What to read to understand North Korea

For a supposedly communist state, North Korea is replete with the kind of contradictions that Karl Marx thought led to collapse. In pursuit of a paradise for the people it has engaged in brutal repression and caused mass starvation. Claiming to be the only bastion of true democracy, it passes power between generations of a family whose members regard themselves as demi-gods. Protesting against the threat posed by the outside world it has developed some of the most deadly weapons ever created. And guarding its privacy from outside eyes, the regime permits itself to spy on every aspect of its citizens’ lives. Here are six books that help to uncover what it tries to keep hidden.

Politics and Leadership in North Korea: The Guerilla Dynasty. By Adrian Buzo. Taylor & Francis; 292 pages; $58.95 and £34.99