In Order To Live - Book Review

August 21, 2021
I have already wrote few words about the book titled In Order To Live by Yeonmi Park. It is an autobiography on how she escaped North Korea. North Korea is country that can be described with something that is from a horror film. Politics a side, North Korea is a place where people are constantly watched by authorities, punished for minor offenses, if you said something wrong you either ended up in
August 21, 2021
I have already wrote few words about the book titled In Order To Live by Yeonmi Park. It is an autobiography on how she escaped North Korea. North Korea is country that can be described with something that is from a horror film. Politics a side, North Korea is a place where people are constantly watched by authorities, punished for minor offenses, if you said something wrong you either ended up in prison or even with death sentence that even a barbarian would be horrified.

The book is very detailed with toughest struggles, that you don’t even want it to happen even to your worst enemy. Their education is more like military training to behave like robots. In order to survive with food you either had to sell things on black market, scavenger for food, eat bugs. I can’t imagine myself dumpster diving for food.
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North Korea is a country that is called paradise, but it is a polar opposite. Just because if you hear your government say will provide everything for free, you had to give something in return that would please the government, people are taught to worship the Great Leader like he was if he was God. North Korean government controls everything from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. From a very early age children are taught to hate countries like Japan and United States, but especially South Korea.

Government would reward you with things like free apartment for example, but it would be taken away in a heartbeat if you or your relative did something wrong. And, yes, you read that right… your entire family will be punished for something one family member did. Let’s imagine you or family member smuggled something into the country and sold it, you are arrested and on top of it all your identification taken away, because North Korean penal system believes that criminals are not human. Then you are either forced to work or tortured.

While I was reading the book, I felt pure and raw emotion what Yeonmi went through to escape. At times I smiled, I even cried how she described her tough childhood with bitter sweet memories. Close bond with her father, how both and her mother built courage to escape. I cried and felt very emotional the most when she lost her father to cancer, seeing her mother get violated, getting kidnaped and being on the powerless journey to freedom. I don’t want to give away too much details, you have to read it yourself.

Now short history, I had a conversation with my mom how it was in Poland during the 1980’s. My mom said that were many protests and strikes because the pay was very low. And since Poland was communist, in order to keep crowd in control martial law was implemented. Forget riot police, you could see army tanks and citizens had to ask for a permission and show pass if they were you going to store or traveling and everyone had curfew. Russian leaders thought that Poland was anti-communist and there was fear Poland would be invaded. Thank goddesses that did not happen. Lech Walesa who started Solidarity Movement said, that everything has to be done peacefully. Solidarity Movement succeeded. Many Polish people had immigrated to America and other countries because they thought communism will never end. 1980's was very turbulent time in Poland. And in recant years too, Poland is pretty much like any other country capitalist with thriving economy, but with low wages and high taxes it is a hard place to live, but don’t even start how corrupted our current leaders are. I was born in May 1989, and following month there was transition to democracy/

Going back to the book, if you ask how are people are able to leave such terrible place? Getting on the plane is not that simple. You can go and walk into embassy and apply for a visa. In many countries this is impossible. North Koreans have to go through China and bribed authorities in order not to be sent back and thrown in prison for treason. Handful of North Koreans had defected over the years, but those who are captured don’t come back alive. Just put yourself in Yeonmi’s shoes. She went through hell and back in order to finally be free.

I praise Yeonmi Park and admire her courage. If you believe in human rights and you are into self-advocacy like I am, I recommend this book. It has ben translated to different languages, so you can read it in your native tongue. I watch Yeonmi Park’s YouTube videos that she posts, and I have to say that she is bravest person you came across, sweet with beautiful heart. And if you hear her stories don’t forget to bring tissues. Yeonmi Park strongly believes freedom in human rights for all. As a self-advocate, if something is wrong, we have to stand up for ourselves. Wether you are naturalized American citizen or naturalized citizen elsewhere, be proud of your new home where you are free. I am naturalized American citizen since 2016 and I am proud to be American.