The Diary of 1636

Don Baker, author of Catholics and Anti-Catholicism in Chosŏn Dynasty Korea:
Kallander’s translation of Na Man’gap’s eyewitness account of the 1637 Manchu invasion of Korea opens a window into an important event in Korea history. Providing insight into the Chosŏn response, Na's diary shows the attempt to balance the loyalty to the Ming that Confucian ethics demanded with the recognition of the overwhelming strength of the invading Manchu forces that realism required. Truly required reading for the history of Korea’s Chosŏn dynasty.

Jisoo M. Kim, author of The Emotions of Justice: Gender, Status, and Legal Performance in Choson Korea:
The Diary of 1636 offers a fascinating narrative of the military attack, traumatic experiences, humiliating defeat, surrender, and the post-invasion political circumstances. This excellent translation is a must-read for students and scholars working on Sino-Korean relations in the early modern period.

Nicola Di Cosmo, translator of The Diary of a Manchu Soldier in Seventeenth-Century China:
Na Man’gap’s vivid and detailed description of the Manchu invasion of Korea constitutes an essential work for anyone interested in Manchu-Korean relations. George Kallander’s expert translation and exhaustive introduction make The Diary of 1636 one of the most important primary sources available in English on early seventeenth-century Korean and East Asian history.

Michael J. Pettid, coeditor of Premodern Korean Literary Prose:
The Diary of 1636 is a fascinating firsthand description of the turmoil and difficulties in Chosŏn during the second Manchu invasion. Kallander’s engaging and highly readable translation provides an understanding of the Chosŏn response to the invasions, internal power struggles, and consequences of this momentous event that reshaped the face of East Asia.