Publication Date:April 1, 2006 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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ISBN13: 9780060733957
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Condition: New
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After enduring years of hunger, deprivation, and devastating loss at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, ten-year-old Loung Ung became the "lucky child," the sibling chosen to accompany her eldest brother to America while her one surviving sister and two brothers remained behind. In this poignant and elegiac memoir, Loung recalls her assimilation into an unfamiliar new culture while struggling to overcome dogged memories of violence and the deep scars of war. In alternating chapters, she gives voice to Chou, the beloved older sister whose life in war-torn Cambodia so easily could have been hers. Highlighting the harsh realities of chance and circumstance in times of war as well as in times of peace, Lucky Child is ultimately a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and to the salvaging strength of family bonds.
Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left behindAugust 22, 2010 wlr When I ordered this book they said it was in excellent condition. Unfortunately, the book had higlighting and handwritten notes inside and was quite worn. I was not happy with the product.
Life after CambodiaJuly 14, 2010 Jenny Sutton This is a sequel to First They Killed my Father.
If I had not read the first book, I would have found this book confusing and not very interesting. It completes the story of the author after she leaves Cambodia. But the story doesn't have the same compelling rhythm or level of emotion of the first book.
It seems a little contrived and a very long-winded justification for avoiding re-establishing connection with her family (which she does eventually). The more personal stuff (how she met her husband, her work etc) are not aired in this book- it portrays a much more reserved and controlled person. Maybe that is the effect that her heart rending experiences described in her first book had on her.
Good to read if you read the first book.
an amazing book that should make you reflect on your lifeFebruary 24, 2010 Mr. David Orenge 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.
Lucky Child: A daughter of Cambodia reunites with the sister she left behindJanuary 28, 2008 Frank Miller This is an outstanding book. Loung Ung is an excellent writer. I was educated by her first book: First they Killed my Father. This second book shows that she is truly a good author. I look forward to books she will write in the future. God truly is using you and your tragic experiences Loung. Thank you for sharing the struggles of your life. Loung, you are truly inspiring.
enthralling and great to readOctober 23, 2007 P. joseph(pa) I just bought the first book on-line finally after reading the Lucky Child last year. I admired the courage and strength of the writer. It must took more than guts to write this book. Reading Loung's book as if I'm reading a book about myself. I'm too from Cambodian; I was too only 5 y.o. when war and genocide happened. My father was executed and murdered during this sadist era. I could truly relate myself to the author's life. Few years ago, I saw The Killing Field only briefly because I could not bring myself to watch it. But reading Lucky Child brought me back so much memories and nightmares. Before reading this book I always wondered what life was like for people back in Cambodia and how people lived day by day,this book answered some of my questions. Bravdo to Loung Ung and many thanks for being the voice of Cambodians. Those 2 Millions innocent people did not deserve to die and definitely NOT to die that way: brutiality and in unhuman ways. I am not a weepy person but reading this book, I cried the whole time. I cried for Loung and her family,for the 2 millions, and for all the survivors. I absoultely and highly recommend this book to anyone. Lucky Child should be the reading book in every school.
