First Book for 2012 - Somewhere Inside

When I began this blog several years ago, I was a middle school librarian so I read and reviewed a number of YA books -- still read them a lot but am focusing more now on reading for my own pleasure from a wide variety of genres. As the closing days of 2011 came around, I decided I would more formally keep track of the books I've read for 2012.  I'll be using this format to share and discuss what I'm reading. In early January, I read a remarkable book about two sisters.

Somewhere Inside: One Sister's Capitivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home by Laura Ling & Lisa Ling

 Having lived for over 14 years in Seoul, S. Korea, I'm always interested in books about the area and especially what's life like in N. Korea.  In March, 2009, Lisa Ling (journalist) and her photographer, Euna Lee, were interviewing N. Korean defectors along the N. Korea border with China. When they were arrested by N. Korean soldiers, five harrowing five months in captivity begins. Told in alternative voices, Lisa shares her day-to-day moments with her guards with the readers while Laura tells of her family and her efforts to gain their release.

Lisa is able to develop some rapport with her captors -- some small interchanges show their humanity. The overwhelming  control of the Dear Leader in N. Korea over all areas of life is readily apparent. Apology and sincerity of expression are very important in Korean culture when mollifying a situation. Lisa has to make every effort to appease those in control of her future.

On the other side of the world, Laura is working frantically to explore every option to procure release of her sister and Euna. Various suggestions on how to proceed are considered and rejected. Along the way, different persons are suggested as possible envoys to travel to N. Korea to bring them out. When the trial finds them guilty and sentences them to twelve years of hard labor, time is running out to bring them out.

I found this to be a powerful read and I enjoyed finding out about the sisters and their lives. Taking a peek into N. Korea and the politics and maneuvering during this trial were fascinating. If you wish to read an article appearing in the New York Times appeared Aug. 4, 2009, when former President Bill Clinton brings Lisa and Euna back to the U.S.