Try free for 30 days
-
Nothing to Envy
- Ordinary Lives in North Korea
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $26.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also picked
-
Without You, There Is No Us
- My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite
- By: Suki Kim
- Narrated by: Janet Song
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every day, three times a day, the students march in two straight lines, singing praises to Kim Jong-il and North Korea: Without you, there is no motherland. Without you, there is no us. It is a chilling scene, but gradually Suki Kim, too, learns the tune and, without noticing, begins to hum it. It is 2011, and all universities in North Korea have been shut down for an entire year, the students sent to construction fields - except for the 270 students at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).
-
-
Amazing story
- By Mary on 29-11-2015
-
A River in Darkness
- One Man's Escape from North Korea
- By: Masaji Ishikawa, Risa Kobayashi - translator, Martin Brown - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Incredible. Could not stop.
- By Anonymous User on 03-01-2024
-
While Time Remains
- A North Korean Girl's Search for Freedom in America
- By: Yeonmi Park
- Narrated by: Maureen Taylor
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After defecting from North Korea, Yeonmi Park found liberty and freedom in America. But she also found a chilling crackdown on self-expression and thought that reminded her of the brutal regime she risked her life to escape. When she spoke out about the mass political indoctrination she saw around her in the United States, Park faced censorship and even death threats.
-
-
No Democracy Outside America
- By James on 12-02-2024
-
Wild Swans
- By: Jung Chang
- Narrated by: Pik-sen Lim
- Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few books have had such an impact as Wild Swans: a popular best seller and a critically acclaimed history of China that opened up the country to the world. Through the story of three generations of women in her own family - the grandmother given to the warlord as a concubine, the Communist mother, and the daughter herself - Jung Chang reveals the epic history of China's twentieth century. Breathtaking in its scope, unforgettable in its descriptions, this is a masterpiece that is extraordinary in every way.
-
-
Not for history buffs
- By Dr on 01-04-2018
-
Not Forgotten
- The True Story of My Imprisonment in North Korea
- By: Kenneth Bae, Mark Tabb
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not Forgotten is a modern story of intrigue, suspense, and heart. Driven by his passion to help the people of North Korea, Bae moves to neighboring China to lead guided tours into the secretive nation. Six years later, after 18 successful excursions in and out of the country, Ken is suddenly stopped at the border: He inadvertently brought his hard drive, which reveals the true nature of his visits, to customs. He is arrested, brought to Pyongyang for further questioning, and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. His crime? Attempting to overthrow the North Korean government.
-
-
An interesting story if you can sort through the noise
- By Anonymous User on 20-07-2019
-
Stiff
- The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
- By: Mary Roach
- Narrated by: Shelly Frasier
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For two thousand years, cadavers have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.
-
-
A down to earth, thought provoking discussion
- By Michael on 09-06-2016
-
Without You, There Is No Us
- My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite
- By: Suki Kim
- Narrated by: Janet Song
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every day, three times a day, the students march in two straight lines, singing praises to Kim Jong-il and North Korea: Without you, there is no motherland. Without you, there is no us. It is a chilling scene, but gradually Suki Kim, too, learns the tune and, without noticing, begins to hum it. It is 2011, and all universities in North Korea have been shut down for an entire year, the students sent to construction fields - except for the 270 students at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST).
-
-
Amazing story
- By Mary on 29-11-2015
-
A River in Darkness
- One Man's Escape from North Korea
- By: Masaji Ishikawa, Risa Kobayashi - translator, Martin Brown - translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Incredible. Could not stop.
- By Anonymous User on 03-01-2024
-
While Time Remains
- A North Korean Girl's Search for Freedom in America
- By: Yeonmi Park
- Narrated by: Maureen Taylor
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After defecting from North Korea, Yeonmi Park found liberty and freedom in America. But she also found a chilling crackdown on self-expression and thought that reminded her of the brutal regime she risked her life to escape. When she spoke out about the mass political indoctrination she saw around her in the United States, Park faced censorship and even death threats.
-
-
No Democracy Outside America
- By James on 12-02-2024
-
Wild Swans
- By: Jung Chang
- Narrated by: Pik-sen Lim
- Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Few books have had such an impact as Wild Swans: a popular best seller and a critically acclaimed history of China that opened up the country to the world. Through the story of three generations of women in her own family - the grandmother given to the warlord as a concubine, the Communist mother, and the daughter herself - Jung Chang reveals the epic history of China's twentieth century. Breathtaking in its scope, unforgettable in its descriptions, this is a masterpiece that is extraordinary in every way.
-
-
Not for history buffs
- By Dr on 01-04-2018
-
Not Forgotten
- The True Story of My Imprisonment in North Korea
- By: Kenneth Bae, Mark Tabb
- Narrated by: Wayne Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not Forgotten is a modern story of intrigue, suspense, and heart. Driven by his passion to help the people of North Korea, Bae moves to neighboring China to lead guided tours into the secretive nation. Six years later, after 18 successful excursions in and out of the country, Ken is suddenly stopped at the border: He inadvertently brought his hard drive, which reveals the true nature of his visits, to customs. He is arrested, brought to Pyongyang for further questioning, and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. His crime? Attempting to overthrow the North Korean government.
-
-
An interesting story if you can sort through the noise
- By Anonymous User on 20-07-2019
-
Stiff
- The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
- By: Mary Roach
- Narrated by: Shelly Frasier
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For two thousand years, cadavers have been involved in science's boldest strides and weirdest undertakings. They've tested France's first guillotines, ridden the NASA Space Shuttle, been crucified in a Parisian laboratory to test the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin, and helped solve the mystery of TWA Flight 800. For every new surgical procedure, from heart transplants to gender reassignment surgery, cadavers have been there alongside surgeons, making history in their quiet way.
-
-
A down to earth, thought provoking discussion
- By Michael on 09-06-2016
Publisher's Summary
Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction 2010.
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.
Critic Reviews
More from the same
What listeners say about Nothing to Envy
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chelsea
- 13-01-2020
Narrator is robotic
I cannot attest to the content of this audiobook because I could not handle the narrator. She is so robotic that I could not listen to more than 10 mins. Will be buying on kindle instead.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chelsea T
- 27-02-2023
Excellent book to learn about North Korea
This is not a book of hope. There is nothing about solutions to the terrible, unimaginable suffering that people in North Korea experience thanks the regime. It is of the personal stories of people who defected. This book was hard to listen to at times, listening to the atrocities faced by people in North Korea. The excerpt about the public execution for a minor crime of stealing metals during times of famine, to buy food, was particularly hard.
My only criticism is when the author stated that most defectors regret leaving North Korea. The author does not explain why she says this or the reasons. If this were true surely it would most likely be because of survivor's guilt. Leaving family behind in a country like North Korea is unimaginable. I would have liked to hear more about the lives of the defectors adjusting to life outside of North Korea.
I hope more people would read book like these.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 29-03-2021
A real eye opener
Living in Australia it’s hard to believe that people’s basic human rights didn’t exist for these people, and not so long ago. Great read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ingrid
- 10-03-2021
Eye opener!
Gripping. I knew things were tough in North Korea but the extent is horrifying. How can this be in the 21st century?
A case of absolute power corrupts absolutely. As frightening as the Holocaust, but less well known. Barbara Demick’s account is very well researched partly from first hand knowledge. The narration is a little stiff but suits the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- donnelle
- 03-02-2021
Eye Opening Story
loved this book so so much. Hard to believe it happened in my lifetime.
The narrators vpice was at times a bit monotone but I think it suited the harsh reality of the story
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kelly
- 22-11-2017
Devastatingly amazing
Barbara does an amazing job at opening our eyes to the life of North Koreans. Makes me feel so helpless.
I couldn’t wait to keep listening each time I had to stop.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 09-10-2017
Wonderful insight
Great story about the individual plight of several North Korean Citizens from the hardships felt under a communist regime to the far off, democratic living as offered by South Korea. Although it is more than just that, it gives a good insight into the political, socio, and economical (or lack thereof) nature of a country so indoctrinated with the hatred of anything, or anyone that is not North Korean. A book well worth listening to.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!