Quiet Odyssey is an autobiography written by Mary Paik Lee, a Korean American woman born in Pyongyang, Korea. Mary Paik Lee was born in 1900 to Paik Sin Koo and Song Kuang Do. Mary's family had been raised educated. Her grandfather was a teacher. Her grandfather taught his wife how to read and write and encouraged her to study his books. He provided her with knowledge that was not available to many women living in that time. Her grandmother eventually taught Mary's mother, her daughter-in-law, to read and write as well. Mary's father educated the two first Presbyterian Missionaries on how to speak and write Korean. The two missionaries then took that knowledge and translated the Bible into Korean and also built churches and hospitals. Mary's grandmother was so impressed with what they had done that she decided to build the first girl's school in a small hut. That small school eventually turned into a large brick building with hundreds of female students attending. Mary had come from a pretty well off family that was educated and looked up to in the Korean community. When Mary was five years old, two Japanese officers came to their door and removed them from their house to provide a house for incoming Japanese soldiers. Quiet Odyssey is the story of Mary's life immigrating to America and all of her experiences of discrimination, work experiences, struggles to survive, and many lessons from her wise father and mother.
Quiet Odyssey is a rare account of a Korean American because many women in her time did not keep journals of any sort to recount times in their lives. Enjoy the glimpse into the life of Mary Paik Lee and all of her experiences as a Korean American living in the unfamiliar country called America.
Quiet Odyssey is a rare account of a Korean American because many women in her time did not keep journals of any sort to recount times in their lives. Enjoy the glimpse into the life of Mary Paik Lee and all of her experiences as a Korean American living in the unfamiliar country called America.