Nothing to Envy

Ordinary Lives in North Korea

By: Barbara Demick

Narrated by: Karen White

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over 15 years - a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung and the unchallenged rise to power of his son, Kim Jong-il, and the devastation of a far-ranging famine that killed one-fifth of the population.

Taking us into a landscape never before seen, Demick brings to life what it means to be an average Korean citizen, living under the most repressive totalitarian regime today - an Orwellian world in which radio and television dials are welded to the one government station, a country that is by choice not connected to the Internet, a society in which outward displays of affection are punished, and a police state that rewards informants and where an offhanded remark can send a citizen to the gulag for life. Demick's subjects - a middle-aged party loyalist and her rebellious daughter, an idealistic female doctor, an orphan, and two young lovers - all hail from the same provincial city in the farthest-flung northern reaches of the country. One by one, we witness the moments of revelation, when each realizes that they have been betrayed by the Fatherland and that their suffering is not a global condition but is uniquely theirs.

Nothing to Envy is the first book about North Korea to go deep inside the country, beyond the reach of government censors, and penetrate the mind-set of the average citizen. It is a groundbreaking and essential addition to the literature of totalitarianism.

©2010 Barbara Demick (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A fascinating and deeply personal look at the lives of six defectors from the repressive totalitarian regime of the Republic of North Korea." ( Publishers Weekly)

Progress is not a given

We all know governments can do good or make life worse. This book is the definitive proof that: 1) governments can make life infinitely worse, 2) power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, 3) communism eventually just kills a lot of the people it is supposed to be helping, 4) the pursuit of freedom is a stronger force than a dictator for those who will not accept being a slave to the state, and 5) when the chips are down, your family is your greatest strength. An amazing story of small triumphs and huge tragedy. Very sad. It does not reflect well on China. It shows that China continues to have no regard for people, only the state/CPC.

Sad but revealing

I knew the North Korean regime is totalitarian, but these true stories of escapees are out of the worst of dystopian literature. The more I listened, the angrier I became. I feel so bad for the North Koreans. We invaded Iraq, but they did not hold the a candle to the evil of the North Korean regime. But then, N.K. has nukes and no oil.

Nothing to envy and original lives of North Korea

Excellent book I enjoyed it thoroughly if you think you know North Korea you do not have to read this book

A unique look inside isolationist North Korea

Any additional comments?

The stories of the ordinary people who had been brainwashed into believing they had "nothing to envy" were very touching. But also very sad. I very rarely read non-fiction, but this book was recommended by a friend and I would recommend it to others looking to learn more about the lives in North Korea. N. Korea generally only makes headlines when its leaders demonstrate their military might, but the typical American knows very little about the lives of ordinary citizens. It was shocking to learn of the famine and plight of the people. This book brought their daily lives into view in a touching way. I hope the author continues to follow the lives of her subjects and possibly even publishes another book. It would be very interesting to know if / how things have changed in the country since the demise of the Son - Kim Jong Il.

If you want a horror story this isn't for you.

The most important thing to remember about this book is it isn't a political piece. This book is made of stories, and not those of great men, but everyday people. And as such they are average stories, at times happy, sad or shocking, but they are real, and true.

Excellent and Erie

This book captures the true lives of people in North Korea while also clarifying many of the misconceptions Americans have about the darkened country.

Heartbreaking but couldn’t put it down!

Such a sad story that this country has lived like that for over half a century. I can’t even imagine. The narrator tells it well, and the author wrote it in such a way that I finished the book quickly because I kept wanting to hear more.

A Better Understanding of North Korea

I picked this up in preparation for my next assignment. On my first tour to South Korea in 2002, I was so excited to learn about the culture of our allies that I missed an opportunity to learn about their neighbors and adversaries in North Korea. For those desiring to understand isolated cult like organizations better, this is an insightful read -- focusing on seven defectors who escaped the regime to South Korea. The author also provides insight into the great famine that killed millions of North Koreans in the 1990s. It hurt to read about people dying from starvation when, like the Rwandan Holocaust, this did not penetrate the American news cycle. Deming provided the sobering reality of cities with no electricity or industry, where workers no longer get paid, men are conscripted into military service for ten years, women sell goods or their bodies for survival, grass is considered food, and death by starvation was all too common. Despite our ambivalence about the electoral process, this read is a reminder that while imperfect, America still provides a better life for its citizens than other places on the globe.

Great Listen

loved every minute of this book and I loved how they had a sad love story in the book. highly recommend giving this a listen.

Emotional

The stories were so personal I found myself angry at this regime. Straightforward and intriguing.