Customer Reviews

Escaping North Korea: Defiance and Hope in the World's Most Repressive Country

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A great read if you're interested in the North Korean situation beyond what the news media reports (ie nukes). Kim does a great job of making a complex problem palpable and, in many ways, relatable to the western readers. Though he goes in depth regarding the government's role in the famine and warped culture, he doesn't demonize them nor does he make excuses for them. A very balanced and unbiased look into the hermit kingdom from an outside perspective.

This is a book unlike any other book I've read thus far. It gave me an insight into what refugees and defectors of North Korea face. The author offers an exciting Jason Bourne-esque feel as he assists defectors find refuge in various countries, during his four year stay in China. There is a forward by Ambassador Mark Palmer that describes the author and the book very well. North Korea is such a hot topic right now and this book informed me on important issues that can't be found in the news or in newspapers. Well worth the read!

Horrors of living in North Korea as related by refugees who flee the country into China looking for a better life. A lot of credit goes to those selfless people who help the North Koreans escape the hell of a regime run by a madman.

I happened to run into this book while I was in the library looking for Andrei Lankov's North of the Dmz: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea. While it's definitely not as authoritative as that book, it has a lot about what ordinary North Korean people are actually like. The second chapter, "Inside the Hermit Kingdom" was particularly useful in that regard. "North Korean men are some of the most violent men I have ever met," says the author, and he mentions how North Korean men often can't even be housed together. Later he talks about their state-sponsored alcohol and drug habits. These are the sorts of details on everyday North Korean life that you don't usually see in more academic treatises, and his style of prose makes for easy reading.

Later in the book, he describes some of the work he does, getting North Korean refugees into friendly consulates, and smuggling them across China. While some of that had me gripping the edge of my seat, it didn't really give me any lasting knowledge about the country. The last chapter has a decent analysis about North Korea's future. One final note - people who do the sort of work the author does are really special and deserve recognition. Overall, I'd say this book does what it's supposed to. If you're looking for a treatise on international relations, you should look elsewhere, but for a personal account, from somebody who can answer the question "what are North Koreans really like?" you'll find this to be an excellent resource.

The best thing about this book is that it is an easy read. Although Kim engages with North Korea, a political hotbed and at the forefront of the global stage, his stories are personal and his style easy to follow. Pick this book up if you want a real feel for what is happening on the China-North Korea border. The human element makes it a compelling, but easily flowing read. Because of both its content and its style, you will find it difficult to this book down.

As someone who knows little about North Korea other than the fact that they are very seclusive, I found the book to be interesting. Organization is a little off, some chapters are about life in N.Korea, others about rescue attempts (some amusing because the author, at times, was just kind of "winging it" and expresses relief that things worked out). Some conclusions are drawn quite hastily and without much besides speculation. For instance, at one point the idea is presented that N.Korea intentionally turns a blind eye to coke problems because it decreases appetite (in an place of food shortage) while keeping people hyper-alert for work.

If you are looking for a dramatic read, this isn't you you. It hits a weird spot where it is mostly informative, but not in an empirical sense, more of a "satisfying your curiosity" kind of way.

true stories about unbelievable situations in OUR MODERN world.
North Korea is the most repressive country in the world and if more people knew about it, then more people would do something about. i know i am!

This is a fascinating book and a heart wrenching look at what's going on inside North Korea. The first half of the book painstakingly walks you through what life is like for the average person in North Korea (albeit somewhat haphazardly).

The second half of the book somewhat shifts focus to the Crossing Borders organization, which helped refugees in China. This is slightly less interesting, and because it's a Christian organization, is written from the perspective of and many times about Christian helpers and refugees. Little is discussed about other forms of religious persecution in North Korea, though they surely must exist.

Despite that, the Christian aspect is written matter-of-factly, without a "BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE, READER" element to it. It's simply written from that perspective.

I would say the 1st half of the book is 5 stars, while the 2nd half is 3 1/2 stars. But I would recommend this to anybody who's interested in the world's most isolated and oppressive country.

Bought this book after watching Mike Kim's amazing interview on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. What an amazing tale of brave people risking their lives! Great read and great insight into what is going on.

After hearing about North Korea in the recent news lately, and discovering the two Americans Euna and Laura that were captured made me read this book. I knew Lisa Ling several years ago as a journalist and followed her stories and was shocked to hear what happen to her sister. People need to see it. This book made me appreciate and be thankful of what I already have. Overall, great book! kept me reading..