Hahaha, I always have that same response when people give particular praise to the end of a book they’ve read. And then I get the book and read the ending before I’ve even read the beginning. This one’s not, you know, a smash-bang sort of ending, or a twist, or anything. It impressed me particularly because I know ending travel books must be madly difficult.

North Korea might not be exactly your heaven, if Delisle’s depiction of it is accurate. But I so know what you mean! I feel that way about Iran, I always want to read more Iranian literature.

How fun! It’s always more fun getting books in the mail. 🙂 And having read Burma Chronicles, I think Pyongyang was a good choice, well worth the money!

It is! I’m only sad the public library here doesn’t have his other book, the one set in China. But I’ve just got my university library card today, and I think they’ll have it. YAY.

The book made me curious to learn more about North Korea – obviously Delisle barely scratched the surface of the country in the two (heavily supervised) months he was there. It’s a great read. 🙂

I’ve finished Burma Chronicles recently too, and I think Pyongyang is even better. I hope you can find it!

It’s superb, and very likeable – Delisle’s a keen and witty observer. It doesn’t teach you as much as you might think about North Korea though, just shows you (very, very clearly) what the North Korean leader wants other countries to think about North Korea. Which is fascinating too, of course!

THAT sounds very interesting. I loved Pyongyang, but it made me wonder very much what the North Koreans were thinking. By necessity they were concealing their true thoughts from Delisle and the other Westerners, so you only get the most circuitous glimpse of their lives.

I hope your library gets the book in soon!

It is quite horrifying, but not the greatest glimpse of what life is like in North Korea. Delisle is carefully kept away from seeing anything that might reflect poorly on the country and its governance. But give it a try anyway! It’s very good.