Includes index.

Introduction -- Prologue -- Part One. The greatest nation on Earth. A train through the mountains -- The city at the edge of the world -- The eyes on the wall -- The lady in black -- The man beneath the bridge -- The red shoes -- Boomtown -- The secret photograph -- To be a good communist -- 'Rocky island' -- 'The house is cursed' -- Tragedy at the bridge -- Sunlight on dark water -- 'The great heart has stopped beating' -- Girlfriend of a hoodlum -- 'By the time you read this, the five of us will no longer exist in this world' -- The lights of Changbai -- Over the ice -- Part Two. To the heart of the dragon. A visit to Mr. Ahn -- Home truths -- The suitor -- The wedding trap -- Shenyang girl -- Guilt call -- The men from the south -- Interrogation -- The plan -- The gang -- The comfort of moonlight -- The biggest, brashest city in Asia -- Career woman -- A connection to Hyesan -- The teddy-bear conversations -- The tormenting of Min-ho -- The love shock -- Destination Seoul -- Part Three. Journey into darkness. 'Welcome to Korea' -- The women -- House of unity -- The learning race -- Waiting for 2012 -- A place of ghosts and wild dogs -- An impossible dilemma -- Journey into night -- Under a vast Asian sky -- Lost in Laos -- Whatever it takes -- The kindness of strangers -- Shuttle diplomacy -- Long wait for freedom -- A series of small miracles -- 'I am prepared to die' -- The beauty of a free mind -- Epilogue.