By: Ashmar Mandou

Working as an English teacher in some of the most exotic places around the world, including Taiwan and South Korea, Editor-in-Chief of Lawndale Bilingual Newspaper Daniel Nardini felt compelled to put into book his love for the people he encountered along his journey and how South Korea, especially, irrevocably impacted his life. In his wonderful debut novel, South Korea: Our Story, Nardini narrates his personal discovery of the Republic of Korea, South Korea, mainly, and its cultural and historical heritage. Although Nardini delves deeper into the political struggles of Korea, South Korea: Our Story is a testament to the love he found in wife, Ryoo Hwa Soon, a pupil of his who shared with him her love for South Korea.

“I was motivated to write this book, mainly for my wife,” said Nardini. “It’s really a love story about how my wife and I met and the circumstances we were both under. But also, this book was written as a homage to the Korean people who took me in and shared with me what it meant to be Korean. And, this book was written to address the stereotypes most Westerners hold towards the Asian countries.” With a BA degree in anthropology and history from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin and an MA in European and Asian history from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Nardini has always upheld an interest in Asian culture, through his debut novel, he hopes to share his passion with readers and enlighten them of Korea’s power struggle between forces of freedom and democracy and forces of Communism. “I strongly hope after reading this book, people develop a better understanding of who Korean people are and how political strife affected their daily lives.” To buy a copy of South Korea: Our Story, visit www.Xlibris.com.