Dear Leader

Poet, Spy, Escapee--A Look Inside North Korea

By: Jang Jin-sung

Narrated by: Daniel York

THE STORY THEY COULDN'T HACK: In this international bestseller, a high-ranking counterintelligence agent describes his life as a former poet laureate to Kim Jong-il and his breathtaking escape to freedom.

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 an “impossibly dramatic story…one of the best depictions yet of North Korea’s nightmare” (Publishers Weekly).

Interesting and Aggravating at the Same Time

This book was not what I was expecting. I happened to be reading this while North Korean was in the news quite a bit.

The author, Jang Jin-Sung, was one of the admitted North Korean socially chosen because of his literary ability. During his time in North Korea he was granted numerous privileges. He had personal encounter with Kim Jong-il, which was interesting and quite telling. I was expecting a bit more information of his day to day life.

Though his journey to South Korea was at times exciting, at other times I felt the author continued to feel privileged. He survived because of the kindness of others. When you consider that he didn't help anyone less privileged when he was in the elite group yet upon being in need, his survival was paramount to everything. The author never seemed too concerned about the danger he put those that aided him in. Once he found assistance – he held on to them till he brought them danger, with little regard or concern for them. He called the first family that helped him, to ask for additional information and assistance, more than repeatedly,fully aware of the danger he was putting them in. It was disturbing to me.

Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic!

I read every book I can find about North Korean refugees. This book has such a different perspective. The author has written his account beautifully. Please don’t pass this book by!

Informative exciting heartfelt

A education into the workings of North Korea that reads like a suspense novel. Beautifully read. Worth reading

Amazing

Total 5 star, amazing book and narration. I would totally recommend this to anyone

interesting story

I love story's of people that have over come adversity . the reader did a good job of telling the story he kept my attention. I will look for other story by this reader.