A tough, but excellent historical read

I remember reading First They Killed My Father for a genocide class years ago, which was one of my first introduction to what happened in Cambodia under Pol Pot. Under the Naga Tail is the memoir of Mae Bunseng Taing from that same period. Mae's son, James Taing helps tell his father's tale with moving clarity, full of the terror Mae faced and the humanity he found once he escaped. Though it's a hard story to read (I've got an interest in genocide history, but it's not for everyone, certainly), it's such an important one to keep alive.

I also appreciated the included maps and selection of photographs. This is a book I'd recommend for sure, in particular those interested in the history of Cambodia, genocide, or those who want an inspiring memoir in the face of impossible adversity.

Thanks very much to the Greenleaf Book Group for sending a copy of this book in exchange for a review through LibraryThing.