Through extensive interviews with defectors, Los Angeles Times journalist Barbara Demick shows in a compelling and unforgettable way that this hermetic country is Orwell’s 1984 made reality. Demick follows the stories of six North Korean citizens; two lovers who dated secretly for a decade and feared to criticise the regime to each other; a young homeless boy; an idealistic woman doctor; a factory worker who loves Kim Il Sung more than her own family; and her rebellious daughter. In the totalitarian regime where they lived, all radio and television broadcasts are government sponsored; Gone with the Wind is a dangerous, banned book and during political rallies, spies study your expression to check your sincerity. It is the only country in the world not connected to the internet.