North of the DMZ: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea

by Andrei Lankov (Author)

31 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0786428397

ISBN-10: 0786428392

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The Kim dynasty has ruled North Korea for over 60 years. Most of that period has found the country suffering under mature Stalinism characterized by manipulation, brutality and tight social control. Nevertheless, some citizens of Kim Jong Il's regime manage to transcend his tyranny in their daily existence. This book describes that difficult but determined existence and the world that the North Koreans have created for themselves in the face of oppression. Many features of this world are unique and even bizarre. But they have been created by the citizens to reflect their own ideas and values, in sharp contrast to the world forced upon them by a totalitarian system. Opening chapters introduce the political system and the extent to which it permeates citizens' daily lives, from the personal status badges they wear to the nationalized distribution of the food they eat. Chapters discussing the schools, the economic system, and family life dispel the myth of the workers' paradise that North Korea attempts to perpetuate. In these chapters the intricacies of daily life in a totalitarian dictatorship are seen through the eyes of defectors whose anecdotes constitute an important portion of the material. The closing chapter treats at length the significant changes that have taken place in North Korea over the last decade, concluding that these changes will lead to the quiet but inevitable death of North Korean Stalinism.

North of the DMZ: Essays on Daily Life in North Korea

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"If anything is missing here, it's probably not worth knowing...well written, comprehensive and relevatory...valuable." --School Library Journal

"Deserves ongoing mention and recommendation as a powerful survey...must have this rare insider's look at the North Korean psyche." --Midwest Book Review

"We are obliged to Lankov for this insight...Lankov is one of the most illuminating North Korea watchers around...uniquely perceptive...especially good on the details of everyday life." --The New York Review of Books

"Deserves ongoing mention and recommendation as a powerful survey...must have this rare insider's look at the North Korean psyche." --Midwest Book Review

"Offers an intriguing and informative peek into North Korea through the lens of daily life." --Pacific Affairs

"Valuable...a detailed description of North Korean life...one of the best guides to the daily life of North Koreans available in English." --Korean Quarterly

About the Author

Andrei Lankov is a senior lecturer at the Australian National University.

Paperback: 358 pages
Publisher: McFarland (April 24, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786428392
ISBN-13: 978-0786428397
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 31 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #482,602 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #128 in Books > History > Asia > Korea > North
- #619 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > History > Asia

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars

5 star		58%
4 star		29%
3 star		7%
2 star		3%
1 star		3%

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Top customer reviews

Best book on daily life in North Korea

Bybigmark40on September 29, 2012

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

If you only buy one book to read about life in North Korea, make it this one.
Covers everything you could possibly want to know and more. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I felt it could have contained more personal interest stories of real life North Korean's, but still a cracking read. It's a systematic study of every aspect of North Korean society that covers everything from relationships to politics.
Barbara Demick's book "Nothing to Envy" is another superb read with loads of personal experiences detailed within it. "North of the DMZ" however would carry a lot more analysis of the country as a whole. If interested in the gulags within North Korea, Blaine Harden's "Escape from camp 14" is a thrilling and harrowing true life account of one man's awful life, having been born in the camp of subversive parent's, and his ultimate escape. I've raad many books about life in North Korea and "North of the DMZ" is in the top two.

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hell on earth

ByEllenon September 18, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

After having seen, "Under the Sun", a documentary about North Korea which appears to be the worst place on earth, no food, no spirit, no smiling, joy and serenity don't exist, I ordered this book. It's remarkable. It's a difficult read only because of the information, but it is fascinating and very informative. It is impossible to understand how North Korea still exists promulgating the horrors of communism as being patriotic and wise. It's living in hell.

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A must-read for anyone interested in North Korea.

ByMr. Outsideon September 29, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

One of the definitive North Korea books. Lankov's original research is always interesting to see another, more human side of the DPRK while not excusing it's many shortcomings to its people. I just wish that there was some kind of source for his information!

Still, the short essay format makes this easy, breezy reading despite the often heavy implications carried in its words.

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An interesting (if slightly repetitive) look at the average North Korean

ByDavidon February 4, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

An interesting set of essays (rewritten and rearranged from several years of newspaper columns) dealing with the mundane day-to-day for people living in the Hermit Kingdom. The author - a Russian who grew up in the USSR and provides fascinating perspective on the similarities and contrasts - includes pieces on elementary school, courtship and marriage, television, the black market system, travel, architecture, and pretty much everything else that you could thing of that would relate to the average Korean Joe (or Kim, or whatever). Some overlap of subjects means repetition, but it's not too bad. Read this alongside an analysis of the current political outlook in the North, and you'd have a good conversational overview of one of the saddest places on Earth.

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Decent read

ByAmazon Customeron July 5, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The book gives a lot of insight to North Korea a subject I find interesting. I was hoping for personal stories from actual people rather than the authors narrative.

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Fascinating

ByAmazon Customeron September 6, 2012

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a fascinating journey through several decades of North Korean modern history. Mr Lankov was an exchange student there in the early 80's, a fate I share albeit in a country close by. I wish he had spent some time on some of the concrete experiences he had while there, providing more of a glimpse of everyday life as an exchange student in Pyongyang, an experience few have encountered.

The book is a compilation of columns, as such much is regurgitated, hence a vigilant copy editor would have provided a tighter text and perhaps some re-writes as well. His conclusions at the end of most of the columns seems a bit "beige" for lack of a better word, not bland just beige. Having most likely lived on a steady diet of kimchi I would have expected more spicy conclusions.

I read the Kindle edition. It is unfortunately laced with bad or lazy formatting, new columns (chapters) begin in the middle of a page, photos are not re-sized to fit the Kindle format and there is no interactive ToC. This is most likely no fault of Mr. Lankov, but his agent or publisher has made him a dis-service by not reviewing the digital file more thoroughly. It is unfortunate because Mr. Lankov's text deserves to be handled with more respect.

Some people might find a three star review critical, but the review takes the whole package into consideration. The text itself is clearly worthy of four stars, and even five with a more comprehensive editor. The sloppy formatting is what holds down the overall impression.

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Unbelievable!

ByAmazon Customeron February 7, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I can't believe all the rules and regulations the poor North Korean's live under. Even they know some of it is ridiculous. Others just live and don't question. They are starving, living with part time electricity, one toilet for a high rise of residents and yet they are made to worship the "Loving Father" or risk being sent to a labor camp for the rest of their lives! Absolutely unbelievable!

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Fascinating look at how both the elite and average North Korean lives.

ByRandy Rushon February 3, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Great insight into the cult like world created by Kim Jong il and his family and their control over every facet of everyday life in North Korea.

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Most recent customer reviews

Not the most boring book ive ever read but definitely very repetitive

ordered this on the kindle for my college class, the book is ok but is written in a very biased way. Not the most boring book ive ever read but definitely very repetitive.

Published 6 months ago by Sam

Very through

I've been reading a lot of books on North Korea, and this one is the best so far. It covers every aspect of life in "the hermit kingdom", from the top to the typical citizen.

Published on July 30, 2015 by Kindle Customer

I suppose like many converts (from Russia to the US) he is ...

Only gave this 2 stars because if you know absolutely nothing about North Korea you will learn something. But biased much???Read more

Published on August 29, 2014 by juffie

I don't think I've read a book with so! many! exclamation points!!!

Terrible. The writing was so bad I couldn't even finish it. There are dozens of better books on North Korea.Read more

Published on December 2, 2013 by Kristen S

Excellent

This book is well written, and you find yourself drawn in to every story told. Brilliantly written, I recommend to everyone

Published on November 20, 2013 by farawayviolet

A good book concerning life in the DPRK.

A good read and easy. If you read other books concerning North Korea, this will give the reader more insight. I wish this book was fresh off the press.Read more

Published on November 5, 2013 by J. latsch

Comprehensive treatment

Very comprehensive. Easy to follow. Essays on all aspects of life in North Korea. Well organized. A very good reference.

Published on September 15, 2013 by John M. Rostas Jr.

In depth

Indepth essays by a former Soviet exchange student to North Korea during the Stalinist era who has studied NK all his life. A bit of an inside scoop!

Published on July 14, 2013 by Amazon Customer

Fascinating Reading

My only complaint is that the author uses an insane number of ellipses. Just way too many ellipses. Step away from the ellipses, man. There are other ways to end a chapter.

Published on March 18, 2013 by Melanie Teegarden

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