It is good to see the Martin Limón's series about two CID investigators return after a gap of several years between third and fourth book. The latest one is set in the same place I was stationed at (Tongduchon, Korea) although the events of the novel occur in the early 1970's about 15 years before I arrived. Red State Librarian pointed out that the second Inspector O novel, Hidden Moon by James Church, is also out. The first one is excellent and gives what I feel to be a very realistic picture of North Korea although I have not had the pleasure of touring Pyongyang yet. I know that Limón's novels evoke my experience near the DMZ area, in Songtan, and around Itaewon, Seoul despite the time difference. I wanted to order some yakimandus. fried dumplings, immediately upon reading about them in the book. And some ramyun with kimchi.

I received a superb present from my mom yesterday. She sent me a stack of old postcards that my grandparents had mailed to be when I was very young from all over the world. I hope to scan some of these and post them up because they look awesome and while reading them it evoked a series of cascading memories from seeing the old addresses of previous homes and deciphering the briefly scrawled words of my now deceased maternal grandparents. The Door to Bitterness by Limón take places during the Korean holiday of Chusok, sort a combination of Thanksgiving and Memorial Day for ancestors which is also a nice coincidence.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I am off the grocery store to fight the mobs for some rutabagas,cranberry sauce, and chestnuts. Then I am attempting a pumpkin cheesecake. Wish me luck, I will need it.