Star of the North
Page 41
My parents, too, have on many occasions provided a peaceful home away from London for me to write without distraction, sometimes for weeks on end. They have always fully supported me in everything I’ve done, and in that I am extremely fortunate.
A great deal of travel was undertaken for this book. I’m indebted to my hosts in Washington, John Coates and Ed Perlman, who graciously sheltered me for a prolonged stay during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and to Dr. Josiah Osgood of Georgetown University for my tour of the Georgetown campus.
I’ll be grateful all my life to my hosts in Seoul: Mrs. Choi, Yoon-seo, and Yang Jong-hoon, professor of photography at Sangmyung University, who taught this uncouth Westerner much about Korean etiquette and culture, and imbued in me a deep love for Korea.
Huge thanks goes to Kim Eun-tek, who connected me with the defector community in Seoul and whose tact succeeded in arranging numerous interviews with people whose stories weren’t easy to tell. I must also express my deep appreciation for the endlessly patient Keunhyun, who answered my online queries at any time of the day or night.
Most importantly I would like to thank Seth Yeung, one of the most marvelous people I know, for putting up with a lot when I was writing this book. His life has changed mine, immeasurably for the happier.
Finally I would like to thank the human rights activist Hyeonseo Lee, the only North Korean I’ve had the honor and privilege to call a friend, for sharing her story with me. Her courage, intelligence, and sheer power of will inspired many aspects of this novel.
@vintagebooks
penguin.co.uk/vintage
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Epub ISBN: 9781473554412
Version 1.0
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
VINTAGE
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road,
London SW1V 2SA Vintage is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
Copyright © D. B. John 2018
Cover design: Dan Mogford
Cover photograph © Getty Images D. B. John has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This novel is a work of fiction. In some cases true life figures appear but their actions and conversations are entirely fictitious. All other characters, and all names of places and descriptions of events, are the products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons or places is entirely coincidental.
First published by Harvill Secker in 2018
www.penguin.co.uk/vintage
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library