"Yes, but he is close to President Obama," I explained. "He's also a n.o.bel Peace Prize winner. He's probably one of the most popular postpolitical figures in the entire world. And I know he would be willing to come here."

He thought about this as we walked along. "That might be a good idea," he said, nodding.

Finally, he'd given me a response that offered a tangible way forward. I felt relatively confident that Al Gore had already offered himself as an envoy, and was continuing to do so. But I wanted to be sure.

Ever since my meeting with Amba.s.sador Foyer, when the amba.s.sador told me that I had a right to send letters, I'd been asking Mr. Yee if I could write to my family. "I will think about it" was always his response. I tried to persuade him that I could use my letters to express the need for urgent action, and then my government would understand the gravity of our situation.

During one of our walks, Mr. Yee asked to whom I would write, if I were allowed to send out letters. I told him I wanted to write letters to my family, to my sister, to my husband, to my boss and CEO at Current TV, and to my colleagues. He asked what I planned to write to each one of them. I discussed what I wanted to say in general terms. Strategically, I wanted to convey specific messages to my sister, who had contacts in the United States that could be helpful to our situation, and to my bosses at Current TV. I also hoped to write to my family, husband, and colleagues. I wanted to comfort them and let them know I was hanging in there and being as strong as possible.

"You must express the need to act swiftly," he chimed in. "If you go to trial, you will undoubtedly be given a very long sentence because of the nature of your crimes."

I knew his message had to be part of the government's overall plan. If he was telling me to pressure my family to act quickly before a trial, he must truly believe or know there was some sort of opening for negotiation. I took this as a positive sign, despite the growing tension between the United States and North Korea.

I was allowed to write the letters in mid-April, but it would be a month before I was able to give them to Amba.s.sador Foyer during our second meeting.

LISA.

ON M MAY 11, MY mom, Iain, Paul, and I flew to Washington, D.C., to meet first with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then with the Chinese amba.s.sador to the United States, Zhou Wenzhong. mom, Iain, Paul, and I flew to Washington, D.C., to meet first with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then with the Chinese amba.s.sador to the United States, Zhou Wenzhong.

Even though China had not been active on our issue, three months had elapsed and we figured we had nothing to lose by asking for the Chinese government's help. Euna's husband, Michael, and daughter, Hana, joined us for the meeting with the secretary of state. The secretary's office also invited former Vice President Gore to attend because of his role as chairman of Laura and Euna's employer, Current TV. Plus, he had obviously known the secretary of state for a long time, and she thought it would be a good idea to have him in the meeting.

In her stately office, with Deputy a.s.sistant Secretary Jim Steinberg as well as Kurt Tong, Linda McFadyen, and a number of other official-looking State Department colleagues in tow, Secretary Clinton expressed her concern about Laura and Euna's detainment. She told us that getting the girls back was important to her, both as America's chief diplomat and as the mother of a daughter. We felt consoled by how compa.s.sionate she was. There was a softness about her that doesn't always come through on television, and for that we were grateful.

Secretary Clinton spelled out the complications of dealing with North Korea-particularly because some of its neighboring nations were insisting on punishment for its recent aggressive actions.

"This is a uniquely American issue," I urged. "Surely, other countries should understand that this has nothing to do with the larger geopolitical issues."

Photographic Insert All-American girls with our all-American dolls.

This portrait of our paternal grandparents, Lien and H.T. Ling, was taken in 1946 in Nanjing, China.

This was a trip to a temple in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1948 to celebrate the birth of Black Dragon's second son to his second wife (right) (right) . Our grandmother, Mrs. w.a.n.g . Our grandmother, Mrs. w.a.n.g (left) (left), is carrying our mother.

This photograph was taken in 1953 at a sixtieth birthday gathering for our great-grandmother (seated in the center) (seated in the center). Our maternal grandfather, known as Black Dragon, is in the center wearing the dark shirt. Our grandmother, his first wife, is standing next to him. Next to her are his concubines. The man next to Black Dragon is his brother and next to him are his two wives. Most of the children in this picture belong to the two brothers. Our mother stands just below Black Dragon.

Our parents, Douglas and Mary, on their wedding day, March 8, 1969.

This is a photo of Laura just a couple of weeks after she was born in December 1976. Lisa was so excited to have a baby sister, or "Baby Girl," as she would call Laura.

Here we are with our grandmother, Lien Ling, who helped raise us, and made us memorize every church hymnal in the book.

Dad and his girls in 1977.

Here we are with our mother in 1980.

Laura and Iain dated for seven years before finally tying the knot on June 26, 2004.

Laura and Iain having fun with their bridal party in the courtyard at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California. From left to right: Dorothy Fong, Michael Tummings, Laura, Iain, Lisa, Jean Roh, Josh Clayton, and Charles Clayton.

At Lisa's wedding on May 26, 2007. You'd never know our parents were divorced from this family photo. They were even color-coordinated.

Laura and Doug celebrating Lisa's wedding.

In June 2007, Lisa went to North Korea with Dr. Sanduk Ruit, where he performed cataract operations. Here, hundreds of people are lined up in Pyongsong, North Korea, to get checked by Dr. Ruit and his team.

In much of the world, cataracts occur in elderly patients. Due to severe conditions, many North Korean children are stricken with it. This is a young North Korean child who had just undergone a cataract operation on his right eye.

After a successful cataract operation performed by Dr. Ruit's team, this woman rushed to the portraits of the Great and Dear Leaders to thank them for restoring her vision.

Lisa and a man she asked to take a picture with in a park in Sariwon, North Korea. He is wearing a pin with a portrait of North Korea's Great Leader, Kim Il Sung. The doc.u.mentary Lisa made after this trip was highly critical of the North Korean regime.

Laura's last a.s.signment before going to China was for a Current TV doc.u.mentary about the drug wars in Mexico. Here she is with producer Mitch Koss, who is filming her in front of a military base in Tijuana.

Lisa and Laura on New Year's Day, two and a half months before Laura's arrest.

In June 2009, Iain spoke at a vigil held at the San Francisco Academy of Art.

Iain sent dozens of letters and photographs to Laura while she was in captivity. In this one, he is holding a special message for Laura (he calls her "b").

Lisa and her husband, Paul Song, at a Los Angeles vigil for Laura and Euna.

This vigil in support of bringing Laura and Euna home was held in Los Angeles on June 4, 2009. It was one of a number of gatherings that took place the day Laura and Euna's trial was to begin.

Anderson Cooper's 360 360 broadcast live from this vigil, where Lisa, Euna's husband, Michael Saldate, and Iain appeared. It was believed that North Korea's Dear Leader watched CNN, so this live shot was orchestrated to happen the morning of Laura and Euna's trial in the hope that he would be watching. broadcast live from this vigil, where Lisa, Euna's husband, Michael Saldate, and Iain appeared. It was believed that North Korea's Dear Leader watched CNN, so this live shot was orchestrated to happen the morning of Laura and Euna's trial in the hope that he would be watching.

Our father spoke at a vigil on July 9 in our hometown of Sacramento, on the steps of the capitol. The next day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked the government of North Korea to grant amnesty to Laura and Euna.

This photograph, taken on August 4, 2009, of the jubilant North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, and a stoic President Bill Clinton in Pyongyang was seen all over the world.

Iain, Lisa, and Mary holding a December 7, 2007, copy of GQ GQ magazine on which President Bill Clinton graced the cover (not sure why we saved this old issue). They had just learned that Laura and Euna were safely on the plane headed home. Lisa e-mailed the photo to Doug Band, who showed it to President Clinton while on the plane. magazine on which President Bill Clinton graced the cover (not sure why we saved this old issue). They had just learned that Laura and Euna were safely on the plane headed home. Lisa e-mailed the photo to Doug Band, who showed it to President Clinton while on the plane.

This photograph, taken by President Clinton's close adviser, Doug Band, is of the vehicle carrying Laura and Euna to the airport in Pyongyang. Band wanted to make sure the car with Laura and Euna was never out of his sight.