First They Killed My Father

The Book: First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung

Synopsis:"First They Killed My Father" is a valuable memoir of a child's view of the war in Cambodia. It is also a wonderful tribute to those members of the Ung family who died during Pol Pot's homocidal regime. As the story unfolds, told in Loung's "you are here" style (all present tense thru a child's eye) you are present as she grows from a spoiled 5 year-old into a self-reliant independant 10 year old. Her life is a journey from mistrust & selfishness to self-determination. Skillfully constructed, this account also stands as an eyewitness history of the period, because as a child Ung was so aware of her surroundings, and because as an adult writer she adds details to clarify the family's moves and separations. Twenty-five years after the rise of the Khmer Rouge, this powerful account is a triumph.