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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This is a fascinating, but depressing autobiography of North Korean defector, Kang Chol-Hwan. I've been reading a few books about North Korea of late, so I may be a bit North Korea-ed out. And the really tragic thing is that this guy had a REALLY bad time, and yet this isn't the worst life story I've read. It's horrific to thing of what has been going on there, and what is still going on, and for what? "Someone" is going on one seriously crazily massive ego trip with this ludicrus cult of personality and totaliterian state. Mind boggling that they're now onto the third generation of it as well. The human capacity to make one another miserable never ceases to amaze and depress me. And just when you think it couldn't get any worse....
Kang Chol-Hwan's family were North Koreans in Japan, dreaming of this ideal state, and eventually moved across by the idealistic mother (his grandmother) who was certain how marvellous everything was going to be over there. They were rich, they had relatives back in Japan so they had luxary goods. Comparatively, his childhood was a lot better than others. He was a little brat then though, and competed with his friends to have the best fish in his aquarium.
Grandfather was really a capitalist who was persuaded to come across by socialist grandmother. And when he is accused of crimes against the state, the entire family are shipped off to a labour camp at Yodok - because the rotteness of the traitor will go down through three generations, so they all need to be re-educated. He is there for ten years (goodbye childhood) before the family is released. And the things he sees and what is done to people is attrocious. People are starving and only fed on corn, so they develope this awful disease pellaga. Those who supplement their diet with rat survive better. They work all hours with poor conditions and tools to meet quoatas, are regularly beaten, have to go to the public executions, weekly self criticism meetings... it seems like its a scary lesson in sadism. The prisoners there are treated with no consideration whatsoever. How the dead are handled was particularly grim. I rememeber one bit about the mountain top graveyard area being closed off to the prisoners, and the whole place being ploughed over for fields. Some were sent in to collect up the big rotting body parts that had been churned up, but even after that the little bits that kept surfacing...
When they get out he studies a little, makes money on the black market and gets around travel restrictions by bribing officials and train guards with goods sent over by rich Japanese relatives. You can't blame anyone for using what they've got, but you wonder about all the poor people who don't have rich far away relatives to help them out. This advantage does help to pave the way for his escape into China and later defection into South Korea.
Definately worth a read. Although the most harrowing story has to be that about Camp 14 and Shin. And the best book I've read of people's stories of North Korea and defection to the south has to be Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy.
Kang Chol-Hwan's family were North Koreans in Japan, dreaming of this ideal state, and eventually moved across by the idealistic mother (his grandmother) who was certain how marvellous everything was going to be over there. They were rich, they had relatives back in Japan so they had luxary goods. Comparatively, his childhood was a lot better than others. He was a little brat then though, and competed with his friends to have the best fish in his aquarium.
Grandfather was really a capitalist who was persuaded to come across by socialist grandmother. And when he is accused of crimes against the state, the entire family are shipped off to a labour camp at Yodok - because the rotteness of the traitor will go down through three generations, so they all need to be re-educated. He is there for ten years (goodbye childhood) before the family is released. And the things he sees and what is done to people is attrocious. People are starving and only fed on corn, so they develope this awful disease pellaga. Those who supplement their diet with rat survive better. They work all hours with poor conditions and tools to meet quoatas, are regularly beaten, have to go to the public executions, weekly self criticism meetings... it seems like its a scary lesson in sadism. The prisoners there are treated with no consideration whatsoever. How the dead are handled was particularly grim. I rememeber one bit about the mountain top graveyard area being closed off to the prisoners, and the whole place being ploughed over for fields. Some were sent in to collect up the big rotting body parts that had been churned up, but even after that the little bits that kept surfacing...
When they get out he studies a little, makes money on the black market and gets around travel restrictions by bribing officials and train guards with goods sent over by rich Japanese relatives. You can't blame anyone for using what they've got, but you wonder about all the poor people who don't have rich far away relatives to help them out. This advantage does help to pave the way for his escape into China and later defection into South Korea.
Definately worth a read. Although the most harrowing story has to be that about Camp 14 and Shin. And the best book I've read of people's stories of North Korea and defection to the south has to be Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy.
Nice quick read for the Fourth of July. Reminded me of how blessed we are to live in a free country where you can watch/read/listen/say whatever you want without having your entire family sent off to die in a concentration camp.
Incredible memoire, sadly poorly translated from French to English.
I read this book very quickly--it is a gripping true story of a family condemned to a concentration camp in North Korea. I highly recommend it. It goes together very well with Bradley Martin's Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader.
Wow. All I can say is that I will do my best to never complain about my life again.
This is the story of someone who had to go through unbearable things, so I don’t feel comfortable rating it.
A very well-written book depicting the trainwreck that is North Korea. It is nice to read it firsthand from someone who has directly experienced these things. Truly makes you grateful for what you have.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
I was scared to read this book. I was convinced it would be horrifying, disturbing---- and leave me in shock. So---it has sat on my bookshelf for over 3 years even though a friend lent it to me. I DO have a strange obsession with North Korea...so the two battled and I decided to FINALLY open the book.
The book is the memoir of a boy who survives living in a North Korean prison camp for "crimes" his grandfather committed. He survives ten years...and then is released. He is able to make somewhat of a life--- and then escapes to China---then to South Korea.
The book is awkward at some times because it is translated from French (and I imagine the author does not speak French as his first language (or at all). Also---I would have preferred that there were a couple more chapters about his life OUTSIDE of Korea...but all in all, a good read.
Read this is you are interested in North Korean history/culture. I still recommend reading "Nothing to Envy" first.
The book is the memoir of a boy who survives living in a North Korean prison camp for "crimes" his grandfather committed. He survives ten years...and then is released. He is able to make somewhat of a life--- and then escapes to China---then to South Korea.
The book is awkward at some times because it is translated from French (and I imagine the author does not speak French as his first language (or at all). Also---I would have preferred that there were a couple more chapters about his life OUTSIDE of Korea...but all in all, a good read.
Read this is you are interested in North Korean history/culture. I still recommend reading "Nothing to Envy" first.
This was really an intriguing book. My dad and father in law fought in the Korean War and he never really understood it. Hearing about North Korea, the government and military regime reminded me a lot of Germany ww2. The author is brave to have written such a book and I really enjoyed the personal stories.