作者简介

金淑姬(Suki Kim)

韓裔美籍作家，生於首爾，現居紐約。古根漢（Guggenheim）、傅爾布萊特（Fulbright）和開放社會（Open Society）獎助金得主。自2002年即以記者身分赴北韓，著有獲獎暢銷小說《口譯員》（The Interpreter）， 並在《紐約時報》、《紐約時報書評》、《哈潑雜誌》等報刊撰文。

譯者簡介

莊靖

台大外文系畢，印地安那大學英美文學碩士。譯有《改變時尚的100個觀念》、《奧黛麗．赫本：一個優雅的靈魂》、《魅惑》、《PANTONE色彩聖經：預見下一波藝術、設計、時尚的色彩狂潮》、《下流科學》。

精彩摘录

THENEXTDAY,atthestaffmeeting,weweretoldwehadtoreimbursePUSTforgasandforthemealsforourmindersanddriver.Itwasamodestamount,fiveortendollarsforeachofouroutings,butconsideringthatwewereteachingforfreeandhadspentourownmoney,orthatofasponsoringchurch,toflythere,itseemedstrangethatwewereexpectedtopaytobeguarded.ThenweweretoldthattheArirangMassGames,amajorfestivalthatcelebratestheDPRKeachAugust,wouldcosteachofusasmuchas$400ifwewantedtogo.Theschoolrecommendedthatwepurchasethemid-rangeticketsfor$225.Ihadseenthegamesduringoneofmypreviousvisitsandwastakenabackbytheprice.OnceyougotoverthenoveltyofseeingtensofthousandsofchildrenformingthepetalsofKimjong...

——引自第118页

ThenextpieceofnewswasdeliveredbyDr.Joseph,wholookedalmostembarrassedasheaskedeveryonefordonationstofeedthestudents.Accordingtohim,“theothers”—thecounterparts,Iassumed—kepturginghimtomakeapersonaldonationof$500ormorefor“amealwithplentyofmeatinit.”Isuspectedthatthemeatwasnotforthestudentsbuttosatisfythegreedydemandsofthecounterparts.Oneofthesemenoftenlikedtorepeat,“Oh,you’reComradeKimSuki.Youcausedusmuchtrouble.Youhavenoideawhataheadacheitwasformetogetyourvisa.AfterallIwentthroughforyou,maybeyoushouldthankme.”Ifeltquiteawkwardthefirsttimehesaidthisbutlaughedalongwithhim,pretendingthatitwasajoke.Thiskindofextortionarybehaviorwastypicalintransactions...

——引自第118页