Book Recommendations

Two books you may be interested in ... one fiction, one non-fiction.

 Non-fiction: The Girl With Seven Names, by Hyeonseo Lee

         https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Seven-Names-Korean-Defectors-ebook/dp/B00JD3ZL9U 

     Published in 2015, this is the second book about individuals who have lived in North Korea that I've mentioned here. Ms. Lee's personal story is vastly different than Masaji Ishaikawa's, his memoir published under the title A River In Darkness. 

North Korea has a class status system second to none. Masaji Ishaikawa was on the lowest rung of the ladder, while Hyeonseo Lee was born into good songbun, or a high level of society. As such her family enjoyed a much more comfortable life - by North Korean standards - and many greater priviledges. 

But for everyone the brain-washing begins early in a society that demands complete, unquestioned, loyalty to their great leader. The lovely girl with great intelligence and a rebellious spirit began to question the brutality and frequent starvation she saw all around her. In time her own immediate family would not be immune from denunciation and censorship. At some level everyone learns to survive by their wits and keeping their doubts and feelings to themselves. 

Not yet eighteen, she crosses the river border into China in direct defiance of her mother's wishes, thinking she would visit relatives and be back in a few days. She would never live in No. Korea again.

The extended library system in my state provided me with my copy of this book; rather expensive to buy, it is likely you can get a copy through your own local library. 

 

Fiction:  Entangled (The Fredrickson Winery Novels Book I) by Barbara Ellen Brink

 https://www.amazon.com/Entangled-Fredrickson-Winery-Novels-Book-ebook/dp/B00427YJOK 

     Barbara Brink and I met a number of years ago in an Amazon reader chat room. She has written a number of series of fiction books, most or all of them with a mystery element. If you like this one, there are several in this series alone. 

Her scenarios are here in the U.S. in a current time frame. I would classify them as clean and enjoyable cozy reads.  You can buy Entangled in e-book format for $3.99.

This author and I have connected recently. There is a strong possibility she will be a featured guest blogger here soon.  

   

 

Comments

  1. I truly enjoyed The Girl with Seven Names. It was my first exposure to life in N. Korea. I was surprised that her life was good. I figured everyone's life was not good. The interesting part was all she went through after she left home. It was because of her wit that she wasn't round up and sent back to N. Korea as so many are. I will check out A River in Darkness for another side of life in N. Korea. Thanks! :)

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    Replies
    1. Beware: A River in Darkness is not upbeat at all, but quite depressing. The author went through so much suffering it is staggering, with his escape providing only some relief, so it wasn't recommended here. I'm glad to have read it because it only increased my awareness of what life is like for so many people.
      Neither of these authors are Christians, which is very evident. I'm sure you recall Ms. Lee's
      bewilderment at the kindness extended to her by non-family with no expectation of reciprocity. It was totally outside of her experience.

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  2. I can't remember whether I read Entangled or not, but I absolutely love another mystery penned by Ms. Brink, featuring a husband and wife sleuthing team. I think the wife is an actress, married to a cop, and the series features some very enjoyable "bardinage," those Shakespearean puns some of us cannot resist. I will have to check my library to see which books I have. And reread some.

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