Book: A River in Darkness

[elusivek]

A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea
Masaji Ishikawa
Amazon Product Link

The harrowing true story of one man’s life in—and subsequent escape from—North Korea, one of the world’s most brutal totalitarian regimes.

Half-Korean, half-Japanese, Masaji Ishikawa has spent his whole life feeling like a man without a country. This feeling only deepened when his family moved from Japan to North Korea when Ishikawa was just thirteen years old, and unwittingly became members of the lowest social caste. His father, himself a Korean national, was lured to the new Communist country by promises of abundant work, education for his children, and a higher station in society. But the reality of their new life was far from utopian.

In this memoir translated from the original Japanese, Ishikawa candidly recounts his tumultuous upbringing and the brutal thirty-six years he spent living under a crushing totalitarian regime, as well as the challenges he faced repatriating to Japan after barely escaping North Korea with his life. A River in Darkness is not only a shocking portrait of life inside the country but a testament to the dignity—and indomitable nature—of the human spirit.


= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +


I was lurking or stalking a book club in Hong Kong and saw they were reading this book for March. I wouldn't be able to join their meet up but I thought I'd give it a go and try this "team reading" thing (despite the fact that I'll not be having any discussions with anyone). Not a bad read at all.

Very straight forward recounting of his life and eventual escape from North Korea. Really sad that he even after having escaped from North Korea he was worse off emotionally, what with being alone and the governments not acknowledging his pleas.