FROM GOODREADS: In this rare insider’s view into contemporary North Korea, a high-ranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a former poet laureate to Kim Jong-il and his breathtaking escape to freedom.
“The General will now enter the room.”
Everyone turns to stone. Not moving my head, I direct my eyes to a point halfway up the archway where Kim Jong-il’s face will soon appear.
As North Korea’s State Poet Laureate, Jang Jin-sung led a charmed life. With food provisions (even as the country suffered through its great famine), a travel pass, access to strictly censored information, and audiences with Kim Jong-il himself, his life in Pyongyang seemed safe and secure. But this privileged existence was about to be shattered. When a strictly forbidden magazine he lent to a friend goes missing, Jang Jin-sung must flee for his life.
Never before has a member of the elite described the inner workings of this totalitarian state and its propaganda machine. An astonishing expose told through the heart-stopping story of Jang Jin-sung’s escape to South Korea, Dear Leader is a rare and unprecedented insight into the world’s most secretive and repressive regime.
“Dear Leader: A Riveting Glimpse into North Korea’s Heart”
In the gripping pages of “Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea” by Jang Jin-sung, we embark on an extraordinary odyssey through one of the world’s most secretive and repressive regimes. Jang, a former North Korean propaganda poet, peels back the iron curtain to reveal the harsh realities of life under Kim Jong-il’s rule, where surveillance is omnipresent, and dissent is brutally suppressed.
Jang’s journey from a life of privilege to one of constant surveillance and fear is as mesmerizing as it is harrowing. His daring escape to South Korea becomes a symbol of the indomitable human spirit, a quest for freedom that defied all odds.
THE STORY THEY COULDN’T HACK: In this international bestseller, a high-ranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a former poet laureate to Kim Jong-il and his breathtaking escape to freedom.
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The book is a chilling glimpse into North Korea’s heart of darkness, a place where information is tightly controlled, and where the truth is an elusive concept. Jang Jin-sung’s storytelling not only exposes the brutality of the regime but also underscores the resilience of those who escape its confines.
“Dear Leader” is an essential read for anyone curious about North Korea’s enigmatic world and the extraordinary journey of escapees. It is a poignant reminder that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit remains unbreakable, and the quest for freedom shines as a beacon of hope. This blog post pays tribute to the incredible narrative that Jang Jin-sung has shared with the world and the bravery of those who defy oppressive regimes.
My Goodreads Review:
Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee – A Look Inside North Korea by Jang Jin-sungMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The book is a riveting account of life in North Korea under Kim Jong-il’s regime. Jang Jin-sung, a former North Korean poet, shares his remarkable journey from a life under constant surveillance to a daring escape to South Korea. This book provides a chilling glimpse into the oppressive regime’s realities while showcasing the enduring human spirit and quest for freedom. It’s an essential read for those curious about North Korea’s enigmatic world and the resilience of escapees.
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