Good Anthropological Sources for Korea

[thanson02]

Hey everyone.

I recently have gotten the bug to get back into studying Korean history and I wanted to look at it from a wider perspective then the Samguk Sagi and other translated sources of the history. What I have read so far are the following:

• Sources for Korean Tradition vol. 1 and 2 by Peter H Lee
• Korea Old and New: A History by Carter Eckert
• Muye Dobo Tongji translated by Sang H Kim
• Various Korean Buddhist sources including web sites and Korean Buddhist material
• Sun Do web site on Korean Taoism
• An introductory source on Korean Language
• My understanding on Korean culture by interacting with people who are Korean.
• Wikipedia for looking up specifics on people and individuals

In addition to this, I have also read sources from different martial arts groups, but with martial art groups, the focus is different and many martial artist, even though they are good at martial arts, are not necessarily the best historians.

The other reason I am asking this is that I ended up losing all my books on Korean history and culture last year due to a house fire and I want to replace what I lost with text of good quality. With that, I guess I am looking for sources to complement the historical text, such as good archeological sources for ancient Korea, etymologies on Korean Language, sources people found to be valuable and informative. Also if they have a good translation to the Samguk Sagi that they really enjoyed, or found to be better than others would also be welcome.

 

[miguksaram]

Under the Black Umbrella by Hilda Kang
Anything from JayHyun Kim Haboush
I have several of the books that you have mentioned. I really like the Under the Black Umbrella. And the writings from Kim, JayHyun are excellent. Good luck.

 

[oftheherd1]

For a different perspective of a Korea of some decades ago, you might want to read I Married a Korean by Agnes Davis Kim.