The North Koreans

Glimpses of Daily Life in the DPRK

In stock

This book is not about parades and mass events of official DPRK propaganda, neither does it pretend to show “secret North Korea”. Glimpses of Daily Life presents “unofficial” North Korea. It shows how people live their daily lives against the backdrop of totalitarian ideology - lives of a bizarre otherworldliness within the 21st century.

This selection of photographs, made by DPRK watchers over the past decade, not only has a documentary value; the lines and colours of architecture, landscape and the calligraphy of the ubiquitous slogans and announcements are often strangely aesthetic. An important and disturbing book.

Photographs by Martin Tutsch, Eric Lafforgue, Raymond K. Cunningham Jr. and others.

International distribution by Idea Books (except UK & Eire: John Rule Art Books). International customers can also email Activeer JavaScript om dit emailadres te tonen!. Price including postage (one copy) for orders in Europe: 49.50 or 53 (with track/trace). Outside Europe: price for one copy including postage 57.50 or 65 (track/trace). Payment in Europe by bank or with PayPal, outside Europe only with PayPal.

The press:

The eminent scholar Andrei Lankov reviewed the book for NK News (27th of July); his conclusion: “The North Koreans” can be seen as a remarkable breakthrough. I would describe it as the best visual representation of North Korea’s daily life, available not only in English, but in any language, including Korean – a truly unique and valuable book indeed.”

“Jetzt aber erscheint ein Bildband, wie es ihn in seiner enzyklopädischen Fülle wohl noch nie gegeben hat. Der holländische Verlag Primavera Pers hat Bilder von mehr als 30 Fotografen, Diplomaten, Wirtschaftsreisenden und Touristen versammelt, die möglichst viele Aspekte des Landes und des Lebens abbilden.”

This is a quote from the review in the German quality newspaper The Sueddeutsche Zeitung (from 27 April 2017)

Bruce Cumings (Swift Distinguished Professor University of Chicago History Department) about “The North Koreans”: “This is a riveting book, with dozens of photos that the North Koreans would not want foreigners to see.”

Focus, Holland’s oldest photography magazine (now in its 104th year!) was elated about TheNorth Koreans: “The North Koreans doesn’t go for sensation, but is nonetheless sensational - a documentary wonder book that begs to be leafed through again and again.”

This book has a Facebook page.