling so much of what went on in a completely unbelievable fantasy land, a tour of service in the Republic of Korea."
"ANY ONE SERVING IN ASCOM SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. You sucked me in, I'm not sure how but the effect I think is because of a young man's compassion for a culture and the harsh realities of survival of both young men and the Korean people you seen struggling in a cruel unforgiving environment."
"This is a great book especially veterans that have lived across the pond in Asia. It was great to get away from Uncle Sam and find a companion to stay with for the night or for longer. Staying in the Village was a real eye opener to a much different kind of life than we were used to. It gave one a real look into such a different culture. This book describes this place very well and will take you back to the Land of The Morning Calm called Korea.
"In the military milieu, if there is war, it is within the hearts of these brave souls in this strange place. How each survives is neither heroic or cowardly; it is simple pragmatic. The alchemy of necessity. Songhi knows this better than Mike." KOREAN QUARTERLY review
"I love it! It's just plain brilliant."
"I remember the changing seasons. The drabness of winter, the beauty of spring, the steaming wetness of summer, and the cooling sense of fall."
"I think it was great. It portrayed our time in Korea so well that I felt like I was back there."
I received your book in the mail 3 or 4 days ago. As the title of this note says "Wow!". I am not normally a reader. I probably only read one book a year, but this one of yours I could not put down.
["Seasons in the Kingdom], ... was a very well written and written against an accurate background of the times."
Yes, I did finish Seasons in the Kingdom. I enjoyed it very much and I suggest that any G.I. that served in korea and had a yobo should read it. The story made me relive some good times ...it also reminded of the last few months when I realized that all the dreams we had of marrying were not going to be. The day I left Korea [my Yobo] followed me to Kimpo airport and called me from the gate, I was about to board my flight so we talked on the phone. The last thing she said to me was "you be cool yobo". That was one of the most depressing days of my life. When I arrived home the next day I found out that my girl friend was seeing another guy that had just returned from "Nam". I took my experiences from Korea and made out somewhat well. Tim thanks for helping me to finally get rid of some of the guilt I have been carrying around for almost forty years.
I thoroughly enjoyed your novel, it brought back alot of memories of Ascom, and Korea. The factory girls waving from their dormitories, as we drove by heading to the MSR, that was a long lost memory. You captured the everyday life perfectly. ...thanks again for writing the book, I will recommend it.
My wife finished the novel and she said it was a very interesting and great story.
I am interested in how good your book does. It will tell us how many guys really remember this place in our past. I hope it does super for you. I was so young and in shock when our ship landed at Inchon. They then bused us over to Ascom
I wanted to let you know what a great book you have written. I was in Korea in the army up in the 2nd Div near the Imjin River in 66-67. Your book takes me back to those days. I had a yobo for a while and lived thru some of the things you write about. I broke up with her when they shipped me up north from my original compound and she had someone type me a very sorrowful letter describing the girls as "Trodden Flowers". I think that was a good description of their miserable lives. My little gal treated me very well and I did kinda feel for her but like many soldiers I was just young and a long way from home. I wondered what ever became of her and the many like her? This book, [Seasons in the Kingdom], actually woke me up some as really didn't know their whole dilemma. I guessed they were like slaves to a mamasan-but didn't really understand it.
WOW! I finished your novel last night. This is just an opinion from an old farm boy down in southeast Texas. I think it was great. It portrayed our time in Korea so well that I felt like I was back there.
I am to Man and the Tiger. For a slow reader I'm moving along. I really really like the story. It's like I'm there watching all this happen. Can't wait to read some more.
I received the copy of Seasons In The Kingdom today and can't wait to start it.
You certainly brought the memories of the village life. The girls, the booze,the food, the total different way of life, we all experienced over there.
I remember the changing seasons. The drabness of winter, the beauty of spring, the steaming wetness of summer, and the cooling sense of fall. I can see the meat markets with flies all over the meat hanging in the display cases. The bikes loaded with whatever stacked as high as they could. The pigs drunk on mokali (sp) going to market. Seeing the man walking down the dike with what seemed to be a large white sack over his shoulder and when we got close enough, it turned out to be large dog slaughtered and on the way to market or home. The smells of kimchi at the pass and i.d. gate in the mornings, I can still smell it, damn near 40 years later. Yes, you brought back the memories, of a different time in our young lives. Do you ever wonder how things have changed over there?
Hi Tim: Yes I started your book and I'm enjoying it very much. Things are coming back to me as if they happened yesterday.
Seasons in the Kingdom is a touching novel. It stays with you long after the read is completed.
"Seasons in the Kingdom stays with you long after the read is completed...Norris has written a moving novel that weaves real life events and places with a memorably touching love story between a U.S. GI and a local Korean girl." ROK Drop review
Extraordinarily beautiful and detailed "word paintings" of the land and its people round out this unforgettable book, resonating with the experiences of hundreds of thousands of US service men and the Koreans who knew them during their seasons in the kingdom.
True and honest book I was at camp Casey 76-78. Had a Yobo and 35 years later she is still my wife . So many memories you had brought back to life . Good read for korean Vets.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to that, too. I had a Yobo in Pusan and she is not my Yobo but my wife for 54 years.
Delete