--- product_id: 1395582 title: "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" price: "21494CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1395582-escape-from-camp-14-one-mans-remarkable-odyssey-from-north store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West **Price:** 21494CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West - **How much does it cost?** 21494CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1395582-escape-from-camp-14-one-mans-remarkable-odyssey-from-north) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West [Harden, Blaine] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West Review: Human Beings Treated Like Animals by a Sadistic Regime - Imagine a government so deranged it locks up entire families in brutal slave labor camps, some larger than the greater Los Angeles area in terms of land area, and for 3 generations of family members who had nothing to do with the original POLITICAL offense--all at the say of the regime's tyrant leader. Something out of Orwell? No, the reality of life in North Korea and its infamous and brutal Camp 14, which sadly is only one of many dozens of such political concentration camps throughout North Korea. Shin is the only person born into one of North Korea's slave labor camps to escape and to live to tell the horrifying tale to the free world. The stultifying brutality Shin describes in the camps becomes almost too much to read, but Blaine Harden, the author, very deftly tells just enough to avoid making the book too burdensome to read, yet giving just enough so we understand the sheer terror being doled out by the parasitic Kim dynasty. From a school girl beaten to death by a "teacher" merely for having a few kernels of corn, to Shin being permanently maimed by having been held over a fire by sadist guards, to men and women, and the babies, being beaten to death for merely choosing to have children (breeding could only happen by special permission and in arranged relationships,) humans are treated in ways in Camp 14 that we would never tolerate animals being treated in the US. Harden does a good job of moving swiftly through material that's difficult to read and draws a fast paced tale that will keep you in its grip. It is unbelievable to think Shin never knew a better world existed beyond the depravation, slavery, sadism, betrayal and murder of the camp into which he was born. To him, this was normal life. It is heartbreaking to hear Shin never knew the concept of love, never even used the word or had it expressed to him, until he was past childhood and was cared for by a kind man in the dungeon prison he was consigned to (an actual prison within a prison if you can believe that) after his mother attempted to escape. And he was damned to this savage world all because an uncle he never knew chose to live in South Korea back in the 50s. Surreal. A little less than half the book is devoted to Shin's post escape life which I found just as intriguing as his camp experience. You really feel for Shin as he deals with survivor's guilt, especially the shame of having betrayed his mother and brother when they planned to escape. In this way the book poses an interesting moral and ethical conundrum---when it is a camp rule that any overheard escape plan must be reported to the guards at risk of death for remaining silent, do you keep quiet and risk being killed too along with the would-be escapees who have little or no chance of carrying off an escape? Or do you betray them to save yourself and the rest of your family? That's a hard one to answer. I don't know what I would do in such a situation. With only 2 equally horrorifying paths to take in such an awful dillema, one must not condemn Shin's choice. It was triggered by a survival response beat into him by psychotic camp personnel who engaged in a coordinated effort to turn humans into little better than insects, insects who live or die at their whim. And like other books I've read on North Koreans who made it to South, it is saddening to read of the difficult transition many experience in fitting into South Korea's unforgiving and gentrified culture, though credit must be given the South Korean government for doing much to bring such refugees to the South and spending generously to help them assimilate. Shin certainly benefitted from this munificence. Despite this, it was disheartening to learn in the book of South Korean's apathy towards the suffering of their northern brethren, being too caught up in materialism and the drive to succeed over one's neighbor. I was frankly shocked by this. Even worse was their unwillingness to see the South Korean government take tough measures against its evil and murderous neighbor, even after dozens of provocations which have killed 100s of South Koreans over the decades. A society that values its freedom, and that of others, so lightly will not remain free for long--especially when it is motivated by selfishness and greed. "Escape from Camp 14" takes its place along side "The Aquariums of Pyongyang" in effectiveness in laying bare this monstrous regime. My conclusion after reading so much about the demons that run North Korea is that US policy must be one of regime change there. Not by force, but by a complete Western embargo of the regime including food aid. Yes, many will die when famine takes hold again. A tough choice. But I believe the short term pain such a policy would lead to will save many more lives in the long run. When the Satanic regime can no longer even feed its military, as happened in the 1990s famine, it will quickly collapse. This book makes the case for why this must happen and soon to prevent more of the kind of Kim family barbarism we learn of in this book. This is why the recent deal announced by the Obama administration for North Korea to suspend its nuclear program is a major sham. We've been down this road 2 other times and been played as fools both times by a reptilian regime which has no compunction about torturing its own people, therefore why would they have any conscience about cheating on a deal made with Americans they despise? When the regime's pantries are again full, they will do what they did the last two times---go right back to their nuclear ambitions. Why else would they be preparing to test a ballistic missile if they're sincere about ending their nuclear programs? Once again, naiveté has gotten the better of Mr. Obama's judgment on national security issues. This is a book you won't soon forget. Shin is a haunted soul who cries out to an oblivous world to end the modern day Holocaust occurring in North Korea. At one point, Shin makes a statement to an audience in Seattle that the Kim regime is worse than Hitler. He may have a point. North Korea clearly has not killed more than Hitler's regime did, but I would chalk that up only to a lack of opportunity outside its own borders and years of the West effectively containing the brutish regime. But containment is no longer enough as 1 to 2 million of North Korea's long suffering people die from the regime's blood thirsty and incompetent policies. Awareness brought on by a book like Shin's, and the courage it took for him to allow it to be told, will help hasten the day this vile regime is consigned to the trash heap of history. Review: Compelling read for everyone - Escape from Camp 14 is a riveting, unbelievable story of survival that everyone should read. The story of Shin Donghyuk may be familiar, but reading the details of his life in a North Korean camp for political prisoners, his escape, and his life after makes one realize that this is different. One thing that is very hard to understand is that Shin was totally unaware, his entire life, of any world outside the camp. They didn't even bother to indoctrinate him into the North Korean political system. Shin was born in the camp. His parents were prisoners, so Shin basically had no chance to ever be released. His heredity meant everything. Also, Shin really had no ability to empathize. He was taught to look out for himself and turn in anyone who was doing anything against the rules. This included his mother and brother, who he witnessed being executed with very little emotion. Everything was about food. Shin spent his entire life hungry. Really, the only reason he wanted to escape was to not be hungry. He had no ideas about anything else he wanted to accomplish. These facts make his escape all the more unbelievable and his indoctrination in to society all the more difficult. Escape from Camp 14 is the story of Shin's life, but Harden inserts sections into the narrative about the history, economy, and political ideology of North Korea. These sections are necessary and interesting, but may pull some teens out of the story. Escape from Camp 14 is a quick, compelling read. I would recommend it to everyone -- both teens and adults. It will open your eyes to a part of the world that we are uncomfortable thinking about. It's a story like no other. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #41,371 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3 in North Korean History #189 in Political Leader Biographies #1,192 in Memoirs (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (7,830) | | Dimensions | 5.05 x 0.66 x 7.75 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 0143122916 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0143122913 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 256 pages | | Publication date | March 26, 2013 | | Publisher | Penguin Books | ## Images ![Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81eg65vXlRL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Human Beings Treated Like Animals by a Sadistic Regime *by M***E on April 10, 2012* Imagine a government so deranged it locks up entire families in brutal slave labor camps, some larger than the greater Los Angeles area in terms of land area, and for 3 generations of family members who had nothing to do with the original POLITICAL offense--all at the say of the regime's tyrant leader. Something out of Orwell? No, the reality of life in North Korea and its infamous and brutal Camp 14, which sadly is only one of many dozens of such political concentration camps throughout North Korea. Shin is the only person born into one of North Korea's slave labor camps to escape and to live to tell the horrifying tale to the free world. The stultifying brutality Shin describes in the camps becomes almost too much to read, but Blaine Harden, the author, very deftly tells just enough to avoid making the book too burdensome to read, yet giving just enough so we understand the sheer terror being doled out by the parasitic Kim dynasty. From a school girl beaten to death by a "teacher" merely for having a few kernels of corn, to Shin being permanently maimed by having been held over a fire by sadist guards, to men and women, and the babies, being beaten to death for merely choosing to have children (breeding could only happen by special permission and in arranged relationships,) humans are treated in ways in Camp 14 that we would never tolerate animals being treated in the US. Harden does a good job of moving swiftly through material that's difficult to read and draws a fast paced tale that will keep you in its grip. It is unbelievable to think Shin never knew a better world existed beyond the depravation, slavery, sadism, betrayal and murder of the camp into which he was born. To him, this was normal life. It is heartbreaking to hear Shin never knew the concept of love, never even used the word or had it expressed to him, until he was past childhood and was cared for by a kind man in the dungeon prison he was consigned to (an actual prison within a prison if you can believe that) after his mother attempted to escape. And he was damned to this savage world all because an uncle he never knew chose to live in South Korea back in the 50s. Surreal. A little less than half the book is devoted to Shin's post escape life which I found just as intriguing as his camp experience. You really feel for Shin as he deals with survivor's guilt, especially the shame of having betrayed his mother and brother when they planned to escape. In this way the book poses an interesting moral and ethical conundrum---when it is a camp rule that any overheard escape plan must be reported to the guards at risk of death for remaining silent, do you keep quiet and risk being killed too along with the would-be escapees who have little or no chance of carrying off an escape? Or do you betray them to save yourself and the rest of your family? That's a hard one to answer. I don't know what I would do in such a situation. With only 2 equally horrorifying paths to take in such an awful dillema, one must not condemn Shin's choice. It was triggered by a survival response beat into him by psychotic camp personnel who engaged in a coordinated effort to turn humans into little better than insects, insects who live or die at their whim. And like other books I've read on North Koreans who made it to South, it is saddening to read of the difficult transition many experience in fitting into South Korea's unforgiving and gentrified culture, though credit must be given the South Korean government for doing much to bring such refugees to the South and spending generously to help them assimilate. Shin certainly benefitted from this munificence. Despite this, it was disheartening to learn in the book of South Korean's apathy towards the suffering of their northern brethren, being too caught up in materialism and the drive to succeed over one's neighbor. I was frankly shocked by this. Even worse was their unwillingness to see the South Korean government take tough measures against its evil and murderous neighbor, even after dozens of provocations which have killed 100s of South Koreans over the decades. A society that values its freedom, and that of others, so lightly will not remain free for long--especially when it is motivated by selfishness and greed. "Escape from Camp 14" takes its place along side "The Aquariums of Pyongyang" in effectiveness in laying bare this monstrous regime. My conclusion after reading so much about the demons that run North Korea is that US policy must be one of regime change there. Not by force, but by a complete Western embargo of the regime including food aid. Yes, many will die when famine takes hold again. A tough choice. But I believe the short term pain such a policy would lead to will save many more lives in the long run. When the Satanic regime can no longer even feed its military, as happened in the 1990s famine, it will quickly collapse. This book makes the case for why this must happen and soon to prevent more of the kind of Kim family barbarism we learn of in this book. This is why the recent deal announced by the Obama administration for North Korea to suspend its nuclear program is a major sham. We've been down this road 2 other times and been played as fools both times by a reptilian regime which has no compunction about torturing its own people, therefore why would they have any conscience about cheating on a deal made with Americans they despise? When the regime's pantries are again full, they will do what they did the last two times---go right back to their nuclear ambitions. Why else would they be preparing to test a ballistic missile if they're sincere about ending their nuclear programs? Once again, naiveté has gotten the better of Mr. Obama's judgment on national security issues. This is a book you won't soon forget. Shin is a haunted soul who cries out to an oblivous world to end the modern day Holocaust occurring in North Korea. At one point, Shin makes a statement to an audience in Seattle that the Kim regime is worse than Hitler. He may have a point. North Korea clearly has not killed more than Hitler's regime did, but I would chalk that up only to a lack of opportunity outside its own borders and years of the West effectively containing the brutish regime. But containment is no longer enough as 1 to 2 million of North Korea's long suffering people die from the regime's blood thirsty and incompetent policies. Awareness brought on by a book like Shin's, and the courage it took for him to allow it to be told, will help hasten the day this vile regime is consigned to the trash heap of history. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Compelling read for everyone *by A***S on July 14, 2014* Escape from Camp 14 is a riveting, unbelievable story of survival that everyone should read. The story of Shin Donghyuk may be familiar, but reading the details of his life in a North Korean camp for political prisoners, his escape, and his life after makes one realize that this is different. One thing that is very hard to understand is that Shin was totally unaware, his entire life, of any world outside the camp. They didn't even bother to indoctrinate him into the North Korean political system. Shin was born in the camp. His parents were prisoners, so Shin basically had no chance to ever be released. His heredity meant everything. Also, Shin really had no ability to empathize. He was taught to look out for himself and turn in anyone who was doing anything against the rules. This included his mother and brother, who he witnessed being executed with very little emotion. Everything was about food. Shin spent his entire life hungry. Really, the only reason he wanted to escape was to not be hungry. He had no ideas about anything else he wanted to accomplish. These facts make his escape all the more unbelievable and his indoctrination in to society all the more difficult. Escape from Camp 14 is the story of Shin's life, but Harden inserts sections into the narrative about the history, economy, and political ideology of North Korea. These sections are necessary and interesting, but may pull some teens out of the story. Escape from Camp 14 is a quick, compelling read. I would recommend it to everyone -- both teens and adults. It will open your eyes to a part of the world that we are uncomfortable thinking about. It's a story like no other. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A *by M***S on April 2, 2012* This is outstanding book can be read in one or two sittings. Harden has written a book that compares very well to Aquariums of Pyongyang and Long Road Home. The writing is sharp and tight, and the tone is very understated. When Shin escaped from Camp 14, he was more like an animal who excelled at survival (informing on others, including his mother and brother which led to their being hanged, and shot), and most interested in his next meal. The last chapter does give hope that Shin may one day be able to function as a full human being, capable of balanced emotions and gaining ability to trust others. Perhaps an updated edition in the future may prove to be an interesting reading. Also, if there is an updated edition in the future, I encourage Harden to revise the following section. On p. 182, he writes, "U.S. immigration law grants special consideration to North Korean refugees, and Shin's unique status as a born and bred victim of a political prison camp gave him an excellent chance of obtaining permanent residency in the United States. But he did not apply for a green card." Later, on p. 188, Harden writes that Shin has gone back to China on behalf of his new NGO he set up called North Korea Freedom Plexus. When Harden asked whether he was worried about being abducted by North Korean agents, "[Shin] said that he has the protection of a South Korean passport . . ." According to current law, as a South Korean citizen (conferred when he went to South Korea from China), Shin is not eligible for asylum (what Harden calls "green card"). The Board of Immigration Appeals, in Matter of K-R-Y- & K-C-S-, 24 I&N Dec. 133 (BIA 2007), ruled as such: "(1) The North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-333, 118 Stat. 1287, which provides that North Koreans cannot be barred from eligibility for asylum on account of any legal right to citizenship they may enjoy under the Constitution of South Korea, does not apply to North Koreans who have availed themselves of the right to citizenship in South Korea. (2) The respondents, natives of North Korea who became citizens of South Korea, are precluded from establishing eligibility for asylum as to North Korea on the basis of their firm resettlement in South Korea." I do not think there is a special asylum eligibility for those who are "born and bred victims of a political prison camp." Shin would be considered to be a South Korean citizen for asylum purposes. *The 2007 BIA decision is wrong, and should be vacated by U.S. Courts of Appeal or the Attorney General. --- Addendum Went to Korea Society 4/12/12 event featuring Harden and Shin. Very informative and moving. Shin talked a lot more about his experiences and thoughts than I had anticipated. Shin had prepared a short remark about why every time he visits Washington DC, he goes to the Holocaust Museum. In response to questions, Shin gave very thoughtful and multi-part answers to questions. ## Frequently Bought Together - Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West - In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom - Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1395582-escape-from-camp-14-one-mans-remarkable-odyssey-from-north](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1395582-escape-from-camp-14-one-mans-remarkable-odyssey-from-north) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-04-25*