'An admirably clear and calm survey of one of the hardest countries in the world to report on.'
The Guardian
'Highly readable ... a solid overview of the country's modern history and how it became a failed state.'
Wall Street Journal
'Fascinating ... highly readable.'
Daily Telegraph
'An excellent introduction to the history and politics of North Korea.'
Hyeonseo Lee, North Korean defector
'Paul French writes with wit, eloquence and rare clarity about the complicated history of North Korea.'
Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea
'If much reporting on North Korea is hysterical, French has gone the other way ... [a book] written with a brisk confidence.'
Financial Times
`This is the most accessible starting point for anyone wanting to understand the hermit kingdom.'
Kerry Brown, professor and director, China Studies Centre, University of Sydney
'This clear-eyed overview to North Korea's modern history is packed full of fascinating detail.'
Louisa Lim, Beijing correspondent, NPR