North Korea Caught in Time : Images of War and Reconstruction

The Tumultuous past of the world's most secretive nation is revealed in this unique photographic collection.

North Korea has been described as "the land that never changes." But its early years witnessed incredible turbulence, both in the devastation of the Korean War and in the ferment of the reconstruction era.

With more than 150 rare photos - most never before seen in the West - North Korea Caught in Time documents the country's destruction and painful rebirth. An accompanying essay by Balazs Szalontai tells the untold story of how ordinary North Koreans endured the conflict.

"These priceless photos are an indelible tribute to the resilience of the Korean People."---Bruce Cumings, author of Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History

"An important visual record of North Korea's history and development." ---Don oberdorfer, author of the Two Koreas: A Contemporary History

Springer, an author and curator of the 2002 exhibition Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Budapest, collects about 150 b&w photos from North Korea--many never published before--drawn from the Hungarian National Museum and the Military History Institute and Museum of the Ministry of Defense of Hungary and originally sent to Hungary by the Korean Central News Agency to garner sympathy during the war. They show the war, reconstruction, and the country's politics, people, agriculture, industry, culture, and education. Most of the photos are official. Information on the photos and their origins is included, and an essay by Balázs Szalontai, who teaches at Mongolia International U., Ulaanbaatar, details living conditions during the war. Distributed by International Publishers Marketing. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)