Survival in the Killing Fields

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: Read this book!!! ...especially if you are thinking of visiting Cambodia, which everyone who travels to Asia should do (and probably will do soon, judging by the number of hotels being built in Siem Reap). Words cannot describe the horror for the people who had to live through the Pol Pot regime. Haing Ngor tells you his personal story in a very conversational, personal manner, throwing in some political beliefs here and there and even some humor. You can't read this book and not be moved.

Rating:
Summary: A Must read for any human being
Review: This book by Oscar-winner Haing Ngor is deep, personal, and insightful. One can learn much about the character of the people of Cambodia and what led to the horrible genocide that the people committed to themselves.
Read this book and travel to the depths of human psychology, depravity, and struggle. My parents were children of the Killing Fields, and I was born in the refugee camp that you will see Ngor work at in the book. His story was emotionally stirring...

Rating:
Summary: Deeply Touching and Informative
Review: This book describes the graphic brutality of life under the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Its author, the actor who played the Cambodian journalist in "The Killing Fields", suffered far worse tragedies and torture than the subject of that film did, yet miraculously he survived and thrived after the fall of the regime. This book is shocking in its candid (but never lurid) description of the brutality and injustice of the Khmer Rouge regime, but it is also deeply touching as the story of the destruction of this man's family. The love story of him and his wife, who survived the horrors together until a cruel and ironic twist of fate separated them forever, is worthy of Shakespeare, but the author describes all events simply, honestly and with humility. He also gives a clear and intelligent description of life in Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge, which helps to make this book worthy reading for the historian. I strongly recommend Survival in the Killing Fields.