In Nabi—our word for butterfly—we accepted each passing day as a blessing in our palms, for it meant we had survived on what little food we could afford. Now summer was here and it brought a burst of butterflies, good omens for a better time...

Korea in 1941 is a nation defined by oppression. The Japanese Occupation has stripped the Koreans of their land and their identity, and yet it cannot claim the spirit of a people determined to preserve their heritage.

In a small village in the south, Sei-Young Shin struggles to help feed his family and dreams of a life of freedom. Grandfather reminded me of who I truly was. Night after night he would recite, ÔYour name is Sei-Young, which means Ôto swim across the world.' Someday you will do just that.' For Heisook Pang, the daughter of a prominent minister, life in the north is gentlerÑuntil she looks beneath the surface of her seemingly privileged existence. 

World War II alters both Sei-Young and Heisook's lives as Korea, once again denied the chance to shape its own destiny, becomes a country divided. The Russians establish Communism in the north, and the Americans establish democracy in the south. As Heisook states, In time I would learn the difference between the two. While Sei-Young experiences freedom for the first time in his life, attends college, and discovers a talent for public speaking, life for Heisook becomes even more harsh. With Communism taking hold in the north and her future in peril, Heisook makes a daring escape to join her father in the south. Here she meets Sei-Young, and their lives and souls interlock in a way that neither ever imagined. 

The narrative spans nearly fifteen years with Heisook and Sei-Young's stories unfolding in alternating chapters. Based on the lives of the authors' parents, To Swim Across the World is told in lyrical prose that magnifies its story of sacrifice, tragedy, and love. It is an illuminating portrait of a country in turmoil and an extraordinary tribute to a remarkable family.