Life for the people he described in North Korea is intolerable..
353696
It was hard to keep reading as it was terribly depressing.  Life in Norh Korea that he described was so hopeless.
3748339
Finished the first seven chapters of the book and I can't stop reading! First-hand accounts of those who created the Trump Presidency and "MAGA". Those who fed the monster and later regretted it.

Edit: 15 Chapters into the book, I can't help but notice that Trump's Administration is so out of wack, that Steve Bannon none other is portraited unintentionally by Woodward as "a voice of reason"! This is deeply disturbing.

Edit: Done reading the book. One thing that I find impressing about Trump (to be fair) is his insistence on keeping his promises to his base that got him into the WH. Needle to say that most of these promises are stupid and potentially very harmful to the American Life, American Economy and American national security.  I couldn't record this book enough. However, I wish there was more coverage of the WH's role in bringing  North Korean to the negotiations' table.
469874
The author demonstrates through his own testimony how powerhungry and vicious the North Korean Kim regime happens to be. I was moved by how the author's family moved to North Korea from Japan with a starry-eyed vision of North Korean society, only to realize their mistake in moving there. Although the book covers the 1970s and 1980s, it is just as relevant now; since the North Korean government has not changed its policy of imprisoning political prisoners.
49966
Almost immediately I began to cringe at the Ugly American attitude of the author, who takes what is apparently first job ever, or actual exertion of any kind, I suspect, and accepts a teaching position in South Korea.

He turned out not to be American, so I was able to gleefully read on.  He is given a 3 bedroom apt. owned by a relative of his employer FOR FREE.  They obviously did not know he was coming though, because it was too small for him.  Since he spends every nonworking waking hour drinking to intoxication, I'm wasn't sure how this was a problem for him. (Once, his supervisor's supervisor even sternly points at his 2 day old beard growth, and he doesn't grasp that it's generally not a good idea to show up reeking of alcohol and hung over to teach small children on a regular basis).  He complains about evvvvvverything.  Seriously, he never stops, the whole book.  His employer kindly brings him a soft drink, at her expense, but it is too small, ugh.  He has to work more than 30 hours a week, how awful (must have interfered with his drinking).

He signed up to teach English classes but is insulted when the supervisor sits in on the first day of class and has to correct his spelling on the board of the word, "Wednesday."  Seriously, he didn't know how to spell Wednesday.  At every job he belligerently ignores native Korean teachers with 20 plus years of experience.  He knows best.

He never once has a kind work for any female in the entire book.  Young women are dismissed as not attractive enough for his taste (note that every one of them immediately told him they had a boyfriend in another city.  This means they only wanted to be friends with you hon).  Every woman over age 22 is described as middle-aged, and too loquacious (I'm thinking he wanted to do all the talking and impart his 21 year old wisdom).

If you don't mind watching a swooshbag act like himself, this book is for you.
3007518
this has to be one of the most tragic books that i have ever read. the author's personal survival over the adversity he faced points to the ability of man to survive almost anything. does this suffering serve a purpose? conditions in North korea are not much better at all especially since all of their GNP goes into building nukes.
4183231
How would you like to be some 19 or 20 American soldier, having to survive 120 degree days in the Sunni Triangle, wearing 90 pounds of clumsy gear, eating nasty food, surrounded by streets full of filth, funky smells, and people wishing you would die, because you took away their boy Saddam. They miss oppressing their neighbors and being in charge of a country so run into the ground that there has no been no hope for generations, so they cook up schemes to get the dumbest among them to drive a truck bomb into your checkpoint. You have to spend over one year in this pleasant environment away from family, friends...all for this great notion of freedom, so this whale can criticize what you are doing, since he hates living in the land of liberty, PS2, the Wal-Mart lower prices yellow bouncing ball, Starbucks Mocha lattes, Volvos, free internet porn, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and the 24 hour 7 eleven slushee made by the Pakistani immigrant who fantasizes not of Al-Qaeda bombings, but of someday owning his own ethnic restaurant on the rich yuppie side of town. Yeah this great guy is great, capitalizing on our soldier's deaths to make a living. I'd respect you more/Moore if you had actually served like John Murtha or Chuck Hagel.....But hey as long as people keep buying your DVD, getting your message out...I bet you even drive an SUV.
2912682
This guy is a f***ing sap.
He is a grown man who still thinks people hate him because of discrimination he faced as a child due to the colour of his hair.
Self-indulgent tripe.

I can only hope this made him eventually feel better about himself so nobody ever has to sit through a sequel.
3758467
Hardly imaginable what it's going on in North Korea especially these days. Good stuff to read. I guess it's so far forum our daily lives that picture it it's almost impossible.
1191501
North Korea is in the news, and this book gives a view of the lives of ordinary North Koreans over the last decades.  The author is half Japanese and half Korean, and was brought from Japan to North Korea by his parents about 1960, so his own experiences are in some ways not typical, but he gives a vivid description of the life of the people around him, as well as his own family and other Japanese-Koreans.  The difficulties and suffering they faced make one think of the suffering of hopeful western immigrants to the Soviet Union. In some ways Ishikawa is a sort of North Korean Solzhenitsen, letting us understand the evils of a tyranny that is so far from our experience as to be almost unimagineable.
4819945
I would advise anyone thinking of reading this book to consider how much time would be spent that you could never get back. His isolationist views are pure tripe that would endanger this country.  He would gut the military and throw every allied country under the bus.  He is fixated on everything he believes we have done wrong, but his solutions would only work in the fantasy world in which he lives.
4353257
The writing is excellent and I'm sure deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.  However, the story itself is relentlessly depressing and I finally gave up reading the book because the activities that the main character had to use to survive just became too disgusting to read.  This novel may truly describe what life is like in North Korea, but, if reading is about enjoyment, why subject oneself to this horror.
4182222
I chose this book because, after reading "Aquariums of Pyongyang," "Nothing to Envy," "Escape from Camp 14," "The Reluctant Communist" and others, I was yearning for a bit of a different perspective on North Korea. However, this book leaves me a bit conflicted. I wanted to like the author and I wanted to like it (Hell, I think if she and I sat down for coffee, I think we could be friends), but there were many instances were I think the author needed to take the "when in Rome..." approach. Yes, this is a communist police state, yes this is a high-context culture, yes concentration camps still exist in this country - do you really want to piss your handlers off by arguing with them about bugs or elephant tusks? Just smile and nod, please!!! That said, there is a bit of a culture clash showcased in the book beyond the normal "North Korea is Insane" type stuff. Yes, North Korea is very different to say the least. Did you really expect that they would let you roam off-leash? Out of sight of their dear heavenly leader? No...God no. Considering it's illegal for American citizens to go there (it's illegal, but you are not unable...), I'm wondering how much the author actually read about North Korea before going there. For example, I once spent 30 days in South Korea on a student study abroad experience. Given South Korea is much, much different from North Korea. I was on day about 27 before I hit the goofy "OMG another english speaker!!!" phase while she was on about day 7 of a 10 day trip. Yes, she wrote this book on a 10-day holiday and managed to piss one of her handlers off on day 1. *Facepalm* She justifies the experience of writing the book by saying that most people don't stay in North Korea for 10 days to visit. Well, I will say this. When I was in college, I lived in South Korea for 30 days, I don't think it was enough to judge South Korea by. In fact, I had to write a thesis on it and was even docked because 30 days isn't that long (I think writing a book about 10 would be even worse...). After I read her justification for writing a book on a 10-day experience, I thought to myself "Well, I once spent 14 days on Oahu, could I write a book?" I may be able to write about my experiences, but my experiences would not give justice to the people or a greater social situation. When you are around the same few people over the course of a week or two, your experiences and perspective is limited - of course, this is the point of being on North Korea's guided tours - but understand that this book is about personal interactions, NOT in-depth analysis of the country itself  - socially, culturally, or economically. The writing style is a bit disjointed - not unreadable - if you have read "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," it's more like that. Details about certain situations are lacking. If you are looking for some really light reading, it's okay. I finished it in about 2 days. On another note, towards the end the author mentions she has been managing people "her entire career" and that comment struck me as odd. Okay, did the author get hired from college into a management role? Never had to work retail your entire life? Never worked as support staff in an office? Never. Ever. Once? Jeezus. Then she mentions she (paraphrases) feels she needs to be an ambassador to people who have never seen a white single woman or a Jew. Really? But she will go out of her way to make a scene to shoo a bug out of a car in a country where people have to use their own waste as manure. Hmm. When you go to a foreign country - especially North Korean - you can't take your New York State of mind with you. Please leave that at the baggage claim along with your human rights.
2648678
Interesting book about his experiences. While he acknowledges that the Korean gov't is repressive, he strives to give the impression that North Korea is the next Switzerland and that the sanctions are why things are so bad there.

The truth is far more complicated. While he had some positive experiences, it's clear that North Korea isn't going to become Switzerland anytime soon. And his positive experiences won't change how the regime and country are previeced, something seemingly missed in his book.
2994947
Those who have spent years in China, being abused and cheated by Chinese often keep hoping things will get better(they don't) and they are afraid to tell the truth. Any negativity chances getting deported, relatives persecuted, and the author who speaks openly will never again be granted a visa to China. The Chinese do not care if it is a fact that they have a penchant for dishonesty, trickery, and abuse of foreigners. However, they do care about 'face' - the appearance. Make them lose face and you will suffer. Hence this sanitized book. A second problem is expats to ultra xenophobic countries like China, Japan have a hard time admitting they have made a terrrible mistake, and wasted years of their lives pursuing a mirage. American Missionary Arthur Henderson Smith's "Chinese Characteristics" is free on Google, written when AHS had nothing to lose. What AHS said a hundred years ago is still basically true. A Westerner who has lived and worked in China many years will see this. A tourist will disagree since AHS's book does not match the scenes s/he was shown by their tour guide
3847886
Wendy Simmons aims to travel the world and this book is her recollection of a 10 day trip by herself to North Korea. Of course she was accompanied every minute by a guide  most of the time, by more than one. She has many colour photos included that draw the reader into her writing and give an idea of what she has seen. She is a caring person, although she says she is open minded, but then constantly criticizes the colours of the rooms in buildings and the clothes that are worn. She also states at one point that she had to sit through a 400,000 hour lecture, but says all her facts are accurate.

Much of what happens to her reminds one of how tourists were treated in cold war Russia, but truer words were never spoken when she says luck is where we are born. North Korea is crazy and insane. At one factory she is told that 5,000 workers left 5 minutes ago when the power went out, so she will not be able to see the factory working. Answers are not given to questions. She inserts quotes from Alice in Wonderland to emphasize her points.

One might grow tired of her this belongs on the sh__ I think I might be real list or even wonder what it means. Readers are educated in a ridiculous society of mind control. There are places where the reader might question, since she always  looks in rooms why she doesnt describe other rooms in a school. Were there students or couldn't she see them? She also expresses relief at meeting another westerner who is leaving on the same plane as she is. Does she not meet up with him on the plane? We are left to wonder. How does she have a phone when she says they do not allow her to take electronics into the country?
The book is interesting and readable and we are left wondering at a country with no running water in bathrooms and sporadic electricity and even stores.
3859094
Absolutely intolerable! Just one long hate speech diatribe.
3117518
First let me say that many readers will admire this book. But I had a hard time with it, because I disliked the protagonist so much.

Kyung Cho is a youngish Korean professor who blames his parents for everything that's wrong with his life. They are certainly nightmare parents, but I just wanted Kyung to get over it and get on with it. Kyung acts outs whoever he's upset. Granted he has excellent excuses for this, but still...

The basic situation is this:  Kyung's parents are attacked by a pair of criminals in an vicious home invasion. Their torment lasts for days. Much as Kyung hates his parents, as a filial Korean son, he feels compelled to take them into his own home to recover from their trauma. The set-up is explosive because of Kyung's unresolved rage. Rage at his parents. Rage at the attackers. Rage at his in-laws, who Kyung believes dislike him. Rage at the world in general.

The family dynamics are complicated and unpleasant. The psychology of abuse is thoroughly explored. This is a very serious book, for readers who can handle a heavy subject and characters deep into their suffering.