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)

Powerful

What made the experience of listening to Nothing to Envy the most enjoyable?

Although we hear many news reports about North Korea and its political standing and posturing in the world, we hear very little about the nameless, faceless people who are North Korean and victims in this totalitarian dictatorship. This book changes that, we learn how people eat, live, work. We learned how the North Koreans fought for survival during the epidemic famines that swept the country and how it impacted them and their families. Demick did an incredible job interviewing North Korea defectors and putting their stories together in a comprehensive and palatable book. A great read.

Riveting

I felt like I was brought into the darkest hole and the darkest secret on planet earth with credibility. Both journalistic AND very moving. It was a page-turner. I couldn't put it down.

Excellent!!

I knew little about North Korea before listening to this book but I feel like I know it and it's history much better now. It was an amazing narrative of what it must be like to live there and what the country has gone through over the past 40 years. I usually enjoy fiction, but I couldn't get enough of each person's story and what became of them. Really a wonderful book!

The country is revealed for what it is.

Where does Nothing to Envy rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Very well. A haunting story to be certain.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Nothing to Envy?
The fight between Mrs. Song and Oak-hee. Oak-hee proved she was stronger then her mother's blind devotion.

Have you listened to any of Karen White’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I hadn't before. Rather good, but, she does breathe into the mic a lot.

Absolutely eye-opening!

This book was incredibly written. It followed several different people through their lives in North Korea, documented their living conditions and experiences. The stories were inspiring, heartbreaking, and painted a vivid picture of everyday life in this oppressive Communist regime. This is a must read!

Narrator is terrible

Recommend reading the book instead. You get used to yeh narrator’s pleasant, airy descriptions - despite the content -but I think it takes away from the sense of tragedy and despair that I think the author intends. I might have rated the story higher- but think the narrator fundamentally detracted from my experience listening the the book.

interesting story lines

this book describes North Korea and its government through the lives of a few defectors. it would be interesting to hear from some who still live in North Korea.

Great story of resilience

I really enjoyed this title. The author really did a good job of weaving together the story of these defectors with the politics and history of N Korea in a way that transcends the individual pieces. By the end you feel like you really care about these people, and the story is proof that sometimes truth is as compelling as fiction.

The narration was pretty jarring at first to the point where I almost returned it - but I got used to it after a half hour.

Thought provoking

A powerful story told all. Only complaint is that the matador can be a little bland at times, but otherwise I was enthralled.

A look into the lives of the few

A very well written book accounting the lives of several Koreans that were fortunate enough to escape the poverty and oppression of the North Korean regime. This book is told in a story format bouncing around the lives of several defectors from North Korea. The story like atmosphere makes the book very enjoyable to listen to.