Korean immigrants and the challenge of adjustment /

Jo's book describes a wide range of difficulties relating to language, work, family, and prejudice confronted by foreign-born Korean Americans. The author supplements a survey of the relevant literature with quotations from approximately 50 Korean Americans who completed a questionnaire after being contacted by the author's friends and relatives. Data also is presented from an unknown number of personal interviews and the author's own experiences as a Korean American. Although these data have limitations, college students lacking any knowledge of Korean Americans will benefit from the book's clear exposition and numerous moving quotations. The chapter on prejudice and discrimination is particularly effective, all the more so because this dimension of the Asian American experience has received comparatively little scholarly coverage. There is almost no discussion of religion among Korean Americans, however, even though a high proportion of Korean immigrants are Protestant and Korean churches are common in major US urban areas. This omission may be due to Jo's focus on social problems among Korean Americans rather than coping mechanisms, community building, and achievements. General readers; undergraduates. J. Hein; University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire