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Summary: A BOOK WORTH READING
Review: A Blessing Over Ashes is a touching story about a boy named Soeuth from Cambodia and his journey to America. It is a remarkable story of how Soeuth escapes from the Khmer Rouge and becomes brothers with Adam Fifield. Soeuths goes to High Scool with Adam. As Soeuths's life continues in America he thinks his family is dead in Cambodia. Which he finds out later is not true. A Blessing Over Ashes is a good book worth buying.
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Summary: description of feelings reflected
Review: A blessing over ashes is about the history of Cambodia, and many people's lifestyles being interrupted by the warring of the Angka soldiers, and, more specifically, about the life of one Cambodian, and his journey out of Cambodia, to America, and eventually, back to his native homeland. Now hearing that general statement about some content of the book, here are some feelings about the story I had when I read it. . . . ....... I was sickened and almost horrified when reading some of the senseless things that went on in Cambodia when Seouth was there. However, with this serious sense of relation came a serious sense of compation. Seouth was very brave and never gave up. I felt sad for him and his family, as well as every other Cambodian who was tortured, killed or pillaged at all. The fact that this could happen was mind boggling. His survival, he knows, depends souly on himself, as a refugee, an outsider, now in America. He works harder than most "natives" of America could ever think of, and spends his measly earnings on his family and relatives. This fact alone made me feel that Seouth had a lot of love in his heart, and a lot of support for his family and people's culture. Billl " RALPHY " Clinton
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Summary: FROM A MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT NATIVE
Review: A remarkable story of a boy's life in Cambodia and journey to America. "A Blessing Over Ashes" is a touching story of two brothers struggling to get through teenage years together. Soeuth --the refugee--has had to escape the Khmer Rouge and the war that was going on in his country. He lost his family in the war, and thought they were dead. Soeuth came to America not knowing his last name or real age. Adam, the author and oldest son in the family, becomes friends with Soeuth and share the struggles of being in high school and the struggles they meet in life. Its a book worth buying and reading. A great read for all ages and a sad story about growing up in life and all the joys that come with it. It is a book that is well worth taking the time to read!
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Summary: An amazing book for so many different reasons.
Review: As a former refugee who came to the United States at age 8, I understand a few of the main character's experiences, i.e growing up "different" in America. Luckily there are many other experiences in his amazing life which are completely foreign to me, living through the killing fields of Cambodia, adoption into a loving American family, financially supporting his long lost Cambodian family, etc... This is an amazing book for so many different reasons. It gives the reader an honest and intimate look at a unique and rich life very different form their own. I gained insight on some of my contemporaries by reading this book. It is a testimony of one brother's love for another. Finally, this book illustrates a character of the American people that is sometimes forgotten. Americans, as a whole, are a generous people. I've recommended this book to so many friends, especially those with an interest in understanding people with experiences different from their own.
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Summary: Riveting
Review: Biographies written by journalists often offer rare treats. This one is no exception. Adam Fifield takes the extraordinary circumstances that brought a young Cambodian boy into his family and tells us how they became true brothers. This book will open your heart and your mind and stay with you for a long, wonderful time.
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Summary: Recommended: very moving and well written
Review: I really enjoyed reading "A Blessing Over Ashes". It was unlike any book that I have read, and broadened my vision considerably. The stories from the early chapters were very moving and written in a beautiful voice. I read the chapter about catching fish with bare hands in a Vermont stream to my 4 year old daughter, who laughed with delight right along with me. Those later stories about the Cambodian slave camps were horrifying, fascinating and nearly moved me to tears. I feel after finishing the book like I was part of the family, albeit one very different from my own.
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Summary: A Blessing Over Ashes Book Review
Review: I really enjoyed the book A Blessing Over Ashes because it was a different kind of book that I normally would not read. The book was very informative and I learned a lot about Cambodia that I never knew before. People should read this book if they like to read about other countries, or if they like to read true stories. A Blessing Over Ashes is the story of a Cambodian boy trying to escape his war torn country. He eventually finds his way to America to live with a family that treats him like their own son. I was fasinated reading about the journey that Soeuth the main charactor had to endure ub order to finally get to America. How the Fifield family accepts Soeuth into their family is inspirational. To me, this book represented a mix of a series of journey and a survival. Soeuth has to survive in a country engulfed in hatred and war. His escape took immense courage and I admired Soeuth for his determination. I hope others will consider reading A Blessing Over Ashes so that they, too, may experience the sheer determation and courage of a young Cambodian boy who will inspire them as he did me.
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Summary: A simple story of compassion
Review: If compassion were studied as rigorously as war, this book would be on the mandatory reading list. The author describes how he grew to feel that he was a part of his adopted brother's story, not just an observer. In Cambodia there is a ceremony that people can do to assure that they are together in their next life. The author and his brother have obviously been hanging around together for a long, long time. This book is touching and well written and Adam Fifield is an author with great promise.
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Summary: good book, that's it-
Review: The book is about an american family who adopts a Combodian boy who suffered a lot, an lived a very different reality from them. The book is told by one of the american brothers. It is a very good book but I think it was quite "descriptive". I think the end could have been better. It seems as if the author leaves you in the middle of the story, as if he did not know how to end it. I enjoyed it, and it is not a "heavy" book, but not excellent for my taste.
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Summary: A unique depiction of time, place and family
Review: There are dozens upon dozens of books on the killing fields of Cambodia out there...this one is different, because it tells the story of Adam and his Cambodian foster brother, Seouth. I was drawn to this perspective and enjoyed Adam's writing style very much. His descriptions and use of language are effective at getting emotions across without being sentimental and sloppy. At the end of the book, Adam and Seouth travel to Cambodia, and Adam made me feel as though I was there with them, riding a motobike down a dusty road, taking in the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar culture. Many books do not emphasize how poor the people of Cambodia are in a tangible way...Adam does this beautifully. If you are interested in how historical events affect individuals or have brothers or sisters, this book could change how you look at the world and reaffirm your relationships with others. (P.S...you might cry and laugh! I did).
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