Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson's Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard Ph.D.: Volume 1 Reviewed By Lois Henderson of Bookpleasures.com
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Lois C. Henderson
Reviewer Lois C. Henderson: Lois is a freelance academic editor and back-of-book indexer, who spends most of her free time compiling word search puzzles for tourism and educative purposes. Her puzzles are available HERE and HERE Her Twitter account (@LoisCHenderson) mainly focusses on the toponymy of British place names. Please feel welcome to contact her with any feedback at LoisCourtenayHenderson@gmail.com.
By Lois C. Henderson
Published on May 31, 2011
Author: Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 1460989422
Click Here To Purchase Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard Ph.D.
Author: Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 1460989422
Volume 1 of Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard PhD: Volume 1 starts with Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson’s attendance of her graduation ceremony on her successful completion of her doctorate, undertaken at the prestigious Harvard University. She is justifiably proud of having attained such an achievement, as she is a fine example of the American dream come true, having worked her way up from being at one of the lowest levels of the service industry to obtaining the highest academic achievement available. The remainder of Volume 1 covers Dr. Robertson’s childhood in Korea and her early working career, until she first sets eyes on America.
Despite her childhood being subject to much poverty and emotional neglect, family values shine through from start to finish—she was, after all, responsible for bringing her family to the United States, in addition to masterminding her own passage to the country. The illiteracy of her parents and the gender discrimination that was rampant in the Korea of her youth led to her having to fight each inch of the way to obtain her high school diploma. Starting with the domestic responsibilities that she had to assume from an early age, Dr. Robertson’s work ethic shines through these pages. Her father’s absence from home, during World War II working as a laborer in Japan and during the Korean War acting as a carrier for the American forces in Korea, meant that her family was without a strong paternal figure for long periods of time. Small wonder, then, that she came to realize the strength of women, who so often have to maintain a family and home in the absence of what many used to consider ‘their stronger half.’ Dr. Robertson shows how keeping a tavern at home and engaging in black market activities were essential means of keeping the family financially stable through even the darkest of times.
The insights that this autobiography gives into the life of the Korean working class during the second half of the 20th century are fascinating, and should be of interest to anyone involved with cross-cultural studies. What prevents this work from being a really outstanding piece of non-fiction is the lack of sound editing, however. The author’s inability to express herself fluently in the English language impacts negatively on the flow of the writing, so that, although the tone and spirit of the book are uplifting, Dr. Robertson’s message is not conveyed as clearly as it might have been if she had made use of the services of a professional editor. Nevertheless, Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard PhD: Volume 1 shows clear evidence of Dr. Robertson’s history as a motivational speaker, and one anticipates with much pleasure the second volume of her autobiography.
Click Here To Purchase Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard Ph.D.
Author: Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 1460989422
Click Here To Purchase Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard Ph.D.
Author: Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 1460989422
Volume 1 of Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard PhD: Volume 1 starts with Dr. Jin Kyu Robertson’s attendance of her graduation ceremony on her successful completion of her doctorate, undertaken at the prestigious Harvard University. She is justifiably proud of having attained such an achievement, as she is a fine example of the American dream come true, having worked her way up from being at one of the lowest levels of the service industry to obtaining the highest academic achievement available. The remainder of Volume 1 covers Dr. Robertson’s childhood in Korea and her early working career, until she first sets eyes on America.
Despite her childhood being subject to much poverty and emotional neglect, family values shine through from start to finish—she was, after all, responsible for bringing her family to the United States, in addition to masterminding her own passage to the country. The illiteracy of her parents and the gender discrimination that was rampant in the Korea of her youth led to her having to fight each inch of the way to obtain her high school diploma. Starting with the domestic responsibilities that she had to assume from an early age, Dr. Robertson’s work ethic shines through these pages. Her father’s absence from home, during World War II working as a laborer in Japan and during the Korean War acting as a carrier for the American forces in Korea, meant that her family was without a strong paternal figure for long periods of time. Small wonder, then, that she came to realize the strength of women, who so often have to maintain a family and home in the absence of what many used to consider ‘their stronger half.’ Dr. Robertson shows how keeping a tavern at home and engaging in black market activities were essential means of keeping the family financially stable through even the darkest of times.
The insights that this autobiography gives into the life of the Korean working class during the second half of the 20th century are fascinating, and should be of interest to anyone involved with cross-cultural studies. What prevents this work from being a really outstanding piece of non-fiction is the lack of sound editing, however. The author’s inability to express herself fluently in the English language impacts negatively on the flow of the writing, so that, although the tone and spirit of the book are uplifting, Dr. Robertson’s message is not conveyed as clearly as it might have been if she had made use of the services of a professional editor. Nevertheless, Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard PhD: Volume 1 shows clear evidence of Dr. Robertson’s history as a motivational speaker, and one anticipates with much pleasure the second volume of her autobiography.
Click Here To Purchase Major Dream: From Immigrant Housemaid to Harvard Ph.D.