Nothing to Envy

Ordinary Lives in North Korea

By: Barbara Demick

Narrated by: Karen White

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Barbara Demick's Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over 15 years - a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung and the unchallenged rise to power of his son, Kim Jong-il, and the devastation of a far-ranging famine that killed one-fifth of the population.

Taking us into a landscape never before seen, Demick brings to life what it means to be an average Korean citizen, living under the most repressive totalitarian regime today - an Orwellian world in which radio and television dials are welded to the one government station, a country that is by choice not connected to the Internet, a society in which outward displays of affection are punished, and a police state that rewards informants and where an offhanded remark can send a citizen to the gulag for life. Demick's subjects - a middle-aged party loyalist and her rebellious daughter, an idealistic female doctor, an orphan, and two young lovers - all hail from the same provincial city in the farthest-flung northern reaches of the country. One by one, we witness the moments of revelation, when each realizes that they have been betrayed by the Fatherland and that their suffering is not a global condition but is uniquely theirs.

Nothing to Envy is the first book about North Korea to go deep inside the country, beyond the reach of government censors, and penetrate the mind-set of the average citizen. It is a groundbreaking and essential addition to the literature of totalitarianism.

©2010 Barbara Demick (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A fascinating and deeply personal look at the lives of six defectors from the repressive totalitarian regime of the Republic of North Korea." ( Publishers Weekly)

One of the Best Books Out There Now

I was a bit skeptic when I first chose this book to listen to but this book became one of those gems that I am glad I took a chance on. It does so many things so very right that I would simply suggest this book to anyone, literally to anyone.

Barbara Demick tells the story of like in North Korea and tell this story through interwoven true life experiences between a handfuls of individuals. The book in its entirety has a very anti-North Korea tone to it and if you are no careful you can easily be caught up into that sort of rhetoric. Keep in mind though that Barbara is simply telling things from persons who have lived and later defected from North Korea so there is some amount of distaste and bitterness from said persons. The author tries her best to not inject too much of such sentiment in her work but coming from her background as a reporter probably, she simply reported what the interviewees wish to have portrayed mostly.

All that being said even if you disagree with the tone of the book itself, it pokes enough in this direction to have you wanting to know more. It pokes at your curiosity in the right places and leaves you asking the right questions opening up this topic for discussion, driving one to actually want to do some research on this topic.

The narration suited well what was being portrayed. I do have some slight qualms with it as I thought the entire book seemed a bit over enunciated. You could hear her breathing in after every sentence it seems. Otherwise the mood and general tone was very much to my liking.

You would enjoy this book, at the time I listened to this (2013) it was current, impressively done, mixing the right amount of facts with an actual story and also highly thought provoking. One of the best books I have listened to in a while.

I don't often give five stars

but this is a real breakthrough book on conditions in North Korea. Demick has done a terrific job of creating a gripping narrative, based upon her extensive interviews with the defectors, including transitions between stories - one person arrives, fresh out of the Yalu River border, at a house in China, sees a bowl of rice and meat just sitting there on the doorstep, thinks to herself, "That's more food than I've had at any meal back home in many years!", and then realizes it means there's a potentially fierce dog nearby ... fade to next story.

Karen White's audio narration is especially noteworthy - obvious that she made an extra effort to pronounce Korean words correctly.

Highly recommended!

Orwell was prophetic

Any additional comments?

George Orwell's "1984" could easily pass for a recent history of North Korea.

One often hears about North Korea and the incessant demands its fiery leaders make upon the rest of the world, but rarely do we get to glimpse inside the lives of those who suffer under their iron fist. "Nothing to Envy" provides us just that.

I expected the book to be different, but it was just right. It follows the lives of a few North Korean citizens, and provides insight into their struggles and daily lives. Many of these people eventually fled to South Korea, and the difference in the present and former lives is striking!

I highly recommend this book to anyone, not only will it give you a sense of appreciation for all of the freedoms you enjoy, but it will also provide a sad look into the lives of those who do not have those freedoms. It is a great mix of story and fact that anyone will appreciate.

Human perspective on a shadowy topic

This book offers an intimate glimpse at what life is actually like in North Korea, told firsthand by North Koreans who managed to escape to the south. Beyond the appalling devastation, there is some really interesting imagery in these stories, due to the unique conditions of a country trapped in a time capsule.

Unable to stop til the end

Wonderfully written! I am delighted to find a non-fiction written so well. I will look for more books by this author.

A story that must be told!

This is an amazing account of life in North Korea, right up to the last decade. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author balanced the accounts of multiple lives under the harsh regimes. It was well written and I would recommend it, except for the narrator. She narrated the entire book in a staccato that at times made me want to quit--except the stories were so compelling! A different narrator would make this book perfect. It's still a great read.

Blew My Mind

Wow! This book is so beautiful and haunting. It will stay with you long after you finish listening to it. It is both poetic and highly informative. I learned so much about North Korea and the lives of defectors. This is an extremely important book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend it. Also, Karen White does a fantastic job narrating!

Great book, poor reader

What didn’t you like about Karen White’s performance?

How hard is it to figure out that people don't want to listen to the narrator gulp down every breath? Extremely annoying and distracting.

Wonderfully eye-opening look into the hidden world of North Korea

Wonderfully eye-opening look into the hidden world of North Korea. The author seems to have done plenty of thorough interviews with the main characters and enough homework to create a good backdrop for their stories. The stories are told with a convincing matter-of-factness that makes them all the more astonishing.
They also help the audience understand the political background and governmental policies that put the country at odds with the developing world today. And, importantly, the book's biographical stories help the audience feel that citizens of North Korea are still human.

This book's narrator is easy to listen to and doesn't get in the way of the book's narrative.

So informative.

This is an unbelievable story of how totalitarian/socialism form of government does not work. I think this is a must read to help people in the free world understand why they must fight for capitalism and less government. May your eyes be opened!