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Books Related to Inside North Korea Mark Edward Harris, Bruce Cumings - ISBN: 0811857514
north korea - Rated
Just another dreary and mediocre pictorial book written and photographed by so called experts.The forward shows no understanding of Korean culture or customs and gives the impression that if North Koreans waved the American flag,played b aseball and drank Coca Cola everything would be accebtable.His description of passengers on te underground is fatuous as he has never looked at faces on the New York subway. The picture section covers three aspects a)Pyongyang b)various villages and fre trade zones and c)the demilatarised zone. Although some of the pictures are average many are flat insipid and lacking sparkle or imagination.Many of the architectural ond geographical gems have been ignored. The sections on villages and the DMZ are particularly disappointing.(the photographer should hava a look at the book Pyongyang ,editor Kim published by Korea Pictorial in 1990 to see what decent pictures can be taken in Korea) Not a book to be recommended/
A propaganda paradise - Rated
I have reviewed Philippe Chancel's excellent photographic book North Korea and Mark Harris in his book has filled in more of the jigsaw. The Chancel book essentially covered the capitol Pyongyang and Harris contributes twenty general shots, too. Additional capitol coverage includes the amazing Arirang Mass Games, the Children's Palace, the Korean film studio and five shots of the USS Pueblo.
The strength of this book is the coverage outside of the capitol. No doubt under strict supervision Harris visited Kaesong, Geumgangsen, Sinuiju, Paektusan and the Tumen River along the northeast border region. The photos show the countryside and rather bleak looking cities and towns. Everywhere bikes seem the principal means of transport and everywhere there are the slogans of good cheer to inspire the masses. On page 135 there is photo of a hillside above the town of Sanbong with huge letters spelling out: 'Bravo Mr Kim who is the Greatest Sunshine of the 21st Century!' No doubt it keeps hillside typographers busy.
The last section covers the countryside along the Demilitarised Zone with its two and a half mile wide strip of land 151 miles long. The photos here are a mixture of military presence and agricultural folk existing (on either side) in this volatile flashpoint. One photo shows the world's tallest flagpole, 525 feet high, towering above the village of Kichong-dong (wouldn't such a structure make a super espionage something or other?).
I liked the book with its mixture of travel and politics (SS Pueblo, DMZ and Panmunjeom) presented in slightly raw, gutsy photos whereas Chancel's style is photographically softer and his book is the more elegant of the two. Both books are certainly worth a look if you want see a little bit of a forbidden country and you'll most likely see more of it than many of the people who live there.
