Person
Every book Nicholas Kristoff recommended on podcasts
Nicholas Kristoff appeared on The Book Review to share expert reading recommendations and discuss literature focused on North Korea and global development. Kristoff strongly recommended Bradley K. Martin's Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader, praising it as a comprehensive and essential primer covering the sweeping history of North Korea. He also recommended Adam Johnson's novel The Orphan Master's Son, describing it as an extraordinary yarn that provides a remarkable window into the inner workings of the North Korean military state. Expanding the conversation on the region, Kristoff discussed Min Jin Lee's acclaimed novel Pachinko, highlighting how the narrative begins in North Korea, examines the lives of the rural poor, and follows their eventual migration to Japan. Finally, when asked about his current reading habits, Kristoff mentioned that he was finishing Steven Pinker's forthcoming book, Enlightenment Now, praising it as a fantastic work.
Books recommended by Nicholas Kristoff
-
The Orphan Master's Son
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that offers a harrowing and deeply imaginative look into life within the closed society of North Korea.
Recommended“tell us about why you chose to put Adam Johnson's the orphan Master son Adam Johnson is just an extraordinary writer and the idea of writing a novel set in in North Korea about a a military man”
Where to get it
-
Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader
Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader by Bradley K.
Recommended“It's Bradley Martin's book uh under the loving care of the fatherly leader and he he goes through the sweep of North Korean history”
Where to get it
-
Enlightenment Now
Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker is a non-fiction book that argues for the ongoing progress of humanity through reason, science, and humanism.
Discussed“so I'm just finishing up a a book by stepen Pinker called Enlightenment now which is coming out next month and a fantastic book”
Where to get it
-
Pachinko
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is a sweeping historical fiction novel that follows four generations of a Korean family living in Japan.
Discussed“and there was one book that that came out last year would ended up being one of our 10 best books of the Year minin Le Pachinko which right begins in in in North Korea and talks about the sort of Working Poor there the rural poor and their migration over to Japan”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| What to Read About North Korea | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 4 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“um I I've been covering North Korea since the 1980s and there have been you know some wonderful books that originally I was going to uh include Barbara demics nothing to Envy which is one of the maybe the best of the journalistic books about about North Korea”