Without You, There Is No Us

By securing a position as an English teacher and hiding her intention to write a book, writer Suki Kim was able to gain access to the enigmatic and largely inaccessible country of North Korea while teaching at the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST). Janet Song's measured voicing is precise and serious, befitting the spare, unadorned surroundings in which the author finds herself. Song's lightly Asian-accented tones help portray the author's own South Korean heritage and knowledge of the Korean language, both of which give her additional access to North Koreans. Song does especially well at capturing the stiff recitations and largely unquestioning nature of the North Korean students Kim taught. This is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's most secretive nations. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine