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Welcome to Pyongyang

By: Charlie Crane Nick Bonner
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Chris Boot
ISBN: 1905712049
ISBN-13: 9781905712045
Released: 18 Apr 2007
RRP: £20.00
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

The Dear Leader's bestest ever book - By: Robin Benson, 28 Sep 2007
North Korea puts its best foot forward in this collection of Pyongyang folk presented in a `this is how we would like the world to see us' corporate style book. Of the sixty-four photos thirty-four are rather stiffly posed portraits of people you would probably see if you visited the capitol. All scrubbed up, neat & tidy & no doubt just waiting to happily serve any foreign visitor, especiallly business people who could help the country out of its ramshackle condition.

The other photos show various buildings & interiors mostly devoid of anyone. Was everybody hiding just in case photographer Charlie Crane might capture a person who didn't look immaculate? Even the fold-out of the Mansudae Grand Monument is empty despite the caption saying it is the first place people go to when they return to Pyongyang after a visit abroad. The cynical might conclude the plaza is empty because no one is alllowed to go abroad.

Overalll I thought the photos rather contrived & bland (the sun clearly didn't shine while Crane was there either) but probably just what the Dear Leader would approve of. A much more interesting look at Pyongyang is provided by photographer Philippe Chancel in his book 'North Korea' with 129 colour images. Frequently a building is featured in both books but Chancel was lucky enough to have the locals going about their business when he took his shots.