The Lost Mother" is the memoir of Iltang, an acclaimed Korean/Japan painter whowas born in 1922. His Korean mother, Ilyeopwas a well-known feminist poetwho, after his birth, renounced the worldto enter into Buddhist monastic life. Iltang's father was the scion of an aristocratic Japanese family. Their relationship was romantic but ultimatelydoomed. In a life marked by war and disruption, Iltang finally attained both theartistic success he craved, and the spiritualenlightenment he sought in later life. The longing for his "real"mother never left him, however, and it provided him the psychological impetus to succeed in both the worldly andspiritual realms. Iltang's dramatic life story ismade even more vibrant by the chaotic historical context intowhich he was born. It is an interesting portrayal of a unique time and place and an inspiring look at one man's incredible ability to overcome adversity.