Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 18
 Letdown February 22, 2010
Johann Gambolputty
After seeing the Daily Show interview I thought this would be an excellent book, but it was quite a disappointment. It is very badly written, as if no editor was present. After the first few chapters I already got very tired of the repetitive "someone told me..." and "it is said that..." method of relaying 'facts'. It makes it hard to ascertain the veracity of what he states and actually weakens whatever it is he wants to convey. Kim uses a sledgehammer to try to convince the reader how evil and backward North Korea is and throws everything but the kitchen sink at it. I have no doubt that North Korea is a pretty bad place to live, but the case would have been much better made if it felt more objective and deeper informed. The information in the books sounds too propagandistic and seems based on too much hearsay to actually help to give the reader the feeling they got a reliable description of the refugee problem and the issues with North Korea. And on a side note, the bit overbearing Christian angle also does not really help either.
 I liked it February 2, 2010
Mario Benevento
As someone who knows little about North Korea other than the fact that they are very seclusive, I found the book to be interesting. Organization is a little off, some chapters are about life in N.Korea, others about rescue attempts (some amusing because the author, at times, was just kind of "winging it" and expresses relief that things worked out). Some conclusions are drawn quite hastily and without much besides speculation. For instance, at one point the idea is presented that N.Korea intentionally turns a blind eye to coke problems because it decreases appetite (in an place of food shortage) while keeping people hyper-alert for work.
If you are looking for a dramatic read, this isn't you you. It hits a weird spot where it is mostly informative, but not in an empirical sense, more of a "satisfying your curiosity" kind of way.
Not worth the time January 24, 2010
Guy (California, USA)
This was a weak read without any central focus or meaningful conclusions. The few extended experiences he described should have been much more interesting but were somehow unfulfilling. He also infused far too much Christianity into what, for the most part, should be a secular issue. That was probably the most distracting issue for me and should have been left at the door since he reached far beyond just what his personal experiences were (otherwise it would have been ok but just not my cup of tea). Really, a whole chapter of Christianity in North Korea? Find a better book.
 would give half a star if could December 8, 2009
Nina Cobbler (Chicago, IL, USA)
2 out of 9 found this review helpful
For a start, I'd like to state that I do this full-time: I study Korean history (of both North and South) as a PhD student, and so have a 'professional' interest in such matters. Neither is this the first book I've read in this genre. So what comes builds on some knowledge of the subject matter - if that makes any difference.
This is a most disappointing book, practically not worth the paper it's printed on. I terribly regret ever purchasing it, and will certainly not recommend it to anyone I know. I do not doubt that the author means well - but that is not enough to write a book of any quality. I do admire his resolution of giving up a well-paid job and go to the Chinese-North Korean border to help refugees there; but working as a volunteer does not make him an authority on things North Korean, especially since he himself had not taken extensive trips in the country itself, has apparently got no extensive knowledge of other parts of the world, either (as he hasn't travelled widely, in large part due to his young age, too), neither has he studied much about the history of the region in general (as obvious from how he writes - or rather, doesn't write - about many related issues). That is, he has no background knowledge whatsoever to provide a context in which to situate what he is about to say. This however, doesn't at all prevent him from passing judgements like "this is the most repressive regime in the world" (beside Saudi Arabia, where he hasn't been either, as he himself admits) - how could he know without any extensive knowledge of other repressive regimes? His little opinion poll on this doesn't back up the claim, either - simply asking fellow workers, and a couple of people working for some related institution does not constitute hard facts, those are just opinions, like his own, and as such, may just as well be wrong. This lack of background knowledge is most apparent also when he mentions the `propaganda' he (or a fellow-worker, whose account he builds on? - I can't recall which, this practice of his is so frequent, and again doesn't quite help build any trust in the reliability of information he's providing) met in a museum on the Korean War: pictures and texts that bemoan the atrocities the Americans committed during the war. Clearly, it doesn't even occur to him that there might be some basis to the claim; Americans can't possibly commit such crimes, this is a free country, after all, with no repression or such ridiculous things as propaganda. Sure enough, the Korean War has been the US' `forgotten war,' and American atrocities have not at all been propagated much; yet, there has been enough published to know the large extent to which this did indeed happen - even in South Korea, for which the US Army was allegedly fighting FOR; now guess how much more common it might have been in enemy territory. This is not to blame the whole thing on the Americans; atrocities occurred on all sides, as it is fairly common in any war. But to ridicule it betrays both the author's ignorance, and his willingness to see only what he wants and willing to - and what he's already been accustomed to thinking anyway. That is, the book simply serves him to prove what he already kind of knew anyway, for this is precisely what the media have been expounding about a major `axis of evil.' So is he sure he's been no subject of any propaganda whatsoever?
Another major weakness is that the entire book is based on stories the refugees tell him; that is, there isn't anything he himself could back up by his own personal experiences. As such, the book is a collection of second-hand experience then. Which would by itself be no problem, after all, most studies do build on heavily on second-hand experience. But there's a trick to how it could be done and still be reliable; e.g. by interviewing several people on the same aspects (which they have personally no stake in) and only include those that seem to be corroborated by several of them. Refugee accounts are notoriously unreliable, as all scholars working with refugees note: they simply have a lot at stake in depicting their own situation as much worse than it might have actually been. After all, they need help, and to get as much of it as possible, they need to generate a great deal of sympathy. It's not that they lie; but it is in their best interest to stretch the truth as much as possible, and emphasise the worst part of their experience (or borrow from others' worse experiences that they have known, and present them as their own). A striking example for just such a thing in the book is when Kim writes about prison experiences of some refugees; somehow, none of them have been actually treated with as much brutality as most others that they mention - could this be an accident that they somehow got more lenient treatment even though it was clear they had escaped to China and also came to light (in some cases) that they converted to Christianity? How come some people were executed/ tortured to near death, while none of the people talking in the book came anywhere near such brutal experiences? They always seem to have `just heard' about such cases, and to me, that's rather curious of a coincidence. Obviously, that the entire book is built on second-hand anecdotes shows in the style, as well: it's random, there's no real structure to the whole thing, it reads as a collection of anecdotes. This could still be enjoyable if Kim had the style of a talented author; but he does not, and the writing is often extremely awkward.
What Kim adds on his part to the whole thing is musings of his own/ of his colleagues that he chooses to share with the reader; a lot of these are naïve, and some outright ridiculous. Here are some of my favourites: he notes the ridiculous legend the North Koreans have about Kim Il Sung's first wife and her mastery of the pistol (indeed, it is a funny and entertaining story); then a couple of pages later, he shares with us a family legend of his own in the most somber tone, implying there's no doubt this actually happened. Yes, sure, if the North Koreans were so much in need of qualified engineers to kidnap his (great-?)uncle (again, I'm not sure about this detail of the story), why would they first execute publicly 8 others and only spare his own uncle? Doesn't that sound more like a legend, too? Was there anyone from the family there to actually witness this to happen, or is it just one of those stories you hear about at the table at big festivals but never really know if such things actually happened? This latter seems more likely - but of course, no such doubt is ever brought in by Kim, for whom the story MUST be absolutely authentic; this is a cruel, brutal, and most importantly, irrational regime, where anything can and does happen.
A most amusing theory one of Kim's friends and colleagues shares with him (and he in turn with us) is about drinking. He notes how alcohol seems to be cheap and available everywhere, and how North Koreans, despite their acute poverty, still seem to find the means to purchase it and drink large quantities of the local brew (soju). His friend (with whom he seems to agree) concludes that it must be some sort of conspiracy on the part of the government to provide the cheap alcohol and keep North Koreans in constant stupor so that they don't complain about their living conditions. The funny thing is that if this is a conspiracy, then it reaches really far, for just across the border, in democratic South Korea, the same type of brew is also very cheap and popular, too. Could the government of the South be part of this conspiracy? Are they also trying to keep their citizens in constant stupor so that they don't complain about THEIR living conditions? Oh, wait, it must be the North Korean government sending all that cheap liquor over the border in the hope that intoxicated, the South Koreans may not even notice when the North invades. Now wait again, this seems to reach even further; wherever one goes, it always seems to be the case the people thrive on alcohol even when they don't have the money to buy food or find shelter - could this be a global conspiracy then? Maybe led by the North Korean government, as befitting to an `axis of evil'?
Now the final drop for me was when Kim (obviously a devoted Christian, who's done some really admirable work) concludes that it is Christianity that is bringing the regime down and is opening the country (honestly, this is where I just refused to read on the book any more, fearing it can get even worse if such a thing is possible at all. Been bad enough already). Uhm, exactly where does he see the signs of that opening? Or of that crumbling? Experts and analysts have been predicting the imminent collapse of the regime for at least the last 15 years, and it's still standing. Wouldn't it be time maybe for us try to understand what props it still up instead of the usual practice (of which Kim's book seems to be a prime example) of vilifying it? I don't want there to be any misunderstanding about this: I would not at all claim that this is a great regime and is doing a great job. I agree this is a repressive regime (as are many others around the world), and extremely secretive, too. But branding it names is not going to change it. Neither will wishful thinking. Maybe we could sit down and study it a little and by understanding figure it out how it could be given some impetus to change. Such well-meaning amateurs, however, like Mike Kim don't seem to be doing it; and the biggest problem is that most readers will take what they say for granted and think they've really now learnt the `ultimate truth' behind the veil of one of the most secretive regimes on earth. Uhm, I'd like to ask again: what exactly is the meaning of propaganda? Something that can only emerge in repressive states?
Had Kim limited his urge to write only to describing his personal encounters and own experiences during his work at the border, that would have made a fascinating read. As it is, I feel fooled and cheated. and most importantly, very very disappointed.
 Incredible story of an American Korean Helping his bretheran October 25, 2009
Jeff A. Guth
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the real atrocities that occur in North Korea. Incredible story. Thank you Mike Kim.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 18
|
