Whatcha Reading: Somewhere Inside

Somewhere Inside: One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home tells the story of Laura Ling's captivity in North Korea. Laura is a journalist who made headlines when she was captured for crossing the border into North Korea. She and her producer were the first Americans to go on trial in North Korea.

The format of the book is very interesting because it alternates from Lisa's perspective in the States back to Laura's experience in prison. In the beginning this format is a little clunky, but then both ladies hit their stride. They do a good job using reflections and letters to tell the story of Laura's life to this point.

I enjoyed reading the book. It followed the theme of Orange is the New Black (reviewed earlier) that compassion finds its way into the most difficult circumstances.  The herculean effort it took to get Laura back to the States was only possible to the political connections of Lisa and Laura's boss - Al Gore. While Laura's story is a triumph, I worry about those journalists and travelers that find themselves in similar situations without the necessary celebrity to secure freedom. This story is also a good reminder that the freedoms we enjoy here are not found elsewhere.