First They Killed My Father

Description

From a childhood survivor of the Camdodian genocide under the regime of Pol Pot, this is a riveting narrative of war crimes and desperate actions, the unnerving strength of a small girl and her family, and their triumph of spirit. One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed. Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung's powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.

First Sentence

Phnom Penh city wakes early to take advantage of the cool morning breeze before the sun breaks through the haze and invades the country with sweltering heat.

Subjects

Other Editions

• First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (P.S.)PaperbackHarper Perennial2006-04-04
• First they killed my fatherHarperCollins Publishers2000-01-01
• D'abord, ils song tué mon père.France Loisirs2000-01-01
• First They Killed My FatherHarperCollins2000-02-01
• First They Killed My FatherPaperbackHarperCollins Publishers Australia2001-01-01
• First They Killed My FatherHarper Perennial2001-01-09