The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot

The True Story of the Tyrant Who Created North Korea and the Young Lieutenant Who Stole His Way to Freedom

By: Blaine Harden

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of Escape from Camp 14, the murderous rise of North Korea's founding dictator and the fighter pilot who faked him out

In The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot, New York Times best-selling author Blaine Harden tells the riveting story of how Kim Il Sung grabbed power and plunged his country into war against the United States while the youngest fighter pilot in his air force was playing a high-risk game of deception - and escape.

As Kim ascended from Soviet puppet to godlike ruler, No Kum Sok noisily pretended to love his Great Leader. That was until he swiped a Soviet MiG-15 and delivered it to the Americans, not knowing they were offering a $100,000 bounty for the warplane (the equivalent of nearly $1 million today). The theft - just weeks after the Korean War ended in July 1953 - electrified the world and incited Kim's bloody vengeance.

During the Korean War, the United States brutally carpet bombed the North, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians and giving the Kim dynasty, as Harden reveals, the fact-based narrative it would use to this day to sell paranoia and hatred of Americans.

Drawing on documents from Chinese and Russian archives about the role of Mao and Stalin in Kim's shadowy rise as well as from never-before-released US intelligence and interrogation files, Harden gives us a heart-pounding escape adventure and an entirely new way to understand the world's longest-lasting totalitarian state.

©2015 Blaine Harden (P)2015 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

An Amazon Best Book of 2015

"A fascinating retelling of a tale from the early years of the Cold War....[an] artful narrative." (The New York Times)

"Blaine Harden has done more than anyone else to bring [North Korea] to a mass audience.... Thrilling stuff." (The Washington Post)

loved!!!

This book was absolutely extraordinary. worth the read and the audio that went with it made it even better !!!

An important story.

This story is very important for Americans because most of us know very little about the formation of North Korea. Knowing some of the history helps in understanding their actions today.
The other half of the story adds a wonderful personal touch to the book. I enjoyed learning about this pilots journey to reach America.

Great story

Didn't expect to hear so much about Kim il sung as well as the Korean War in general. I recommend this audiobook. The performance was really clear and comprehendible.

Wonderful written book

The tie between the fighter pilot and the North Korean leader was on point. I wanted to understand how this country came to be. This book did not disappoint.

Didn't expect such a gripping story

love love love it. I had listened to and thoroughly enjoyed Escape from Camp 14, another of the authors books, but I still didn't expect this to be so good. My standard for a good audio book is if it keeps me driving around town just to listen. This one hit that mark. I found myself running numerous errands that I either made up, or had been putting off for some time, just to keep listening. Worth a listen not only for the historical perspective about the founder of the DPRK, but also the very personal story about a man who had had enough and decided to take his chances with his enemy.

Must read!! Amazing insight into N. Korea

What a story! I'm 34, born and raised in California, so needless to say I do not know a lot about the history of North Korea. Learned a lot from this book. Kenneth is an amazing man, thanks for sharing your story.

Outstanding character development !

The book develops the main character flawlessly. there is also a ck ear picture
of the ineptitude government in North Korea.
it's hard to believe that the dictators in North Korea :continue to survive in a state of economic decay and enslavement of the people. great read filled with copious historical information. I highly recommend this book. Carl

Fantastic listen

A great story that lends itself to a fantastic Audible experience. Mark Bramhall is officially my favorite Audiblizer. Nicely done.

Well worth a listen.

A short book that was well written and we'll told. A beautful way to get a good synopsis of Korea.

Tale of two citizens

Breezily finished this fine work in 6 days. I loved the excellent illustration of the immense chasm of the lives of "The Great Leader" and an ordinary airman who saw through the deceit and with remarkable courage left his home to start a new life. The only thing lacking for me was that I wanted a more complete picture of Kim Il Sung, but even 70 years after his rise to absolute power that still isn't available to us.

I heartily recommend this book - it is a testament to both the damnable shame of human oppression and the indomitable resilience of the human spirit.