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4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
Everyone should read this. I forget sometimes just how little I really know. And hearing true stories about North Korean survivors is a chance to realize, or at least reflect on, both the extent to which we humans are the same, and to which we are different.
For someone who mostly learned about Korea from old MASH reruns, this book was very informative. It was also very disturbing to read about a country that is so closed off from the rest of the world and therefore easily brainwashed. My only regret is that this book was published a few years ago before the change in leadership. I imagine a whole other book could be written about the changes in the last three years.
I've been meaning to read this for years, and I'm so glad I finally did. While this is now dated (the book was released in 2009, and Demick's interviews were obviously gathered before), the stories of North Koreans here will give any reader an actual look into the heart of the country that's overshadowed by it's leader still to this day. And in all honestly, it's probably doubtful much has changed since the times discussed. Those of us not born here routinely question and judge North Korea within our daily lives and through our news stories and entertainment, but this book turns the eye on those we barely ever hear from: the citizens living in this nation day in and day out. Their stories are widely different, and wildly mundane and brutal at the same time. Their lives show the true topsy turviness of 'normal' to those of us who consider ourselves 'normal' citizens in 'normal' countries (whatever that means, seeing as to how everyone's normal is relative to themselves). The humanity and the absurdity are both astoundingly obvious in equal measures within Demick's account. This is a book everyone should read to understand the plight of these people. Book Riot Read Harder 2019 - book by a journalist or about journalism.
As the title indicates, this is a personal and very human account of ordinary lives in North Korea. Nothing to Envy is clear, concise and written in such an engaging and riveting manner that it nearly impossible to stop reading at times. Based on the author's extensive interviews with six defectors, after they've made it to South Korea, Nothing to Envy builds a picture of what life is really like in a country that has cut itself off from the rest of the world. This is supplemented with a brief history of North Korea and its politics, but the focus is always on the individuals themselves, the people who suffer the consequences in their everyday lives. Above all, I think Demick was very respectful of the people she was writing about when it came to describing how they survived the famine and how they made their escape. Highly recommended.
Fascinating look behind the curtain of North Korean society. I love that the book includes historic background information for those of us who are maybe a little rusty on the history of the Korean peninsula. I would recommend this book to history buffs and to those who are interested in human rights or curious about what it's like to live under such an oppressive regime. It's an easy read, though at times it can be emotionally difficult to get through. You will definitely appreciate the freedoms we take for granted in the US after reading this book!
An incredible viewpoint of North Korea during 1950s to 1990s of 6 Koreans telling their life story. The author also does a great job of including historical information to give a good understanding of what life would be like in North Korea at this time. I found it very interesting and the stories to be riveting. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
This was a terrific book that stays with you after you finish it. It is the true story of three families who lived the "dream" in North Korea. It made me appreciate living here and the freedom we have.
Absolutely fascinating! I couldn't put this book down. My wife recommend this book a while back and I wish I had read it then.
The stories are powerful, lovely, and heartbreaking. I don't know if I will ever forget some of the more haunting aspects to these stories. This is truly a page turner and I highly suggest it if you want an inside look at the crazy regime that is North Korea.
The stories are powerful, lovely, and heartbreaking. I don't know if I will ever forget some of the more haunting aspects to these stories. This is truly a page turner and I highly suggest it if you want an inside look at the crazy regime that is North Korea.