Somewhere Inside - by Laura Ling & Lisa Ling (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Somewhere Inside is the electrifying, never-before-told story of Laura Ling's capture by the North Koreans in March 2009, and the efforts of her sister, journalist Lisa Ling, to secure Laura's release by former President Bill Clinton. This riveting true account of the first ever trial of an American citizen in North Korea's highest court carries readers deep inside the world's most secretive nation while it poignantly explores the powerful, inspiring bonds of sisterly love.

From the Back Cover

On March 17, 2009, while filming a documentary on the Chinese-North Korean border, Laura Ling and her colleague Euna Lee were violently apprehended by North Korean soldiers, charged with trespassing and "hostile acts," and imprisoned by Kim Jong Il's notoriously secretive Communist state. Kept totally apart, they endured months of interrogations and a trial before North Korea's highest court that led to a sentence of twelve years of hard labor in a North Korean prison camp.

When news of the arrest reached Laura's sister, journalist Lisa Ling, she immediately began a campaign to get Laura released. Her efforts led her from the State Department to the higher echelons of the media world and eventually to the White House. Lisa takes us deep into the drama between people in the highest levels of government, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, and eventually former President Bill Clinton, who arrived in North Korea in mid-August for a suspenseful rescue.

Somewhere Inside is a timely, inspiring, and page-turning tale of survival set against the canvas of international politics. Writing with their strong, poignant voices, both sisters go beyond the headlines to reveal the unique bond that has sustained them throughout the most horrifying ordeal of their lives.

Review Quotes

"Laura Ling's literal and metaphorical journey into the vortex of darkness in North Korea, her sister Lisa's struggle staring at it through the looking glass from half a world away, and their joint effort to bring Laura home demonstrates the true power of love and spirit in innumerable ways. Theirs is a page-turning account of not only international geo-politics, sisterhood, and familial triumph, but also a portrait of humanity at its best." - Deepak Chopra

"I was greatly moved by reading this story - by the steely determination of Lisa on the outside, by the quiet stoicism of Laura within - and by the few brief signs of human kindness and warmth inside the nightmare, and which more than once brought me close to tears. This is a memorable and lovely book." - Simon Winchester, author of The Man Who Loved China and The Professor and the Madman

"A riveting story of captivity and the enduring faith, determination, and love of two sisters." - Booklist (starred review)

"Riveting...harrowing, sometimes surreal....The bond between the two sisters and the account of their ordeal is compelling." - Deseret News

"Dramatic....The memoir reveals what really happened in the interrogations Laura Ling endured as well as the diplomatic process her sister pushed all the way to the White House." - The State (South Carolina)

"Somewhere Inside reveals what really happened in the interrogations Laura Ling endured as well as the diplomatic process her sister pushed all the way to the White House." - Lancaster Independent (Pennsylvania)

"You gain a real-time sense of the situation in North Korea and stateside....The sisters relay a gripping tale of family bonds and love, national pride, and precarious politics. It's an amazing story." - Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas)

"A gripping tale of family bonds and love, national pride, and precarious politics. It's an amazing story." - Corpus Christi Caller-Times

"Fascinating....Laura and Lisa not only relay the facts of the story, but they also capture the emotions and turmoil on both ends....The story is engrossing throughout....[and] offers a glimpse into a country well know for its secretiveness and a portrait of two sisters dedicated to making the world a better place." - Tulsa World

"One of the scariest stories of international tension in recent memory." - Arkansas Times