There are so many stories out there, both fiction and non-fiction, that tell of the horrors and desperate resolve for survival during World War II. The atrocities committed in Cambodia are murky and vague, occasionally mentioned, land mines and Khmer Rouge far away nightmares hard to imagine from the safety of America. With Under the Naga Tail, Mae Bunsen Taing, with the help of his son James Taing, we have a rare glimpse at the suffering and upheaval of the Cambodian people. The experiences are not unique when tyrants and despots have control, and the narrative is not unique in what Mae experienced and survived. And yet every story is important, because it is the story of someone and their undeserved suffering. It is important because it is another glimpse of people that use power cruelly when they have it. It is important because it shows that even though many people are cruel, there are still those willing to help, giving food, clothes and guidance. Perhaps just as heartbreaking in this story is the treatment of the Cambodian people by the Thai government as they flee the circumstances of their own country. This is just as relevant today, as many countries turn away refugees, willing to abandon them to the circumstances they are desperately fleeing from. Mae’s story is a powerful one; a reminder that there is always a place where people are struggling and need help, compassion and the willingness to recognize that mistreatment is happening-history repeats itself over and over, especially when people can profit from it. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.