On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family by Lisa See

Book Review: On Gold Mountain by Lisa See On Gold Mountain by Lisa See departs from fiction to tell the extraordinary true story of the author’s own family — a sweeping, multigenerational narrative that traces their journey from rural China to the heart of Los Angeles. With both historical precision and emotional intimacy, See explores Read More

Where the Past Begins: Memory and Imagination by Amy Tan

Book Review: Where the Past Begins: Memory and Imagination by Amy Tan In Where the Past Begins by Amy Tan, the author steps away from fiction to reflect on her real-life experiences, crafting a memoir that is as introspective and emotionally raw as any of her novels. This is not a linear autobiography, but a deeply Read More

While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector’s Search for Freedom in America by Yeonmi Park

Book Review: While Time Remains: A North Korean Defector’s Search for Freedom in America by Yeonmi Park While Time Remains by Yeonmi Park offers a bold and deeply personal follow-up to her first memoir, In Order to Live. Having survived the horrors of North Korea and the trauma of her escape, Park now turns her Read More

Stars Between the Sun and Moon: One Woman’s Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom by Lucia Jang

Book Review: Stars Between the Sun and Moon: One Woman’s Life in North Korea and Escape to Freedom by Lucia Jang Stars Between the Sun and Moon by Lucia Jang is a searing, deeply personal account of a woman’s struggle to survive — and ultimately escape — one of the most repressive regimes in the Read More

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

Book Review: Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick In Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, the author masterfully weaves together the true stories of six North Korean defectors, offering a rare and intimate look at life inside one of the world’s most isolated and secretive nations. Through years of careful Read More

A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim

Book Review: A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim A Thousand Miles to Freedom by Eunsun Kim is a deeply moving story of survival, resilience, and hope. Fleeing from a life of famine, oppression, and despair, Kim’s journey from North Korea to South Korea is harrowing — and all Read More

A River in Darkness: One Man’s Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa

Book Review: A River in Darkness: One Man’s Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa recounts a life marked by betrayal, brutality, and relentless hardship under the North Korean regime. His memoir is stark, unflinching, and deeply personal, offering readers a rare glimpse into the suffering endured by Read More

Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden

Book Review: Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden tells the devastating true story of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only known person born in a North Korean political prison camp who successfully escaped. Through Harden’s careful and Read More

In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

Book Review: In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park is a harrowing, deeply personal account of her escape from North Korea and her fight to reclaim her life and dignity. From the outset, Park’s story pulls no punches. Her vivid, courageous Read More

The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee

Book Review: The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee The Girl with Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee delivers a courageous, haunting, and unforgettable memoir of survival, identity, and resilience. From the very first page, Lee’s story grips the reader — not only because of the extraordinary risks she took Read More