Axis of Evil World Tour
by Scott Fisher (author of this website), Dec. 2006
Updated Kindle edition with more maps and photos, Jan. 2011

This is the story of my time in North Korea, plus Iraq and Iran. You can read more about the North Korea part of the trip here at 1stopKorea by heading to Journey into Kimland.

To read excerpts from the Iraq and Iran parts of the book, plus see dozens of photos from all three trips, head to the book's companion website at AxisofEvilTour.com. Enjoy! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me here at 1stopKorea.

Lonely Planet Korea (6th Ed)

by Martin Robinson, et al. (April 2004)

While I've always found Lonely Planet maps leave a little (or a lot) to be desired this is still the best guidebook to Korea. Though no guidebook can keep up with rapidly changing prices this one is updated often enough to keep you on the right track. Since I got tired of updating the pictures on these guidebooks every couple of years I've changed the coding to let Amazon do it for me, as you can (hopefully) see to the left.

One of the few guidebooks to Korea that includes travel to North Korea.

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Lonely Planet Seoul

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by Tom Le Bas (Feb. 2001)

The popular Insight Guide series comes together with the Discovery Channel to create one of the better guides to Korea. This one even has decent maps!

With a 2001 publication date the book is getting a bit long in the tooth. Until they decide to update this one the Lonely Planet or Moon guidebooks may be the better choices.

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Moon Handbooks - South Korea

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by Minkyoung Kim, J. D. Hilts (May 2002)

When you're on the run and need to get something basic across these little guides can be lifesavers. No substitute for a language course, they can still be indispensable for travel's little curveballs.

This is one of the more up-to-date Korean phrasebooks. Certainly more-so than the 1988 book below.

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by Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop

Probably the best Korean travel narrative. The account of the journeys of an upper-class British woman through turn-of-the-19th-century Korea. She details her meetings with the King and Queen as well as her travels throughout the country. A perfect companion even for a trip in current Korea.

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by Sonja Vegdahl Hur, Ben Seunghua Hur (Oct. 1992)

I wish I would have had a resource like this when I first went to Korea - packed with useful information for living and working in South Korea. Of course, at this point the book is starting to get pretty dated. Internet? What's the Internet? Hopefully an update will come out someday.

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Passport Korea

Help Wanted: Korea
The Insider's Guide to Working in Exotic South Korea

by Samuel Jay Hawley (June 1997)

I don't know how 'exotic' South Korea is, it's not exactly the back-end of Borneo, but this book helps guide you through the pitfalls of getting (and keeping) a decent job in Korea.

by Lee O-Young and John Holstein (translator) (April 1999)

Beautiful book of photographs and illustrations of Korean arts and cultural artifacts.

American English - A Teacher's Journey in Seoul, South Korea

by Andrew Luxner (December 2004)

Whether he's eating dog, visiting a brothel, or waking up next to some nameless Korean girl, first-time author Andrew Luxner paints a picture of modern Korea that is much at odds with Western images of traditional Asian societies. American English chronicles a year of the author's life spent teaching English to a rich cross-section of Korean society. Among his students you'll find bored housewives, belligerent salarymen, spoiled children, and sexy-yet-incredibly-innocent Korean university co-eds.

[Disclosure - this book was written by a friend and former colleague. The review is taken from one found on Amazon.com.]

Island of Fantasy - A Memoir of an English Teacher in Korea

by Shawn Matthews (January 2004)

In this fascinating memoir of an English teacher, the author says goodbye to a mundane existence in America and ventures to teach English on a remote island off the coast of South Korea. Koje-do island, he says, is a mixture of charm and peaceful beauty, but in its city center sits the Wonder School – a place of frantic chaos and disorganization. The story begins with his recollections of a group interview when eight teachers ask him why he wants to be an English teacher. "I love working with high school students . . . more

[Disclosure - the review is taken from one found on SeoulSelection.com.]

Chopsticks and French Fries:
How and Why to Teach English in South Korea

by Samantha D. Amara (April 2002)

Samantha Amara guides you through the maze of contract and cultural issues that confront the first time teacher. She offers a checklist of things to ask for and to avoid. And she gives you realistic expectations of life halfway around the world.

[Disclosure - the review is taken from one found on Amazon.com.]

Korea Calling: The Essential Handbook
for Teaching English and Living in South Korea

by Jay W. Freeborne, Allegra J. Specht (November 1996)

Korea Calling is a convenient guide for potential English teachers in South Korea. Separated in three sections: 1) Getting a Job 2) Teaching English to Koreans; and 3) Surviving Korean Culture, the book is easy to use and very thorough. The Teaching section itself is a "greatest hits" of teaching ideas for the classroom, time-tested methods for teaching English to the Korean market.

[Disclosure - the review is taken from one found on Amazon.com.]

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White Badge: A Novel of Korea

by Ahn Junghyo (Sept. 1993)

A novel of Korea set in Vietnam during an 'American war' - certain to open eyes and leave lasting impressions of all three cultures. This book was also turned into a very popular movie sometimes referred to as a Korean 'Platoon'.

by Ahn Junghyo (Sept. 1993)

The arrival of American soldiers in a small village during the Korean war upsets the traditional balance of power as the effects of the soldiers presence ripple their way through the local community. A fresh look at the war through the eyes of the countryside it affected so deeply.

A Single Shard

by Linda Sue Park (April 2001)

Winner of the 2002 Newberry Award for its contribution to children's literature in America. Set in 12th-century Korea, the novel tells the story of a young orphan apprenticed to a potter.

by Don Oberdorfer (Feb. 2002)

Oberdorfer's mainstream views of Korean history give you the background and knowledge to impress your Korean hosts and friends without getting into an ideological struggle. Oberdorfer's background in journalism make this an entertaining, fast-paced breeze through time.

Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History

by Bruce Cumings (updated Sept. 2005)

Perhaps the best known American scholar of modern Korean history is Bruce Cumings. His writings are definitely infused with his political leanings but this is still a good introduction to, mainly modern, Korean history. The book would be perfect for an undergrad class on the subject, or for someone with a general interest in Korea or NE Asia.

While reading the parts on North Korea I kept wondering if his main purpose was not being denied a future visa. Anyway, Cumings at his insightful and thought-provoking best.

The Korean War
An International History

by William Stueck (July 1997)

As the name implies, this book takes a much more international approach to the history of the Korean War. Mainly this means using the greater access to Soviet records afforded by the collapse of the USSR to examine the decision-making going on in Moscow, Beijing and Pyongyang both prior to the war and during the truce negotiations.

Well-written book that uses Soviet records to put to rest the silliness that the North didn't intend to start the war.

Eye on Korea
An Insider Account of Korean-American Relations

by James Young (July 2003)
edited and with an introduction by William Stueck (see book above)

An inside look at Korean history from the mid-1960s to the 90s through the eyes of a U.S. military officer, and later military attache (read: intel guy), with U.S. Forces Korea and the U.S. embassy in Korea.

Young was present during some of the most important developments in late 20th century Korean history (i.e. the coup in 1979, the imposition of martial law and the Kwangju/Gwangju 'Incident', etc.), and gives an insider's account of what the U.S. was doing and thinking at the time.

by Carter Eckert and Lee Ki-Baik (July 1991)

An easy-to-read introduction to Korean history, perfect for someone wanting to learn about Korea without feeling like they're preparing for a dissertation or a political struggle.

A New History of Korea

by Lee Ki-Baik (updated Sept. 2005)

A good, basic introduction to Korean history from ancient times down to the late 1980s. Originally published in 1961, it has been updated several times since, with the most recent in 2005.

by Bruce Cumings (1981)

Agree with him or not, this is still the English language resource for the initial post WWII liberation period and the origins of the Korea War five years later. No finer book on the period.

True Stories of the Korean Comfort Women

by Keith Howard (Editor) (March 1996)

Read this one and Abacus and the Sword together for two very contrasting views of the occupation period.

Warning - the stories in this book are as graphic as they are truthful, not for the squeamish.

by Peter Duus (April 1998)

How did Korea come to find itself a Japanese colony? That's the question posed and explored in this scholarly look at the turn-of-the-century relationship between these two countries.

Offspring of Empire

by Carter Eckert (April 1996)

Perhaps the most in-depth English language look at the colonial period. Offspring traces the history of a Korean family/clan (the Kochang Kims) to both investigate the origins of capitalism in Korea and look at Korean collaboration during the Japanese colonial period.

by Katherine H.S. Moon (April 1997)

Uses an examination of the GI-Korean sex trade to look at US-Korea relations. Interesting research, but the ideas never really gel when trying to go from the small to the big picture.

Troubled Tiger:
Businessmen, Bureaucrats and Generals in South Korea

by Mark L. Clifford (revised Dec. 1997)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, after lending it to quite a few friends, have yet to meet a person who has lived or done business in Korea that hasn't felt the same. Clifford has the firsthand experience necessary to write a fascinating book on doing business in Korea - a look that in some ways predicted the 1997 financial crisis years before it hit.

Korean Etiquette and Ethics in Business

by Boye Lafayette De Mente (Sept. 1994)

Though some people's first assumption may be that this book is empty . . . it's actually a useful look at doing business with one of the world's largest trading nations. The main problem with the book now is that it's getting pretty old - a book on Korean business written in the pre-Internet era can't help but miss key developments.

Dictionary of Korea's Business and Cultural Code Words

by Boye Lafayette De Mente (April 1998)

The subtitle pretty much says it all: The Complete Guide to Key Words That Express How the Koreans Think, Communicate, and Behave.

Doing Business With Korea

by Paul A. Leppert (Jan. 1997)

This is part of a series of books on doing business in different areas of the world. Gives both background and useful Korea-related (surprise) business information. Here again, the main problem is the age of the book, coming before both the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the development of Korea into an IT power.

Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen: A Cookbook

by Hi Soo Shin Hepinstall (July 2001)

The top-rated and most popular Korean cookbook at Amazon. Not just recipes, the book also contains stories and tips from the author's life.

Over 175 recipes.

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Dok Suni

by Jenny Kwak, Liz Fried (Contributor) (Oct. 1998)

Subtitled: Recipes from My Mother's Korean Kitchen. The book contains a pproximately 70 recipes.

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Flavors of Korea: Delicious Vegetarian Cuisine

by Deborah Coultrip-Davis, Young Sook Ramsay (April 1998)

Many people are surprised when they arrive in Korea and find that vegetarian food isn't all that common, especially when you get away from the areas near Buddhist temples. This book tracks down and explains Korea's vegetarian food.

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by Copeland Marks (March 1999)

 

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Flavours of Korea

by Marc Millon, Kim Millon (Oct. 1991)

Subtitled: With Stories and Recipes from a Korean Grandmother's Kitchen.

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Comrades and Strangers
Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea

by Michael Harrold (2004)

A book on North Korea by someone who's actually lived there! The story of a British 'language advisor' who lived in Pyongyang for seven years spanning the late 1980s to the mid-90s. Working as an editor for English language publications by the North, the writer was able to see much more than your average tourist, journalist, or even diplomat.

Even at 400 pages this is a quick, interesting read.

by Erik Cornell (2002)

Another book by someone who has actually lived in the North. Cornell opened the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang in 1975 and served as Charge there until 1977. Obviously this makes his impressions more dated than those of Harrold, above, but they do provide some interesting insight into a time in North Korean history where there was an opening to the West.

Though less than 200 pages a somewhat slow, academic read.

Nuclear North Korea
A Debate on Engagement Strategies

by Victor Cha and David Kang (2003)

An interesting format here - the authors take turns writing the chapters in order to debate various ways of looking at, and dealing with, North Korea. A bit odd at first but works well once you get rolling.

The book expouses 'hawk engagement' - which seems to mean diplomacy first, but with a gun in your pocket and your eyes peeled for trouble. Sensible perhaps, but not exactly earth-shattering.

by Selig S. Harrison (May, 2002)

Quite simply the clearest, best written analysis of US-North Korean relations I have ever read. The author has been intimately involved in the subject for decades and brings a level of personal experience and knowledge to the field as yet unequaled by other American researchers.

by Kongdan Oh, Ralph C. Hassig (Sept. 2000)

An interesting, relatively easy-to-read look at North Korea, it's economy and government. Includes background on Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, a look at the military-state relationship and the prospects and methods for inducing change from the outside.

by Marcus Noland (June 2000)

An extremely academic, strongly researched look at North (and South) Korea from an economic perspective. Pays special attention to unification and the methods and costs involved. Not an easy read but certainly a worthwhile one.

by Nicholas Eberstadt (Oct. 1999)

A very interesting examination of the current approach to dealing with North Korea, mainly from an economic perspective. Details how the regime's faults are mainly of its own making, rather than the result of outside embargoes or poor weather.

by Kang Chol-Hwan, Pierre Rigoulot, Yair Reiner (Translator)
(Sept. 2002)

The author, Kang Chol-Hwan, tells the awful story of his life growing up in a North Korean prison camp. How his family was ripped away from its upper-class Pyongyang home, forcing him to come of age in the inhumanity of a North Korean gulag. A quick, compelling read.

This is the North Korean defector/author given a private audience with Bush at the White House in summer 2005.

by Helen-Louise Hunter, Stephen J. Solarz (April 1999)

A general, easy-to-read look at North Korea. North Korean life is broken down into chapters on family life, romance, "hoodlums," marriage, overwork, housing, etc. Of course the life and beliefs of Kim Il-sung are also outlined and examined.

This book was originally a report prepared by the CIA in the mid-80s that has since been updated and put into book form.

by Lee, Soon-Ok (Oct. 1999)

I regret that I haven't yet read this book but it has been recommended by numerous readers and friends. Describes the treatment and conditions of prisoners in the North Korean gulag.

by Bruce Cumings (2004)

Hands down the worst book on 'North Korea' I have ever read. The second half actually talks about the North. Unfortunately the first half mainly contains random writings about the author's personal views on U.S. politics - you're far more likely to read about Newt Gingrich than anyone North Korean. Incoherent, disjointed attempt by the well-known author to cash in on the current wave of interest in North Korea-related books. Don't waste your money!

Crisis on the Korean Peninsula

by Michael E. O'Hanlon, Mike M. Mochizuki (2003)

Provides an excellent summation and background of the current crisis, plus clearly delineates a path to deescalating the crisis. If you're looking for a great overview of the current situation and what the policy alternatives are for dealing with the North then this book is a great place to start.

by Bradley K. Martin (2004)

At over 700 pages, plus nearly 150 pages of notes, this is one of the most detailed English-language books on North Korea I have ever read. The author's journalism background makes for a more enjoyable, less-academic read than most others on this page, plus the controversial use of defector testimony/interviews brings the subject to life. Strange name aside, an excellent, thoroughly readable look at North Korea.

(Traditionally, defector testimony has been thought unreliable due to the suspected influence of South Korean intelligence on refugees during their initial debriefing period in the South. However the much larger numbers of defectors over the past few years, with their similar stories, have led many, including Martin, to re-evaluate this preconception.)

by Jasper Becker (2005)

While not quite as bad as the Cumings book (North Korea Another Country), with its odd fixation on the U.S., Rogue Regime is close. Becker's book starts with a ridiculous war scenario, then continues with writing so full of errors of fact and editing that any remaining credibility is soon lost.

Becker has a right-wing outlook that may appeal to some, but, without much more editing and adding some evidence of actual knowledge of Korea, Koreans and Korean, I can't see this book as being very useful. Go with the Martin book, (much better than the odd name would indicate), the Harrison book, and/or the Kang book for the best in this section.

Living with the Enemy: Inside North Korea

by Richard Saccone (Sept. 2006)

Recommended by a reader and one I am now enjoying myself. The author lived in North Korea (how many Americans can claim that?) for a year as a representative of KEDO, the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization. This was the international group, now basically history, that was tasked with building nuclear power plants in North Korea in exchange for them agreeing not to develop nuclear weapons and technology ...

The book is an interesting inside account of living in the North, but, Dr. Saccone ... this is an editor. Editor ... this is Dr. Saccone. Now that you two have met you need to spend some serious time together - paragraphs shouldn't last for pages, for example.