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cawhite's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but some of the information about the inner workings of the North Korean gov't got a little tedious. I found the personal stories quite compelling.
altlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Freedom is freely given to anyone born in a free land, but others have to risk their lives for it.
I've read a lot of books about North Korea, but this one is unique in that the main character was actually fairly highly placed in North Korean society. He was one of Kim Jong Il's poet laureates, even meeting him a couple of times. His insights into how the government views its country's problems and some historical context for how it got there was interesting and unique when compared with other books I've read on this topic. You can tell the author was a poet, because the writing of the book was extremely lyrical in places, extremely descriptive, and extremely compelling. Some of the incidents he describes early on in the book while still in North Korea are chilling, particularly his visit to his home town and what had happened after he left.
I've read a lot of books about North Korea, but this one is unique in that the main character was actually fairly highly placed in North Korean society. He was one of Kim Jong Il's poet laureates, even meeting him a couple of times. His insights into how the government views its country's problems and some historical context for how it got there was interesting and unique when compared with other books I've read on this topic. You can tell the author was a poet, because the writing of the book was extremely lyrical in places, extremely descriptive, and extremely compelling. Some of the incidents he describes early on in the book while still in North Korea are chilling, particularly his visit to his home town and what had happened after he left.
mikiher's review against another edition
4.0
I admit I swallow almost everything account written about North Korea, and accounts by North Koreans that have succeeded in escaping the country are almost always gut-wrenching and hard to swallow for me, and make me appreciate the privileged life I lead so much more. This specific account is well-written and seems even a bit over-dramatized (but that might just be an artefact of the really dramatic nature of the events told), and while telling the events of the author's escape, it also does a good job depicting the horrifying bureaucracies, power structures, and absurdities of this almost unbelievable country. It is even more interesting than other accounts, being written by someone who has been part of the very privileged elite of the country, and who had access to classified information the few North Koreans have. This books and other about North Korea really give perspective to our way of life.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2014 favorite recommended by Dave.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__SDear%20Leader%3A%20Poet%2C%20Spy%2C%20Escapee--A%20Look%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__SDear%20Leader%3A%20Poet%2C%20Spy%2C%20Escapee--A%20Look%20Inside%20North%20Korea%20__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=pearl
kteasley's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting story that sheds light to North Korea and information about it.
sleepyboi2988's review against another edition
4.0
Moving look at one mans journey to freedom and life inside North Korea. The author superbly weaves his past life in NK as a spy with the tale of his fleeing and the trouble he ran into in China to get to South Korea. Coming from one of Kim Jon-Il's admitted it provides excellent insight into the machinations of NK.
wetdryvac's review against another edition
4.0
Expectedly, this read as propaganda - but interesting all the same.