When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace

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Summary: A book for those who want a true account of the war
Review: As a 14 year old young lady, i found this book remarkably touching. It gave me a truer understanding of what life during the vietnam war was really like. Hayslip shows how forgivness has delivered her from an excruciatingly brutal past! She actually honors and appeciates her persecutors,as well as others whom she came across during her years in vietnam, for they have shaped her road to self-discovery. This rare attitude has inspired her as well as many others, including me. During her stirring testimony, Hayslip becomes a 12 year old recruited spy and saboteur for the Viet Cong. Because of her position, before the age of 16, Hayslip suffers imprisonment, torture, and rape. Her family gradually slips away and, at times, leaves her to fend for herself in the filthy streets of Siagon.Hayslip has poetically recounted her journey to self-discovery and forgivness. I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't truely grasp how bad and degrading a war can be for a young woman and to those who have had difficult childhoods. Hayslip illustrates how it is possible to overcome and benefit from past experiences!This is definitly a must-read!

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Summary: A True Account of the War, July 1, 2001
Review: I found this book engrossing and hard to put down! It is so beautifully written. Le Ly has a poetic way of expressing her deep feelings and emotions. How a cruel tortureous childhood could have produced a woman with such an overflowing capacity to forgive and inspire others is simply inexplicable! In her small village of Ky La, Le Ly is recruited as a child spy and sabotour for the Viet Cong. Because of this tragic situation, Le Ly had suffered imprisonment, torture, rape, and the death of many cherished family members all before the tender age of 16! This devastating fact of war, became the reality of many young women living in Ky La. Possibly the most astounding fact of all, is Le Ly's undying faith in humanity. Even after all the hurt and anguish the war had caused her, Le Ly freely forgave her persecutors and even appreciates them for "without them i could not have discovered myself or the mission of my life". As well as telling the unforgettable story of her harsh childhood, Le Ly also writes of her reunion with her beloved family.