Tyrant and truant
A gripping account of the battle fought in the skies and its lasting significance
The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot: The True Story of the Tyrant Who Created North Korea and the Young Lieutenant Who Stole His Way to Freedom. By Blaine Harden. Viking; 290 pages; $27.95. Pan Macmillan; £16.99.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Tyrant and truant”

From the May 16th 2015 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
What to watch this weekend
Four titles that are worth your time—and one to avoid

Why “Adolescence” has become a global smash hit
Viewers encounter new dangers—and old ones—alongside its characters

Transatlantic fights over war budgets are nothing new
An oft-forgotten negotiation between Winston Churchill and Andrew Mellon resonates
Five years after covid, have scientists learned their lesson?
The history of one of epidemiology’s least favourite ideas
How Shonda Rhimes became a billion-dollar asset for streamers
Her career offers lessons for any writer who wants to make it big on the small screen
What to read to understand tariffs
Four books and an essay that provide insight into a trade-war weapon