Resources and Making Connections

Readers would benefit from exploring the impact of Korea under Japanese colonialism, which ended with Japan’s defeat in World War II, to better grasp the impact that that period continues to have on present-day Korea.

These historical materials hold the key to understanding a large part about colonial practices and the consequences for those oppressed for decades after. While modern-day Canadians may feel distant from fears of colonialism, we need only look a few paces behind us to see the impact it had in our own country. Canada’s Indigenous Peoples are still reeling from the effects of the suppression of their culture, language, and identity, even amidst reconciliation attempts by the Canadian government. In many ways, looking to understand what happened to people across an ocean can help us better understand what happened to the people whose footsteps we stand in now.

The following books, articles, and website resources were used to inform my knowledge of Korea in the 1920s. Some were recommended to me after I’d finished writing the novel, and I have not yet had a chance to read them. I’m excited to expand my learning. If you have a book or resource you’d like to recommend, let me know.