Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite in Around the World in 80 Books

Jul 06, 2018 Cheryl marked it as started-may-finish

Shelves: ddc-900

interesting. got about halfway.

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Feb 23, 2015 Jen rated it really liked it

Shelves: popular-nonfiction, education-teaching

I have always been fascinated with what happens in North Korea. I especially think it's important because just like it's hard for them to imagine our lives, I think it's hard for Americans to imagine a life so restricted. This book gave rare insight into the lives of North Koreans and how there even difficulties for the elite. The exhaustion of constantly censoring yourself and being watched is a common theme. She also often discusses how she is able to relate to her students even though their l ...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Ellen Librarian rated it it was amazing

This book, about a woman who pretends to be a devout Christian in order to get a job teaching English to North Korean elite students, is like a trip to North Korea without having to actually go there. The book is full of interesting details about conditions there as well as the effects of such authoritarianism on a population.

My only quibbles are that the author drops tantalizing details about her own life without really telling the story.

But if you are curious about what life is like in The He ...more

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Nov 21, 2017 Nikki Morse rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobooks

This was the first book I’ve read about North Korea, and I found it fascinating. I appreciated the personal narrative, although I found myself wanting more political context.

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