{"id":17146,"date":"2013-05-29T15:53:55","date_gmt":"2013-05-29T13:53:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/?p=17146"},"modified":"2025-11-30T09:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T08:48:15","slug":"boktips-inget-att-avundas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/2013\/05\/boktips-inget-att-avundas\/","title":{"rendered":"Book tip: Nothing to envy by Barbara Demick"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-skribent-helena-bergstrom\">Writer: Helena Bergstr\u00f6m<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have just read Barbara Demick's fascinating book about North Korea. Demick is a journalist and has been to North Korea herself, but the book is not based on her own visit. <\/p><div class=\"sharethis-buttons\"><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"twitter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/twitter.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Tweet<\/span><\/div><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"facebook\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/facebook.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Share<\/span><\/div><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"linkedin\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/linkedin.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Share<\/span><\/div><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"pinterest\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/pinterest.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Pin<\/span><\/div><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"reddit\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/reddit.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Share<\/span><\/div><div class=\"st-custom-button\" data-network=\"digg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/platform-cdn.sharethis.com\/img\/digg.svg\"><span class=\"label\">Share<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foreign visitors are shown a carefully planned backdrop of perfection on rigidly guided tours of the capital Pyongyang, and Demicks wanted to get behind that backdrop. She chose to set the story in the northern city of Chongjin, basing it on the lives of a number of North Korean defectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sakligt-om-grym-varld\">Factual about cruel world<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The North Korea described is a tightly controlled planned economy where everything is provided by the paternal leader: housing, jobs, education, healthcare and food. Early on, North Koreans get just that, but as time goes on, they get less and less of everything.<\/p><div class=\"freed-grupp-i-blogginlagg freed-entity-placement\" id=\"freed-577218668\"><div class=\"freed-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><div id=\"freed-slider-88752\" class=\"custom-slider freed-slider-729105285 freed-slider\"><ul><li><div id=\"freed-1320860238\" class=\"method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/se.adria-mobil.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"adria-freedom-top-banner-588x158px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/adria-freedom-toppbanner-588x158px.gif\" alt=\"\"  width=\"588\" height=\"158\"   \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><li><div id=\"freed-182034967\" class=\"method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ullbadden.se\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1.jpg 588w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1-300x81.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1-224x60.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1-18x5.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ullbadden_588x158_feb_2026-1-433x116.jpg 433w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" width=\"588\" height=\"158\"   \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><script>( window.advanced_ads_ready || jQuery( document ).ready ).call( null, function() {var $freedslider729105285 = jQuery( \".freed-slider-729105285\" );$freedslider729105285.on( \"unslider.ready\", function() { jQuery( \"div.custom-slider ul li\" ).css( \"display\", \"block\" ); });$freedslider729105285.unslider({ delay:4000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true });$freedslider729105285.on(\"mouseover\", function() {$freedslider729105285.unslider(\"stop\");}).on(\"mouseout\", function() {$freedslider729105285.unslider(\"start\");});});<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The description of the order in which the population starves to death is cruel but factual: first the young children, then the elderly. The good people, who cannot imagine stealing or betraying their neighbours, die before those who are prepared to push the boundaries of morality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-skrattet-fastnar-i-halsen\">Laughter gets stuck in your throat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The management of the country is sometimes so bizarre that you can hardly contain your laughter, but when you realise how hard it affects the population, the laughter gets stuck in your throat. Information from other countries is blocked, and any protests are effectively kept in check with snitching systems and harsh punishments for those who express their disapproval.<\/p><div class=\"freed-grupp-i-blogginlagg-2 freed-entity-placement\" id=\"freed-3365105884\"><div class=\"freed-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><div id=\"freed-slider-88753\" class=\"custom-slider freed-slider-2622751638 freed-slider\"><ul><li><div id=\"freed-2761827679\" class=\"method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elmia.se\/husvagn\/for-besokare\/biljetter\/?utm_source=freedomtravel&#038;utm_medium=banner&#038;utm_campaign=elmiahusvagn_kop_biljett_mars-sep\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158.jpg 588w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158-300x81.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158-224x60.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158-18x5.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ElmiaHusvagnHusbil_2026_FREEDOMtravel_vi_ses_2027_588x158-433x116.jpg 433w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" width=\"588\" height=\"158\"   \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><li><div id=\"freed-3275074473\" class=\"method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\"><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/husbilslandet.com\/i-lager?amount=-1&#038;vehicle_type=camper&#038;price=219000%2C8874149&#038;y=2005%2C2027&#038;weight=1000%2C18000&#038;rea=true\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Demo sale (588 x 158 px)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px-.jpg\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px-.jpg 588w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px--300x81.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px--224x60.jpg 224w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px--18x5.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Demoutforsaljning-588-x-158-px--433x116.jpg 433w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" width=\"588\" height=\"158\"   \/><\/a><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><script>( window.advanced_ads_ready || jQuery( document ).ready ).call( null, function() {var $freedslider2622751638 = jQuery( \".freed-slider-2622751638\" );$freedslider2622751638.on( \"unslider.ready\", function() { jQuery( \"div.custom-slider ul li\" ).css( \"display\", \"block\" ); });$freedslider2622751638.unslider({ delay:4000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true });$freedslider2622751638.on(\"mouseover\", function() {$freedslider2622751638.unslider(\"stop\");}).on(\"mouseout\", function() {$freedslider2622751638.unslider(\"start\");});});<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, one can't help but wonder how long the system will last. The occasional student seems to be able to secretly tune into South Korean TV channels, and one gets the feeling that the population is beginning to lose faith that things will one day get better ...<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/Inget-att-avundas.jpg\" alt=\"Inget att avundas\" class=\"wp-image-17147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/Inget-att-avundas.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/Inget-att-avundas-300x205.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><div id=\"freed-3837594745\" class=\"hide-label freed-after-content_2 freed-entity-placement method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\"><div class=\"freed-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><form method=\"post\" id=\"ft_newsletter_subscribe\" action=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/2013\/05\/boktips-inget-att-avundas\/\" class=\"ft-newsletter\" data-ajax-url=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php\" data-trp-original-action=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/2013\/05\/boktips-inget-att-avundas\/\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"stage\" value=\"subscribe\" \/>\n<h2>Subscribe to our newsletter<\/h2>\n<p class=\"form-field\" data-missing=\"This field is required.\" data-invalid=\"Please enter a valid email address.\">\n<label for=\"ft_newsletter_email\">Email address<\/label>\n<input id=\"ft_newsletter_email\" name=\"ft_newsletter_email\" type=\"email\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"Enter your email address\" aria-required=\"true\" \/>\n<\/p>\n<input class=\"signup button newsletter-meta-button\" type=\"submit\"  name=\"subscribe\" value=\"Subscribe\">\n<div style=\"position: absolute; left: -4200px;\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ft-newsletter-protect\"><input type=\"text\" name=\"98d0b92c63fae1c39c28d2024aa82be8e0ab74fe\" tabindex=\"-1\" value=\"\"><\/div>\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"trp-form-language\" value=\"en\"\/><\/form><\/div><div id=\"freed-1742361313\" class=\"hide-label freed-after-content_3 freed-entity-placement method-missing not-front type-post not-theme-page\" style=\"margin-top: 30px;margin-bottom: 35px;\"><div class=\"freed-adlabel\">Advertisement<\/div><a data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"a2t-link\" aria-label=\"FREEDOMtravel Exit\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel.png\" alt=\"FREEDOMtravel Avslut\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-224x75.png 224w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-600x200.png 600w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-18x6.png 18w, https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FREEDOMtravel-433x144.png 433w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" width=\"1200\" height=\"400\"   \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Writer: Helena Bergstr\u00f6m I have just finished reading Barbara Demicks' fascinating book on North Korea. Demicks is a journalist and has been to North Korea herself, but the book is not based on her own visit. Tweet Share Share Share Pin Share Share Share<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[78],"tags":[77],"class_list":["post-17146","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bok-och-filmtips","tag-boktips","has-featured-image"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",1200,675,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-768x432.jpg",700,394,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-1024x576.jpg",700,394,true],"influencer":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",224,126,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",1200,675,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",1200,675,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",18,10,false],"startpage_08":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",433,244,false],"popular_product":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",520,293,false],"startpage_camping_08":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",433,244,false],"campervan_food":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",590,332,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",1200,675,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-320x320.jpg",320,320,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-600x338.jpg",600,338,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11-100x100.jpg",100,100,true],"yarpp-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg",120,68,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Helena","author_link":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":14,"uagb_excerpt":"Skribent: Helena Bergstr\u00f6m Jag har precis l\u00e4st Barbara Demicks fascinerande bok om Nordkorea. Demicks \u00e4r journalist och har sj\u00e4lv varit i Nordkorea, men det \u00e4r inte hennes eget bes\u00f6k boken bygger p\u00e5. Tweet Share Share Pin Share Share","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/FREEDOMtravels-11.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17146"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17146\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17146"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freedomtravel.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}