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Book Corner: The Aquarium Of Pyongyang

Monday, September 12, 2016



(EN)A couple of days ago I finished this rather special book about North Korea. It's a real story by a Northkorean man who escaped from  North Korea after being sent to a work camp for ten years, just like her grandmother, father, sister and uncle. It's about starving from hunger, working physically hard, seeing awful things, corruption and surviving in the end. 

I didn't know that there're so many Koreans in Japan. Some of them believed blindly that things actually were better in their home country. That everyone was equal there. 

I read it in Finnish. The original is in French, but available in English too.

This is quite eyes opening book.

***

(FI)Jokunen päivä sitten sain luettua aika erikoisen kirjan, joka kertoo Pohjois-Korean oloista paikallisen näkökulmasta. Kirja on tositarina miehestä joka pääsee pakenemaan maasta oltuaan ensin 10 vuotta työleirillä yhdessä isoäitinsä, isänsä, siskonsa ja setänsä kanssa. Kirjaa kertoo nälänhädästä, kovasta fyysisestä työstä, kammottavien asioiden näkemisestä, korruptiosta ja lopulta pelastautumisesta.

En tiennyt, että Japanissa on niin paljon pohjoiskorealaisia, jotka sokeasti uskovat ja luottavat siihen, että heidän kotimaassaan asiat ovat paremmin, että siellä vallitsee tasa-arvoisuus ihmisten kesken.

  Hyvin silmiä avaavaa luettavaa.










Have you read this book already?





29 comments:

  1. It sounds like quite a powerful story and one you don’t often hear of. Now that I think about it, I haven't come across many books on Korea.

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    1. This was really an interesting story. We know so little about North Korea.

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  2. Wow North Korea sounds like such an interesting and horrifying place. It's one of the few countries in this world I never want to see. This sounds like a fascinating read and one that I should check out.

    Nina
    aworldofdresses.com

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    1. Check it out - it's really telling how it is and how people are living there.

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  3. North Korea is really amusing to me. You hear so much about it but still know so little so a book from a point of view of a North Korean sounds interesting.

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    1. Yes, that's what I thought too when I bought this book and it was really an intersting experience.

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  4. No I haven't but sounds like a very interesting read. I have South Korean friends and the stories they'd tell about the north are really unbelievable.

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    1. This was really unbelievable as well, so they had a clue what it is like over there.

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  5. Sounds like an interesting read. As much as I would love to get back to reading, I am struggling with time these days.

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    1. I know - reading is not always pssible even if we want to. Time is limited.

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  6. I've read and watched documentaries about those who escaped as well. It's not a pretty life once they discover the outside world and what it can offer. Most of the time they think they're doing great and are very dependent on their leader.

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    1. Yes, that's so true! I can't imagine how it would feel to believe in something so strongly and then one day see that it's not actually like that at all.

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  7. You are so right! It's interesting because we don't know how it really is there. Only those people who have experienced it know the truth.

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  8. Sounds like a very interesting read! I don't know anything of the history of North Korea, so I should definitely educate myself.

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    1. This is very interesting reading and based on facts.

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  9. God that is awful that they witnessed such brutality, I feel for those trapped in North Korea. To live in such a militaristic existence is difficult to comprehend.

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    1. Absolutely awful! This book also shows well how this kind of society is actually run. Lots of corruption in all levels.

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  10. I've never came across any book related to Korea! Sounds like an interesting book!

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  11. This book sounds like a great read and it also can be an interesting experience. Thanks for sharing it with us!

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    1. Yes, you're right - it's an interesting experience as we know so little about that country.

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  12. Sounds like such an interesting and fascinating read. I Haven't read much about North Korea except for in the news, so should add this to my list.
    xx, Kusum | www.sveeteskapes.com

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    1. Please, add it to your reading list! It's really an interesting story.

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  13. I think I need to pick up this book for a read, I love finding new books especially about things that do happen everyday

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    1. This has happened just receantly so it makes it even more interesting.

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  14. I have not read this book but I definitely should. I think you would enjoy "The Kite Runner" as well if you haven't yet!

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    1. Oh yes, I actually have that book but haven't read it yet. Thanks for reminding me :)

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  15. Always interested to read about North Korea. I am a big fan of SouthKor in many things but the North is still untouched by me. Hehe. This book would be perfect for me.

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  16. Oh goodness! I bet there were so many sad parts in this book! I never heard of it before, sounds like a great read.

    Love,
    Ivelisse | CarnationDreams.com

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