Book: Escape from Camp 14

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Escape from Camp 14 - One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West
Blaine Harden
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A New York Times bestseller, the shocking story of one of the few people born in a North Korean political prison to have escaped and survived.

North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and belligerent. It is also armed with nuclear weapons. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are being held in its political prison camps, which have existed twice as long as Stalin's Soviet gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. Very few born and raised in these camps have escaped. But Shin Donghyuk did.

In Escape from Camp 14, acclaimed journalist Blaine Harden tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk and through the lens of Shin's life unlocks the secrets of the world's most repressive totalitarian state. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence-he saw his mother as a competitor for food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his own family. Through Harden's harrowing narrative of Shin's life and remarkable escape, he offers an unequaled inside account of one of the world's darkest nations and a riveting tale of endurance, courage, and survival.

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I always thought I wouldn't like reading non-fiction books, but, this book kept me quite intrigued.

So this book is about Shin, a guy born inside Camp 14. Camp 14 is a labour camp in North Korea.

Raised to believe he is always in the wrong (takes the meaning of "original sin" to a whole new level) he had no education about the world. He was born, taught to follow commands, and was supposed to spend the rest of his life following commands.

Somehow he escaped.

The escape itself was quite exhilarating, though I'm not sure if I should hang onto every little detail said...

Maybe I'm not quite sympathetic, so I was a bit annoyed with Shin's difficulty in adapting to the new life. I know he suffered from some psychological issues, and that many defectors go through similar phases, but... knowing what is supposed to be doesn't mean that I agree or can accept...

So I was pretty miffed by his... seemingly lazy behaviour. I know for a fact that I am wrong, but I can't help but feel annoyed. For this, I apologize.

Though in the end he seemed to have redeemed himself, and I'm happy for him.

I was hoping there would be some more of an elaboration after his big step forward, especially with many points that he kept vague, but, that's where to book ended, so I was a bit let down.

However, this book kept me intrigued till the end. Actually I finished this book within a day.