Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden

As a young boy, Shin grew up in a prison camp and knew nothing of the outside world. He shares a room with his mother where there are no beds, chairs or tables. They sleep side by side on a concrete floor. Running water doesn’t exist so there is no way to bathe or shower. Due to lack of food, Shin views his mother as his competition for survival. He eats her lunches, knowing full well that once she arrives home, he will be beaten with a hoe, shovel, or anything his mother has on hand. Sometimes these beatings are worse than those from the guards, but he views it as worth it for the extra food.

This book was not easy to digest due to the content but is a very important read. It reminded me of accounts from Nazi Germany, or Stalin’s gulags and left me surprised that people could being living this way in the 21st century. As the North Korean prison camps continue to be impenetrable, it is important that at the very least we are informed on the existence of them and the conditions therein.

Blaine Harden is an author and journalist from Washington State. Escape from Camp 14 is the official biography of North Korean defector, Shin Dong-hyuk. Shin is known as the only prisoner to have ever successfully escaped from one of the most secure camps in North Korea. He is now a human rights activist and was awarded the Moral Courage Award by the UN Watch.

If you are interested in either getting involved, learning more or donating to help North Koreans who have escaped, please visit: Liberty in North Korea