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Can anyone recommend some books on Korea?


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Hi,

 

I am off to South Korea next May and would like some recommendations for books about Korea (South or North) to help me become more familiar with the country before I go. I am open to fiction or non, written by Korean authors or outsiders, on a range of topics. Preferably not dry history tomes covering the Cold War in minute detail!

 

Any suggestions most gratefully received.

 

Fred.

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I would recommend Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, which I read last year. It's non fiction and about North Korea. The blurb is as follows:

 

"North Korea is one of the most repressive and secretive states on earth. Spying is encouraged, the media is government controlled, Gone with the Wind is a dangerous, banned book. In the 1990's, famine descended. Millions of people died, but the regime remained in power. Through extensive interviews, Barbara Demick has created the first portrait of life in this extrordinary country, weaving together the stories of six ordinary citizens in a gripping and vivid account of adversity and survival in the land of 'Our Dear Leader'."

 

Demick, who works as a correspondent for the Los Angeles times, was assigned to the post of correspondent for both North and South Korea in 2001. At that time it was incredibly difficult for foreign journalists to enter the north, and those that did were assigned 'minders'. In South Korea she began to talk to North Koreans who had defected and gradually began to build up a picture of what life was really like north of the border. She focussed mainly on former residents of Chongjin, North Korea's third largest city, eventually publishing a series of articles in the Los Angeles Times. It is from these that Nothing to Envy grew.

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  • 2 years later...

I would like to bump this topic. I hear the odd chilling story about the situation in North Korea, and I'd like to learn more. I'm specifically after non-fiction accounts of what life is like there (preferably life for the country as a whole rather than one person's account, but I'm open to the latter too). I'm not so much interested in the political situation, but feel free to recommend those too.

 

Basically, similar books to what Talisman has recommended above. :)

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I read a great book at the start of the year co-written by someone who was born in and escaped from one of North Korea's labour camps. Its called Escape From Camp 14 by Blaine Harden, wrote a mini review of sort on my thread, it can be found HERE.

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Nothing to Envy was great and so was Escape from Camp 14.  I can recommend The Aquariumms of Pyongyang by Kang Chol-hwan and Pierre Rigoulot.  The Kang family became prosperous in Japan in the 30's but returned to North Korea in the 60's, only to be sent to prison work camps.  Tough topic, written well.

 

Edited to add: also good is The World is Bigger Now by Euna Lee or Somewhere On the Inside by Laura and Lisa Ling.  Both Euna and Laura were held in detention in North Korea after filming there for National Geographic.  I just saw the actual piece they filmed inside North Korea and it is full of footage in the country, if you can find it, definitely watch it.  Its thrilling.  I found it streaming online. 

Edited by Anna Begins
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