the mines , subjected to harsh conditions , weakened by tuberculosis and famine , and nearly broken by the suffering of members of his family .
Yoo ’ s account also provides a window into the tragedy of separated families during and after the war . When the Korean War broke out , Yoo ’ s mother took four younger siblings north of Seoul to escape the fighting while his father stayed in Seoul . His mother expected to be able to come home after the war , but with the division of the peninsula Yoo ’ s parents were never able to see each other again . After being separated from his father for almost half a century , Yoo was finally reunited with his ninety year old father who had lived for nearly fifty years believing his son was dead . Sadly , his father was not able to comprehend that Young-Bok Yoo was his long lost son .
While the book portrays a tragic story , it is nevertheless an inspiring one because Yoo never gave up hope for a better life for himself and his loved ones . Tears of Blood is particularly valuable not only because it portrays the impact of war on a nation and its people , but also provides the reader with a realization that the issues of Korean War have not been resolved and that the pain of the war persists in the minds and hearts of Korean families both on the Korean peninsula and throughout the world .
Yoo ’ s moving account is beautifully translated by Paul Kim , a young Korean American whose grandmother insisted that he grow up fluent in the Korean language . Inspired by Yoo ’ s story , Kim subsequently translated the book when he was only a junior in high school . Tears of Blood is particularly recommended for high school and undergraduate students .
This review by Mary Connor was originally published in the Fall 2013 issue of Education About Asia
78 83