Brother One Cell: An American Coming of Age in South Korea's Prisons

excellent, well written, well narrated autobiography/diary
mature and original introspection
as well as clear and deep views of other cultures and people
a crisp style which is also compassionate
a remarkable work and a very good audio book
This book could not be better.

As a first generation Korean American, I could somehow relate to this story. Although I have never been in any prison, the author does well at explaining the Korean culture and give a lot of Korean dialogue in the book. Instead of overacting on the narration with unbearable Asian accents, the narrator using his natural voice, tries to speak the foreign dialogue as best as they can. I've listened to many books over the years where the narration of the story ruins the book because they try to portray the characters too much, where you cannot really listen to them any longer.

The base of this story is about an American, going to Korea, getting caught of having weed and being sentence to prison and understanding the culture and life because of it.

The story was okay. I mean, unlike the United States where you pretty much get a slap on the hand for drugs, overseas countries takes narcotics more seriously and maybe that is a lesson to be learned onto itself.

This careless young man thinks that he can do what he wants in a foreign country. He smuggles dope into Korea. He is caught and then is sure that he will be let go because he has never had to face a consequence before-he is an American after all. Korea has other ideas and he spends time in jail. He could have left that country bitter but instead learns many valuable lessons. He grows up. He comes home a very different person.

I've become somewhat hooked to listening to audio books. I work most days with my hands all day and night long leaving me very little time for anything else besides a good night sleep. As much as I certainly do enjoy silence, music, and the news these audio books have definately filled a void. Whether its listening to some Beckett or attempting to learn a new language through Pimsleur.

I found Cullen's story Brother One Cell fantastic. It will certainly share a space on my harddrive with such recent downloads as Absurdistan, Middlesex, and The Coming China Wars. I think narrator Dan Woren is superb. And listening to another American's observations based on his unique experience in Korea is a relevent and insightful treat.

I enjoyed the many aspects of this book. For the one reviewer who said that Cullen Thomas did not elaborate enough on his time in prison... I disagree. One does not need to read continual repetition of the depirivations of South Korea's prisons to understand that Cullen Thomas went through.

This is a well-written and narrated book - a memoir, a travelogue, and a deep introspective all rolled into one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Cullen Thomas had to grow up and face himself - his ideas about life, his fear of long-term commitments, and his impressions of the world at large. I fully agree with the reviewer who said that the harshness of Korean prison, compared to many of our prisons in the west, forced him to take a good long look at himself. Whether this was a result of the harsh sentence itself or Cullen Thomas in particular, I do not know. But he had to look at his perseptions of himself, and the ideas of prisoners as well, and force us to read along with his story and question ourselves as well.

I didn't read the print version.

The beginning and the end of the book were interesting. The middle part was a little slow. I would have liked to hear more about what the prison life was like which is a bit glossed over.

Interesting, adequate, and fine.

How a young man's error cost him 3 1/2 years of his life.

I recommend this book and am also interested in The Aquariums of Pyongyang.

Great Listen with excellent, seamless narration...Every young person who plans on traveling to other lands should read this -- just as a heads up. Aside from that fact, the story is about a young man coming of age while in a South Korean prison -- it's a very adult book and full of insight to one's soul searching strategies.