One of the books I've been reading this week is Guy Delisle's Pyongyang , a really good read that was almost a great read. (You can read the first few pages at NPR here. ) It's the closest look you're ever likely to get at one of the most unique, disturbing, and bizarre locations on the planet, and completely indispensable on that ground alone. My single complaint about the book is its mean-spiritedness: Delisle's disdain for the North Korean government frequently spills over into disdain for its victims. It's not their fault they've been brainwashed by a corrupt, totalitarian regime in the world's most isolated country; isn't a little sympathy in order?