Island Ablaze and Other Stories: The US Empire in North and South Korean Literatures

Island Ablaze and Other Stories is an anthology of thirteen stories-eleven from South Korea and two from North Korea-about these countries' complicated relationships with their most important ally and enemy: the United States. Set in times ranging from colonial Korea to the new millennium, these stories offer a look into the many ways that the US empire shapes the lives of Koreans.

In "Dawn," schoolgirl sweethearts living under Japanese colonial rule reconnect as young mothers amid celebrat...