Sadly, I was unable to download this book in time before it was archived and this I was not able to either read or review it. My apologies.

A balanced and insightful exploration of North Korea, accessible and succinct, and from a knowledgeable and informed author.

North Korea is a controversial and isolated country and the author of this book goes into how they came to be an enemy to so many others. The history of this country is fascinating and the author made sure to highlight important events in its history, but didn't go overboard and write a book that would bore those non-history fanatics. This is a great resource for anyone that is wondering why North Korea has such contentious relationships and of the rise of its leaders.

I've been fascinated with North Korea for years now and have read most of the major works written on it. If someone asked me where to start reading to understand North Korea, I would point them to this book. It is a wonderfully succinct primer covering both the history of how we got here, where we are now, and what the future might look like without overwhelming the reader with all of the nuance and detail that some longtime North Korea watchers find fascinating, but novices might find tedious. The bibliography is solid, a testament to the Moorcraft's ability to condense 70+ years of complicated history into a short book while thoroughly covering the subject matter enough for someone well-versed would be pleased, but not so much as to overwhelm those with casual interest. The writing strikes a great balance between a serious academic overview and the inevitable humor that must come from discussing some of North Korea's overzealous and bombastic rhetoric.

If I have a criticism, it is that the cover (not currently uploaded to Goodreads) which features the Kim family, the North Korean flag, a missile launch, and a tank shooting flames is a bit much and didn't lead me to believe this was as serious of a work as it is. As the old maxim goes, I shouldn't have judged the book by this, but I couldn't help it.