Everyone here has pretty much covered what the book is about. But it's so well-referenced - more than 100 pages of endnotes. There seemed to still be some aspects of North Korean life Mr. Martin was unable to access, but it's about as good as any Westerner will likely be able to do. The Kims are generally portrayed as crazy in the media at large, particularly Kim Jong-il. The book illustrates how, while both men were and are very flawed, they seemed to know exactly what they were doing. One is left with the feeling Kim Jong-Il isn't going anywhere, but after that is anyone's guess.