The Unthinkable Reality of a North Korean Prisoner: My Journey of Desertion, Court-Martial, and 40 Years of Imprisonment

Shawn P. Crouch: Interesting book to read

United States on Dec 28, 2023

vitamutatur: This book is unexpectedly excellent reading. Jenkins comes across as very earnest and frank about his experiences in North Korea.

His book is really a love story about how he fell in love with a Japanese abductee...a woman who completely transformed his life and gave it meaning in spite of the terrible circumstances that brought them together in a forced marriage. It's fascinating to see what qualities gave him an advantage in surviving such a completely different reality...where other Americans who willfully entered North Korea, failed to thrive.

United States on Sep 08, 2023

Avid Reader: Candid memoir of Jenkin’s 40 year confinement in North Korea and his fortunate escape. Insights into North Korean culture and society under the communist regime there. I’m glad I ordered it.

Canada on Aug 07, 2022

Safetyflo: Mr Jenkins tells his story without gloryfying himself or what he has done. It gives us a good view of the life under the Kim dynasty a way better than "in order to live"

Germany on Sep 23, 2019

Amazon Customer: Interesting perspective and description of life in North Korea. Particularly relevant in the context of the current U.S. president's overtures to the dictator Kim.

Canada on Jul 25, 2018

Squeaky mouse: A book that finally answers the why did he do it question

United Kingdom on Dec 31, 2017

Daniel Hough: This is a great account of the bizarre and twisted world of the DPRK. It demonstrates an evolution of the country over many years, as well as a unique insight into what it's like being a foreigner there - and how differently you get treated.

Some reviewers say there's nothing new here - maybe not, but if you're new to the subject of one of the world's most enigmatic nations, this is a great starting point.

The writing style is not dramatic, and the author does not add any flair to the story - it's not necessary. The content alone makes up for the lack of flair, and it's easy to imagine an ageing American man telling the story to you.

United Kingdom on Oct 28, 2012

C. Courter: I stumbled across this book on accident. I've been curious, ever since seeing a CNN special on North Korea (when some group went there to perform), about what North Korea is like. We get two very conflicting views (at least I do). One is what North Korea wants us to see, that the country is doing well on its own, and believe in human rights, but also believe in punishing those who have done wrong. People seem happy, etc. However, then you read and hear about the other side, where your every move is monitored, the concentration/work camps, the lack of privacy. I've seen the pictures of the night views, where all around North Korea is lit up, and North Korea, save for a few specks, is dark.

And so I did a search on Kindle for North Korea, just wanting to see if there were any books on what life is like there, that weren't, say, written by the people in charge. I had no clue anyone actually defected to North Korea, much less US military soldiers.

So I downloaded the first chapter, and couldn't stop reading it. I purchased the entire book. And read it in 2 days (which is huge for me, considering I have serious vision problems that make reading difficult).

The...

United States on Apr 09, 2010

Dash Manchette: In the hierarchy of mistakes, there are the small ones, the big ones and the ones so monumental that it is difficult to make sense of them. Charles Robert Jenkins made the last type while stationed in South Korea on the Demilitarized Zone in the early 1960s. Looking at a potential court martial (amazingly, for acts he had not yet even committed!), he walked across the border into the hands of North Korea. He joined three other American servicemen who had crossed the line, of which only James Joseph Dresnok remains (and who is the subject of the excellent documentary  Crossing the Line ), the other two having died in North Korea.

Jenkins never intended to stay in North Korea. Other soldiers facing a court martial had crossed the line between West and East Germany, to be then transferred to Moscow and later transferred back to the United States. Yes, they were still court martialled, but the distance away from the scene of their dereliction took some of the sting out. But North Korea is different. It did not let Jenkins, or the other three deserters, go. Trying its best to use him for purposes such as starring in propaganda movies or teaching English at a spy college,...

United States on Aug 14, 2009