Dear Leader

Poet, Spy, Escapee - A Look inside North Korea

By: Jang Jin-sung

Narrated by: Daniel York

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

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 exposé 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.

©2014 Jang Jin-Sung. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Gripping

It is a gripping account of generations of people born into despotism but yearning to be free. To think for themselves, write poems of what they like and love. The loss of his friend was sad but, it goes to show that we cannot accept defeat, we cannot abandon our courage because we are examples for others. Today's generation of Americans and similar stable societies to be grateful of how good they got it

Fascinating, informative, and suspenseful

Where does Dear Leader rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the very best

Have you listened to any of Daniel York’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but this one is terrific.

Any additional comments?

This book is a fantastic exposé of North Korea, a country that embodies Orwell's 1984 in a way that is terrifying and so extreme as to seem "unbelievable". This book conveys the sense of what it is to live under such a regime, and is extraordinarily informative in its vivid presentation. It is also a wonderful depiction of deep personal experience and could stand as a literary work of fiction, which alas it is not. And it is as exciting as any mystery or spy novel I've ever read. I simply could not put it down.

Remarkable

One of the best books I've listened to on Audible. The performance and account of escape from the DPRK are enthralling. Highly recommended.

Better than I expected

The first day that I started listening to this book, I thought about returning it. But I stuck it out and I’m glad I did. It was very eye-opening and once you put yourself in the mindset of the author it Was very engaging. The author made it very easy to be empathetic. I think this book should be offered in high school politics or social studies.

Just Amazing…

This was good the first time I listened to it. It was GREAT the 2nd time. Incredible story of 2 high ranking Cadres in North Koreas upper echelon. They had to flee the DPRK or face a brutal execution over a misplaced book that tells the real story of North Korea and the cult of the Kim Family Dynasty.
Don’t pass this one up…!!

Amazing!

I’ve listened to a number of books about people escaping. This one gives a comprehensive view of someone escaping from the inner “circle”. So well written. The narrator is great.

Wow

A must read. This book was absolutely amazing. I finished it in two days. I couldn’t put it down.

Excellent View into North Korea

Where does Dear Leader rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is an excellent book. I was throughly entertained. I have always wondered how life is inside North Korea.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dear Leader?

I loved the escape across the River that separates China from North Korea.

What about Daniel York’s performance did you like?

Good performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this book on my way back and forth to work.

Exposing the truth.

What made the experience of listening to Dear Leader the most enjoyable?

All the information revealed to me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dear Leader?

Jang meeting Kim for the first time.

Which character – as performed by Daniel York – was your favorite?

Jang and the other North Koreans.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Truth Exposed.

Any additional comments?

A great book about a mysterious government.

SUPERB!

Talk about suspense?!! I clenched my fists, held my breath, and agonised so much so that I just had to bookmark and skip to the last paragraph to see if they made it. I then went back to my bookmarked point and continued to clench my fists and forget to breathe. Daniel York does a fantastic job of narrating! His pronunciation of all those Asian names was impressive. I did stop to eat and sleep at night but other than that, I read this in one sitting. Superb!!!