Contrary to the popular belief that life in an occupied land is always harsh, this collection of memories from Koreans who had lived under "the black umbrella" of Japanese colonial rule in the first half of the 20th century shows that many in fact led normal lives. The author and her husband interviewed the many Koreans who have now settled in San Franciso in the US. What they got were rich and varied life stories and of these, six major stories and many vignettes have made their way into this volume. This book was first published as hardback in 2001.