This harrowing tale is the true life account of one man’s survival through the Cambodian Genocide. The horrors and trauma he had to endure as a teenager is something I cannot imagine, and I applaud his bravery of even opening up to tell his story. Especially when I learned how much stress and disturbance it caused him just to talk through what happened to him while writing this book, taking breaks and walking away for large portions before returning to finish. It is a tough read about the horrors of war and separation of family, but speaks to the endurance of the human spirit to survive. The writing style was very easy to follow and the first person narrative was so personal and heartbreaking. The theme of family is so strong and I could see how the basic concepts of love and family and endurance were how people like Mae survived each day. Very important read!