2024 the best memoirs of all time review

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“I am most grateful for two things: that I was born in North Korea, and that I escaped from North Korea.” - Yeonmi Park

"One of the most harrowing stories I have ever heard - and one of the most inspiring." - The Bookseller

“Park's remarkable and inspiring story shines a light on a country whose inhabitants live in misery beyond comprehension. Park's important memoir showcases the strength of the human spirit and one young woman's incredible determination to never be hungry again.” —Publishers Weekly

In In Order to Live, Yeonmi Park shines a light not just into the darkest corners of life in North Korea, describing the deprivation and deception she endured and which millions of North Korean people continue to endure to this day, but also onto her own most painful and difficult memories. She tells with bravery and dignity for the first time the story of how she and her mother were betrayed and sold into sexual slavery in China and forced to suffer terrible psychological and physical hardship before they finally made their way to Seoul, South Korea—and to freedom.

Park confronts her past with a startling resilience. In spite of everything, she has never stopped being proud of where she is from, and never stopped striving for a better life. Indeed, today she is a human rights activist working determinedly to bring attention to the oppression taking place in her home country. Park’s testimony is heartbreaking and unimaginable, but never without hope. This is the human spirit at its most indomitable.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; Reprint edition (September 27, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 014310974X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143109747
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1010L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.76 x 8.4 inches
Reviewer: Bob Lewis
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An important view of the North Korean regime
Review: This is a personal memoir of the author’s journey to freedom. It begins by recounting her early life under tyrannical rule in North Korea, providing one of the most personal and depressing portraits of life under that regime I’ve ever read. Presumably other readers will be as shocked and horrified as I was to learn about activities we would find unthinkable but North Koreans are forced to accept as just a part of daily life. Even linguistic repressions are in equal parts fascinating and terrifying. But the book then goes on to describe the author’s escape from that hell on earth at the of only thirteen years (and at the weight of only sixty pounds!). Unfortunately the journey through hell wasn’t over as she’d escaped one hell directly into the hands of human traffickers in China. It was only after a period of more years, fully detailed in these pages, that she eventually made her way to freedom first in South Korea and eventually in the United States.Though the book is undeniably a fascinating and harrowing read, some have raised questions of its accuracy, and I think that’s an issue that should be addressed. This book is not a work of academic scholarship, but a personal memoir, and should be read as such. Minor errors of fact and slight inconsistencies do exist, as the book’s coauthor freely acknowledges and attributes to the author’s imperfect recollection of childhood memories and (at the time of the book’s publication) relatively weak English. If you’re planning to use the book for academic purposes, claims should be verified against independent sources, but if you’re reading the book to get a personal look into the life of one North Korean defector, you’ll find the book both useful and accurate on all points where it counts. With regard to more aggressive critics who try to call the entire story into question, coauthor Maryanne Vollers attributes those claims to an organized effort by the North Korean regime to discredit her claims.Regardless of what one thinks of the accuracy of some of the book’s claims—and I am not expert enough to validate every line of the book—it’s undoubtedly one of the most important books I’ve read in a long time because it provides a portrait of a country into which most of us have few opportunities to peer and helps us to understand not only abstractly or academically but personally what it’s like to live under the kind of repressive regime most of us are fortunate enough to have never individually witnessed.

Reviewer: The Journalist
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Terrifically and poignantly written
Review: This was a dynamite read, though sometimes it was difficult, getting my head wrapped around a regime that allows its people to suffer and starve. Park decided to write the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and it has lent a great deal of power to the message that the North Korean government it a cruel and brutal machine, bent on breaking the backs of the very people keeping it afloat. I applaud Park--and she's a clear and terrific writer, too.As part of a family who once had risen in approval by the Kims, Park sees her father fall into disgrace, when he's arrested for his participation in the Black Market--a necessary, but illegal operation taking place daily in North Korea. When living alone with her mother and sister, Park is forced to live with relatives who dislike her family, due to her father's "behavior". When winter is too cold and food is scarce, Park's mother and sister agree it's time to flee to China. First, Eonmi, the sister, disappears and nothing more is heard of her. Desperate to locate her, Park and her mother set out, assured by their escape guides that they'll have work and a living waiting for them on the other side of the river. However, the "work" is nothing but grim human trafficking, and Park becomes enslaved as a mistress--at age THIRTEEN. When things in China become unbearable, she and her mother resort to yet another attempt at escaping; this time to South Korea, via the Gobi Desert. Successful, they must be debriefed in camps, set up to assist them in learning how to live in a free society.Park's tale is both poignant and masterfully organized. I highly recommend this book. It's informative and should remind everyone never to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy.

Reviewer: P. Abraham
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An absolute must-read!
Review: Ms. Park’s story is breathtaking and continually reminds me to count my blessings. I keep looking at the photos and wondering how in the world did they survive so much destitution and turmoil. Then I conclude that it can only be the grace of Christ. It’s a story that HAD to be told! This book is a must read!

Reviewer: deanie1
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Inspiring and informative
Review: Yeonmi's story is simply incredible and I am amazed by how much I learned. But four stars because did lack the inspiring writing I love. Sometimes it read quite dryly with boring sentences.

Reviewer: Alain L Miller
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: It will become classic one day
Review: This is the first book in my life that I finished in 3 days. I couldn't stop. The story is incredible and it's very well written, very easy to read and understand.

Reviewer: jst1dering
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Compelling True Story
Review: I'm so glad to have this book; it's truly inspiring and one of the most compelling true stories I've ever read.

Reviewer: Steven H
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Tremendously ensightful
Review: This is the second time I read this book. Her descriptions of the way she and her family were controlled and brain washed by the North Korean government were riveting. Having never lived under that control it's hard to understand how they could be controlled the way they were. It also helps to understand how the general population remains controlled like they are. Reading about how she and her sister had to survive when her parents were away was heart breaking.This is one of the best books I have ever read. It helps me appreciate so many things we take for granted in our country. Now I'm hoping she writes more or maybe her sister will.

Reviewer: Jojo128
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Protect our children
Review: This is a captivating story of an incredibly strong and resilient girl faced with an unspeakable amount of barriers and abuseIt shows the human spirit that just knows what it needs and is an important story every single human should hear

Reviewer: Fabiana
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Muito bom!

Reviewer: Esther C.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Muy conmovedor.

Reviewer: Jenna
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I read the book in one day, because it is THAT good! This is a must read for all readers. What a harrowing, bone chilling story. Yeonmi and her family are incredible survivalists, having lived a life most of us could never fathom. Her story has made me appreciate the smallest of things in my own life, and have re-centered my values. I will forever recommend this book to others. I learned a lot, and I know this story will stick with me forever.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The book came with a bent cover. This is the second time recently that a book comes with a damaged cover 🙁

Reviewer: Janine P
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book was amazing! It gave a real insight into how North Koreans live and survive. Heartbreaking but also so inspirational. Brilliant book! I couldn't out it down!