Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea

 

 

“There was the natural human survival instinct to be optimistic.”

 

 

“North Korean defectors often find it hard to settle down. It is not easy for somebody who’s escaped a totalitarian country to live in the free world. Defectors have to rediscover who they are in a world that offers endless possibilities. Choosing where to live, what to do, even which clothes to put on in the morning is tough enough for those of us accustomed to making choices; it can be utterly paralyzing for people who’ve had decisions made for them by the state their entire lives.”

 

Green Card Stories

 

“Americans are losing the ability to talk about a phenomenon that has defined who we are as a country—a nation predominantly of immigrants from all walks of life, from all corners of the earth, who have fueled America’s success with individual talents. Immigration tells our essential story: E pluribus unum—Out of many, one.”

 

Green Card Stories

“Green Card Stories puts a human face on immigration, moving the debate beyond the divisive political arena and into the landscape of everyday America. These 50 individuals are but a tiny fraction of the numerous immigrants who are positively contributing to our nation today.”

 

Image from brainpickings.org

Image/description from brainpickings.org

 

“Though the places from which they come have changed—today largely from Latin America and Asia instead of Europe—the essential drive to make it in America remains constant. Green Card Stories demonstrates that today’s immigrants are just as hardworking, energetic, and eager to contribute to U.S. society as past generations of new arrivals.”

 

Image/excerpt from brainpickings.org

Image/description from brainpickings.org

Image/excerpt from brainpickings.org

Image/description from brainpickings.org

 

“The stories in this book—of sacrifice and hope, of pride and success—appeal to the heart. These are mostly stories of ordinary, hard-working people: shopkeepers, engineers, teachers, construction workers. A few showcase artistic, athletic, and business talents that have led to success and fame. Some immigrants have come from extraordinary circumstances, others from humble beginnings.”