Korean Ceramics: The Beauty of Natural Forms (Korea Essentials)

Book is a little bit on the small side, and generally leaves out the early history of Korean ceramics, beginning only in the Koryo period except for one or two examples. It does however cover contemporary Korean ceramic artists.

This is a very useful basic introduction to Korean ceramics. It is clearly written, short and light. I carry it with me when I visit museums with collections of Korean ceramics, like the British Museum or V&A. I find that much more useful than having a longer, heavier book that I would have to read at home. The ceramics are wonderful but the collections are small and far more unfamiliar than Chinese or Japanese items,

Small book that reads like a bunch of travel magazine-style articles--which apparently is exactly what it is: a compilation of promotional articles. I was hoping for something more scholarly, with more and bigger photos.

Two main problems with this little book (that has so much potential):(1) Too cursory; one can look to wikipedia entries for more substantive and accurate information(2) Bizarrely denigrates Chinese and Japanese ceramic traditions to bring up Korean ceramics: "Whereas the mainstream ceramics of China and Japan were decorated with abstract and fanciful designs or elaborate ornamentation, Korean ceramics featured a much more subtle means of expression"; the book is peppered with such claims that are so flatly un-nuanced and dishonest as to render this volume useless. Koehler does the public a disservice here.

This tiny little book is not much better than a pamphlet - a rough guide for the dilettante written by someone with good general knowledge of Korea but who is definitely not an expert on Asian ceramics. A book of this type needs to be treated with the authority and respect that comes only from an expert. It needs to be much more comprehensive. Why? This subject interest collectors and the serious student of ceramics for whom the paucity of good literature in english is a problem. For anyone else, a book is not needed as there's enough general info on the web to satisfy the casually curious. The fact is there is a lot published on Korean ceramics in Korean but not much that is written in English so it is a disappointment that so little of this richness has made it to press in English and that this little rag got published.

Amazing especially the sections on contemporary Korean ceramics. I would wish I had the money to visit Korea and see the national museum for myself.

A good way into an initial understanding classical Korean ceramics