Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind (P.S.)

first off, this book should be read after first reading 'first they killed my father' as it is a sequel to that book. many people here have said that and that is the truth.i recently returned from an extended trip in asia, much of which was spent in cambodia, despite a lack of a plan to go there when i flew to asia. i guess i was gripped by cambodia as i spent a lot of my time there. one major aspect of visiting cambodia undoubtedly is the civil war and genocide which just occurred. it is very difficult to overlook this period in cambodia's history as a visitor, and it is in effect a form of self-censorship if you do. when visiting, you have an almost moral obligation to visit sites that comprise what i collectively call 'genocide tourism,' despite how unpleasant it can be. more uniquely to me, i felt cynical and self-serving at times. but this is what you do when in cambodia. you just visit these places as respectfully as possible and perhaps try to hide your emotions if you are a private person.i bought 'first they killed my father,' loung ung's first book, from a landmine victim while eating lunch in siem reap, visiting angkor wat nearby. missing a leg and most of his fingers, he approached me and a friend at our table with a tray of books and a sign explaining that he peddles books about cambodia rather than beg, something i saw amputees doing at several points in my trip. seeing the results of what occurred in cambodia firsthand made loung ung's two books a lot more palpable, but i am really digressing.anyway, i have been on a sort of kick, reading firsthand accounts of life under the khmer rouge. having so far read chanrithy him, pin yathay, and loung ung, all are definitely worth reading, but by far the best writing belongs to loung ung. she is by far the best writer and writes with a vibrancy and emotion lacking in the other works. i read her first book largely while on my plane trip home. i cannot recall reading anything so emotionally brutal in my life and i could not put this book down.the book at hand is no different. 'lucky child' has an interesting structure, going back and forth biographically between loung ung's life in america and that of her closest sister who stayed behind with other members of her family. as the youngest with the best chance to adapt and learn, she was the 'lucky child' who got to go to america when the family did not have enough money for everyone to get smuggled out of cambodia.i read this book almost entirely in one day. if you are an empathetic person, you would be a fool not to read this book. you will stop complaining if the guy at starbucks didn't froth the milk in your latte. hopefully you will take things less for granted. you may be spurred to reflect upon your own life by this book.

I ordered "Lucky Child" immediately after finishing the author's first book about her immigration from Cambodia following the genocide of 1975-1979. Though this book can be read on its own, you will have a much more complete picture of Loung's childhood experience in Cambodia if you read "First They Killed My Father". "Lucky Child" picks up when Loung is in high school in Sacramento. Though she is trying to put the horrors of the past behind her, she has occasional flashbacks and moments of terror. She writes "...in the quiet recesses of my mind, the Khmer Rouge lurks and hovers in dark alleys, waiting for me at the bend of every corner. No matter how far I run, I cannot escape the dread they have followed me to America."Loung has lost touch with her closest sister in Cambodia, Chou, who married young and had children and has struggled to find prosperity and happiness in the deeply damaged country. Loung has always felt somewhat guilty about the fact that she was chosen to accompany her eldest brother to the refugee camp in Thailand where they were later sponsored for immigration to a small town in Vermont. Since Loung was the youngest surviving sibling, the family felt that she would have the best chance of getting an education and adapting to life in America. However, Loung's brother and his wife cling to Cambodian traditions and expect Loung to do so also. She chafes at their restrictions, hides the details of her background from her best friend in the new high school, and even changes her name to an American name - all so that she can blend in and find acceptance in her new country.Loung's brother Meng, had visited the family in Cambodia several times and sent them money which helped raise them from abject poverty. At first, Loung wasn't interested in returning to Cambodia, but eventually, Loung's brother organized a trip for them to return to a family reunion. Though their lives are very different by then, Loung reunites with her closest sister Chou. With all the siblings together for the first time in 18 years, the family honors their dead ancestors, while striving to put the past behind them.In her matter of fact and clear writing style, Loung allows to understand so much of Cambodia history and culture. Her ability to put the grim occurrences of the genocide in perspective and to find a way to move on and thrive is commendable. I look forward to reading her next book which starts when she's in college.

This book was so well written and really gives you insight about the struggles of families who survive genocide and wars and challenges many stereotypes. I have no words of how amazing this book was and how much I got to learn about perspectives and challenges of survivors of war.

This book (and it's predecessor are a must to read if you are interested in Cambodia. We visited this year, and it makes their suffering in the past - more real. Would recommend though not always a comfortable or easy read.

Einfach ein muss für alle Leser von “First they killed my Father“ ! Herzzerreißend, schonungslos , packend und fesselnd - eines der besten Bücher die ich je gelesen habe !

The story of First They Killed My Father continues, and Loung Ung takes you deep into her journey after leaving Cambodia. I admire her honesty and courage to face her demons.

I bought the first book in Cambodia and was so moved by being in the country and then relating that to her story I had to buy the books to complete the trilogy.Amazing that out of such horror people survived to build better lives