Book Reviews NSW Writers’ Centre
Waiting for a Wide Horse Sky
by Elaine Kennedy
Review by Kate Matthew
Elaine Kennedy’s memoir of her time living and working in Korea in the late 1990s touches the heart. Embroiled in a situation that was by turns exasperating, annoying and funny, Kennedy and her new friends made helping others a priority – sometimes at their own personal risk. The plight of the migrant factory workers is real, the conditions in which they live and work are outrageous, and their need for help is compelling. As Kennedy and her friends stepped in to help where they could, and provided some support to these workers and those campaigning on their behalf, they discovered the potential for new beginnings – not just for the workers but for themselves and others around them.
Kennedy and her new friends came from different countries to help prepare Korean teachers to integrate the teaching of English language into their schools. Each had a different reason for being there, and as their stories unfold their willingness to tolerate the sometimes difficult living conditions in Korea becomes clearer. Each of them goes through a profound personal journey, which is mirrored by the locals they meet. There are many beautiful stories here, intertwined and yet individual in very important ways. Myong-Ai’s transformation from Kennedy’s nosey land-lady to a happy and successful woman is one of the most beautiful journeys in this kaleidoscope of humanity.
I have never wanted to visit South Korea, and this book has not changed my mind. But then it is not a travel memoir. South Korea is a character as much as any of the human ones, and its life is just as important as theirs. I sense that perhaps Kennedy’s experience didn’t really change the essence of who she is – that she always had the resilience and compassion to make a difference in the lives of others. Perhaps it only required a particular set of circumstances to bring her strength forward to take a more conspicuous place in her life.
Told with the pace of an adventure story, with emotional honesty and self-reflection, and with no less than three love stories unfolding under difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances, this book is a very satisfying read.
Kate Matthew is a historian, writer and reviewer, currently doing her PhD in Australian history.
