Arabella Pike, publishing director at William Collins UK has bought world English Language rights to a memoir by North Korean female escapee
Hyeonseo Lee. The book, yet
to be titled, was sold for a six-figure sum at a brisk auction by Kelly
Falconer of the Asia Literary Agency, based in Hong Kong.
Hyeonseo Lee
captured the world’s attention earlier this year after her TED talk –
detailing her extraordinary escape from North Korea – gathered over 2m
views online.
As a child,
Hyeonseo Lee thought her country was the best on the planet. It wasn't
until the devastating famine of the 1990s that she began to question
what she had been taught. She escaped to China when she was 14, and
began a life in hiding as an illegal alien. The book will describe her
privileged childhood in North Korea, her life in China, her decision to
settle eventually in South Korea and, her journey back to
North Korea to rescue her mother and brother. She is now at university
in South Korea, where she is a human-rights advocate and spokesperson for the
North Korean refugee community.
The book adds
to the growing list of Korea-focused authors represented by the Asia
Literary Agency including: Han Yujoo, winner of the Hankook Ilbo Literary Award in 2009; Chris Tharp, the Korea-based travel writer and memoirist; Michael Breen, journalist and author of The Koreans, and Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader.
Kelly
Falconer, founder of the Asia Literary Agency, said: "There has been a
phenomenal amount of interest in Hyeonseo Lee. I am thrilled that her story will be shared with
the world and will help raise awareness of the plight of North Korea’s
people. This memoir is as raw and heart-breaking as it is hopeful and
optimistic for the future of the divided peninsula."
Arabella Pike,
Publishing Director at William Collins, said: "Hyeonseo Lee’s book electrified me. Ms.
Lee is quite remarkable and her book promises to be powerful, deeply
emotional and important. She will be, I believe, the first eyewitness
female writer to describe the terrifying fates of North Korean women
escapees in China. This will be a list-defining book for us."
Danish, Dutch,
French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish rights have already been sold, and other offers are also under
consideration.
The book is due to be published in autumn 2014.
