Firstly welcome to our newest member Olivia, who has read all the books since August but been unable to make any of the meetings - until this one!
Nothing to Envy - a factual narrative by the journalist Barbara Demick based on the stories and accounts from people she interviewed who managed to escape from North Korea and make a new life in South Korea. The book illustrates and describes how the population of N Korea are completely insulated and cut off from the rest of the world, how they are inculcated into the 'cult' of the leader. The utter control that the state has over the lives of the people are well articulated and explained through the examples and lives of the people who Barbara interviewed. The descriptions of the life that people live, how the state has total dominance over every aspect of a persons life, from your level of school to who you may or may not marry. The desecration of the society and the degradation of life with the mismanagement of the economy and the ensuing famine.
The book generated an excellent discussion, a number of us had heard on book of the week BBC Radio 4 - Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden, about a boy/man born and brought up in a N Korean gulag, who escaped - and his complete lack of moral compass, due to the harsh dog eat dog up bringing he had in the prison. A good example of nurture v nature argument! This story and the accounts of the people in Demick's book really do highlight that a person can get used to anything, and that once the generation that knew something different dies, then there is no way for people to know or understand that things could be different. The total isolation of the country works to the states advantage. Horrifying and fascinating at the same time.
The book generated an excellent discussion, a number of us had heard on book of the week BBC Radio 4 - Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden, about a boy/man born and brought up in a N Korean gulag, who escaped - and his complete lack of moral compass, due to the harsh dog eat dog up bringing he had in the prison. A good example of nurture v nature argument! This story and the accounts of the people in Demick's book really do highlight that a person can get used to anything, and that once the generation that knew something different dies, then there is no way for people to know or understand that things could be different. The total isolation of the country works to the states advantage. Horrifying and fascinating at the same time.
Words used to describe it: informative, disturbing, compelling, fascinating, uninspired writing but interesting, readable/educational/inspiring (more than one word but the excuse was I'm Irish!), journalistic, exhausting.
Marks out of 10 - between 8 - 9 so a high scoring book. One to recommend.
Next book
The Goldfinch by Donna Tarit
(Mandy has found that amazon have the best price for this book)
(Mandy has found that amazon have the best price for this book)
Next Meeting
Thursday 6th February
126 Harbord St
