Genre: Book
Grade: A-/B+
Notable People: Min Jin Lee
Title: ” Pachinko”
Review: Beautiful, quiet and very long book from Korean-Americana author, Lee, that tells the 80-year story (1910-1980) of four generations of Koreans living in Japan under the at times brutal colonial administration and control of the Japanese. It is an intense tale of an entire culture forced into submission by a much more dominant and relentless adversary, and filled with anguish and tragedy. The characters are vivid, the writing precise and the tale contains an amazing lifetime of twists and turns. It was an eye opening experience for me about a proud culture I knew little about and a harrowing portrayal of the war years. The title refers to the beloved bingo parlors that are a mainstay of Korean culture and often associated with the Yakuza (Japanese gangsters). Very, very lengthy book that may be a bit difficult for some to stick with, and took me some time to finish. Not for everyone, but a splendid read