What can a teacher learn while working in a classroom in North Korea?

Suki Kim will be here to talk about her memoir, without you, there is no us.

My time with the sons of North Korea's elite.

You know, when I look at North Korean news now, I cringe because I think of my kids that are left behind.

What makes certain topics taboo subjects for writers?

Megan Dom takes that on and her new collection, The Unspeakable.

We go through so much of our lives, having feelings that we really don't feel we can express.

And actually the more I start to think about it, I thought, well, you know, I think a lot of people probably feel these things.

My colleagues, Paral, Segal, and John Williams will join me with notes from the publishing world.

And Greg Cole has bestseller news.

This is Inside the New York Times Book Review. I'm Pamela Paul.

Suki Kim joins us now. She is the author of Without You. There is no us.

My time with the sons of North Korea's elite. Hi, Suki.

Hello.

And I'm going to just make a little excuse for Suki. She has Lauren Gideas.

And yet is bravely going forth talking with us today.

So hopefully her voice will hold out at least for the interview.

So this is a memoir about a year that you spent teaching in North Korea.

Six months. When did you go to North Korea and what were you teaching?

That happened in 2011. I'd been going to North Korea since 2002.

I did a piece for a new review of books and then again for Harper's in 2008.

And then I found out about this private university that was being built.

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