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Everlasting Flower: A History of Korea Paperback – Illustrated, August 15, 2007

by Keith Pratt (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
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The defiant dictatorship of North Korea and the thriving democracy of South Korea may appear starkly different, but they share a complex and often misunderstood history that is ably recounted in Everlasting Flower.
Keith Pratttraverses the ancient landscapes of the Koreas, from the kingdoms of Old Choson and Wiman Choson to the present-day 38th Parallel division. The book’s engaging narrative details the wars, ruling dynasties, Chinese and Japanese imperialism, and controversial historical events such as the abuses of the Japanese occupation.


Everlasting Flower applies an equally careful eye to religious practices, dress, and food, and augments the narrative with richly illustrated pictorial essays. As the Korean peninsula assumes a prominent role in world affairs, Everlasting Flower offers an invaluable survey of Korean history and culture.
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Reaktion Books
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1861893353
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1861893352
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About the Author


Keith Pratt is professor emeritus in the Department of East Asian Studies at Durham University in the United Kingdom. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books and articles on Korea, including Korea: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Reaktion Books (August 15, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1861893353
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1861893352
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

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Keith L. Pratt

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4.2 out of 5 stars
45 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Satisfied customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great introduction to Korean history for someone with a casual interest. Got me hooked!
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  • Thomas O. Morrison
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great (Fairly) Unbiased Overview of Korean History
    Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2007
    Wonderful Resource on Korean History

    I had been looking for a good history book on Korea that could give an overview of Korea's history and culture without being overly dry and especially without being overly nationalistic. This is the book that I had been looking for and that I wish I could have read before going to live in Korea for a few years.

    The book is very well organized and each chapter gives a small paragraph "abstract" on the forthcoming chapter. Interspersed within the text are various "pictorial essays" which at first I feared would be irrelevant and distracting. Instead they are absolutely fascinating and really complement the text. The author uses them, as well as many other references to present Korea not just from a historical list of happenenings but also from the impact of music, cultual diffucion, and other issues that impacted the people, and therefore the history. This is in addition to his easy-to-read style of writing that doesn't bog down with pseudo-intellectualism... it reads quick and clean and is very interesting without being dry.

    Being a fairly small overview, he does cover some material, especially modern topics, in a good general way without a lot of depth or time. A glance though the rear of the book gives up his sources and a way to get further depth though.

    Being a very handy size, this book can be tucked away for travel quite easily for anyone going to Korea for fun, work or martial arts. I'd highly recommend this book for Global Studies/World History teachers, Korean style martial arts enthusiasts, travellers to East Asia and anyone interested in Korea. Excellent reference book!
    34 people found this helpful
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  • Melvin K.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very dense synopsis for the beginner
    Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The book was quite a dense summary of Korean history, a topic I had little to no knowledge about. A good introduction.
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  • 29x281
    3.0 out of 5 stars World's Longest Wikipedia Article
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I can appreciate that Pratt is trying to compress a lot of material into a general survey that covers a couple thousand years. The attempt to accomplish such a thing in 300 pages--and on a topic so remote to Western readers--is bound to leave something out, and in this case, what gets left out is any thematic depth which might serve to make the material relatable to Westerners. I like learning and so I got something out of the book, and a dedicated reader can surely learn something useful. Yet Korea still feels remote to me, and that's too bad.

    A virtue of the book are the stand-alone essays that are interspersed into the chapters and which highlight particular pieces of art or elements of Korean culture. They do add some color and relatability. But somehow I think it was a mistake not to integrate them into the regular narrative, as any other historian might have done.

    Specific complaints: (1) Pratt's ruthless economy refuses to have anything to do with biographical sketches which might serve to humanize the topic; (2) Way too many sentences begin with long dependent clauses that leave you despairing of ever finding a subject, or with structures that separate the subject and verb with details of questionable value; (3) and finally, Pratt is the kind of historian who regards it as a great virtue to remain aloof from making any judgment between the fundamental political alternatives which so obviously present themselves throughout Korean history. Here stands the historian, who having dedicated a large chunk of his life to researching Korean material, refuses to provide the ignorant masses with any guidance concerning those fundamental alternatives. Sadae or Juche, Communism or Chaebol, Pratt is equally factual and equally critical of it all. Equally distant. What mysterious spirit guides him in his non-critical choice for critical non-choice? God only knows, and I doubt Pratt knows either.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Brian Griffith
    5.0 out of 5 stars A work of admirable balance
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2015
    Pratt's work is a real pleasure to read. His depth of familiarity with Korea's history, arts, and intellectual life shows real love for the country and people. He's an impressively unbiased observer, representing all sides in the country's many ideological divisions like a guy who really knows how to listen. Pratt also shows serious appreciation for Korea's arts, from the design of traditional musical instruments to modern painting and film. The overall balance of the book is admirable, and made better by Pratt's admission that he has barely scratched the surface of this story.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Familyof4
    1.0 out of 5 stars Totally inappropriate for TX UIL
    Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This book is definitely not a beginner book. Not for teens. And not a good book for the Texas UIL social studies competition which is why we bought it. I feel bad for all the kids who are going to try to read it. Like a very dry, difficult reading textbook.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Depressingly Suburban
    3.0 out of 5 stars Bad For Beginners
    Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    This book is very well written but it is a bad place for beginners to start. The author clearly expects the reader to have a working knowledge of East Asian history and culture. This was my first book on East Asian history and I was frequently confused by the many vague references to Chinese and Japanese history. I had to get online and look up about 20 different people or events in Japan or China that were used by the author, but were not explained at all. Every facet of Korea is 'similar to' something from China or Japan that I've never heard of. Korean art, for example, is described by saying 'Like Chinese art, except for these three little differing details.' For someone who hasn't studied Chinese art, this is not very illuminating. Now the ONLY thing I know about Korean art is those three little details. It would have been great if I had studied Japan and China and just wanted to know how Korea fit in with the rest of Eastern Asia, but this book is not for East Asian beginners.
    29 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not for teenagers!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    We only bought this book because if UIL. My son who loves history and reading can not get through this book. TX UIL made a bad decision in using this particular book for teenagers. As an adult I'm even having a hard time reading it without falling asleep or getting sidetracked. It has a lot of information but just not very engaging for the reader.
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