Quiet Odyssey

Quiet Odyssey: A Pioneer Korean Woman in America is an autobiography by Mary Paik Lee, published by University of Washington Press in 1990. Sucheng Chan wrote the introduction, which is 30 pages long.^[1]

At the time of publication, it was the sole full length book about a 1903-1905 arrival immigrant from Korea to the United States that was still in print at the time. There was also an out of print book about a Korean immigrant who arrived in that time period.^[2] Additionally, it was the first autobiography to have coverage of a whole life that was in a full length format and that was written by an American woman of Asian ancestry.^[3]

Background

The work originated from a manuscript. Wayne Patterson of St. Norbert College stated that Chan was "largely responsible" for obtaining the manuscript and facilitating it being made into a full length volume.^[1]

Contents

The author, in this work, also writes about historical events happening during her lifetime.^[4]

Patterson stated that the "unbridled optimism" expressed, despite a lack of money and prejudice, was "striking, almost quaint".^[2]

The volume has multiple photographs of the author's family. Reviewer Glenna Matthews referred to them as "eloquent".^[5]

Reception

Elaine H. Kim of University of California Berkeley wrote that the book is a "profoundly significant accomplishment",^[6] and that she praised both the "vivid" narrative from the author and the notes from Chan.^[7]

Publishers Weekly wrote that the book is "accessible" and that the notes given by Lee "make [it] a worthwhile addition to the scholarship on Asian American culture."^[4]