First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (P.S.) | 
 enlarge | Author: Loung Ung
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  154 reviews
Sales Rank: 10711
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.6 x 0.8
ISBN: 0060856262
Dewey Decimal Number: 959.6042
EAN: 9780060856267
ASIN: 0060856262
Publication Date: April 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed. Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.
Amazon.com Review
Written in the present tense, First They Killed My Father will put you right in the midst of the action--action you'll wish had never happened. It's a tough read, but definitely a worthwhile one, and the author's personality and strength shine through on every page. Covering the years from 1975 to 1979, the story moves from the deaths of multiple family members to the forced separation of the survivors, leading ultimately to the reuniting of much of the family, followed by marriages and immigrations. The brutality seems unending--beatings, starvation, attempted rape, mental cruelty--and yet the narrator (a young girl) never stops fighting for escape and survival. Sad and courageous, her life and the lives of her young siblings provide quite a powerful example of how war can so deeply affect children--especially a war in which they are trained to be an integral part of the armed forces. For anyone interested in Cambodia's recent history, this book shares a valuable personal view of events. --Jill Lightner
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| Customer Reviews: Read 149 more reviews...
 Compelling read January 6, 2009
I haven't finished the book yet. I can' exactly say I am enjoying it because it is such a sad subject and time in history. How can anyone enjoy the pain of others?
I am someone who likes to get to know people and reading this book truly does give me a feel for what this young girl went through along with her family.
A moment in history we should not forget January 6, 2009
When travelling through cambodia another traveller recommended this book. I was sceptical when she said it was so sad at times she had to put it down - I found out the hard way sitting on an airplane...
I am glad I waited till I had been to Cambodia before I read it and it did make it easier to visualise. But even knowing the history of the country and what happended under Pol Pot it was not any less emotional to read. I know there are lots of stories similar to this but I thought this one captured it greatly. Would love to have a second book filling in some of the gaps after her immigration to the US
Unforgettable October 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
What a powerful, remarkable story that centers on a girl's will to survive. I won't forget this book, not for a very long time, if ever. I felt like I was with the narrator, right beside her, in the midst of the killing fields. Whenever I'm having a tough day now, and worried about some trivial thing, I remember this book. Fantastic. "First They Killed My Father" certainly isn't an easy read (in terms of emotional intensity), but it's one of the most important books I've read.
Powerful story about survival October 5, 2008
Wow, I was blown away by this book. Despite the virtually universal good reviews, this book sat on my desk for months. I wasn't sure I was up to reading about the horrors of Pol Pot. I have seen the pictures of the Killing Fields and read about it before.
But my conscience bothered me and I eventually read it, thinking if it was too depressing, I'd simply chuck it. But like many, I was sucked in once I started - read it in less than a day - stayed up half the night reading.
Powerful story of survival and the incredible cruelty of Man brought about by ignorance and poverty.
quick reading April 12, 2008
I read all but a couple chapters of this book on a flight across the US. It is easy reading and I could not put it down. The horrors this author went through will make the reader pause to count his blessings. I think this is a must read for anyone who is unfamiliar with Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.
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