Book: First They Killed My Father

"First They Killed My Father" was on my To Be Read (TBR) list for sometime. Finally, I read it as part of my book goals for the year 2021. It is a heart wrenching memoir written by Loung Ung, who survived the Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia. 

The story starts off with Loung narrating her family and life at Phnom Penh before communists took over Cambodia; their family fleeing Phnom Penh due to Khmer Rouge’s attack; the struggles their family encounters while travelling from one village to the other, concealing their identity for survival; their ordeal working for Khmer Rouge. In the due course, Loung’s father gets killed, her family gets separated with Loung ending up in the Khmer Rouge troop as a child soldier. By the time Cambodia is liberated, Loung also loses her mother, 2 sisters and finally unites with rest of her siblings. The books ends with Loung migrating to the United States along with her elder brother and sister-in-law.

It is a very well written book and details the hard ships undergone by common people during war; the bloodshed; parents' agony seeing their children die in front of them; children losing their families and ending up as orphans; the hope, perseverance and determination of an young girl who struggles to cope with all the challenges life throws at her and longs to unite with her family and lead a peaceful life. 

Though it's been close to 6 months since I read the book, I still can't come to terms with accepting the hard truth that wars were inevitable since beginning of human race on earth - first for existence, then for formation of civilization, later for power and control over countries, resources, race, religious beliefs, etc. Whatever may be the era or motive, it is always the common man's life at stake.

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