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Red Blood, Yellow Skin: A Young Girl's Survival in War-Torn Vietnam
Red Blood, Yellow Skin is the story of a young girl's survival in war-torn Vietnam during the First Indochina War between France and Vietnam, the civil war between North and South Vietnam, and the later American involvement in the Vietnam War. Linda Baer was born Nguyen Thi Loan, in the village of Tao Xa, Thai Binh Province, in North Vietnam in 1947. When she was four years old, the Viet Minh attacked her village and killed her father, leaving Loan and her mother to fend for themselves. Seeking escape from impoverishment, her mother married a rich and dominating widower who was cruel to his free-spirited and mischievous stepdaughter. Loan found solace in the company of animals and insects and escaped into the branches of trees.
In 1954, her family chose to relocate to South Vietnam, rather than live under the yoke of communist North Vietnam. When Loan was thirteen, she ran away to Saigon to flee the cruelty of her stepfather and worked at menial jobs to help her family. At seventeen, she was introduced to bars, nightclubs, and Saigon Tea. At eighteen, she dated and lived with a young American airman.Two months after their baby was born, the airman returned to America, and Loan never heard from him again. She raised their son by herself. However, time healed her heart, and she eventually found true love in a young air force officer, whom she married and accompanied to America in 1971.
Red Blood, Yellow Skin is a story of romance, culture, traditions, and family. It describes the pain, struggle, despair, and violence as Loan lived it. The story is hers, but it is also an account of Vietnam of those who were uprooted, displaced, brutalized, and left homeless. It is about this struggle to survive and her extraordinary triumph over adversity that Baer writes.
Linda Baer was born Nguyen Thi Loan, in a small village in North Vietnam. Her family relocated to South Vietnam in 1954. She spent most of her youth in Saigon, where she met her husband. She followed him to America in 1971 and became an American citizen in 1973. She currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where she is a successful businesswoman.
In 1954, her family chose to relocate to South Vietnam, rather than live under the yoke of communist North Vietnam. When Loan was thirteen, she ran away to Saigon to flee the cruelty of her stepfather and worked at menial jobs to help her family. At seventeen, she was introduced to bars, nightclubs, and Saigon Tea. At eighteen, she dated and lived with a young American airman.Two months after their baby was born, the airman returned to America, and Loan never heard from him again. She raised their son by herself. However, time healed her heart, and she eventually found true love in a young air force officer, whom she married and accompanied to America in 1971.
Red Blood, Yellow Skin is a story of romance, culture, traditions, and family. It describes the pain, struggle, despair, and violence as Loan lived it. The story is hers, but it is also an account of Vietnam of those who were uprooted, displaced, brutalized, and left homeless. It is about this struggle to survive and her extraordinary triumph over adversity that Baer writes.
Linda Baer was born Nguyen Thi Loan, in a small village in North Vietnam. Her family relocated to South Vietnam in 1954. She spent most of her youth in Saigon, where she met her husband. She followed him to America in 1971 and became an American citizen in 1973. She currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where she is a successful businesswoman.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2015
37 people are currently reading
2281 people want to read
About the author
Linda L.T. Baer
2 books59 followersLinda Loan Thi Baer was born Nguyen Thi Loan, in the small village of Tao Xa, Thai Binh Province, North Vietnam in 1947. When she was four years old, the Viet Minh attacked her village and killed her father, leaving Loan and her mother to fend for themselves. Seeking escape from impoverishment, her mother married a rich and dominating widower who was cruel to his free-spirited and mischievous stepdaughter. Loan found solace in the company of animals and insects and escaped into the branches of trees.
The ongoing battle between the French and Viet Minh eventually forced Loan and her family to escape to South Vietnam. When Loan was thirteen, she ran away to Saigon to work at menial jobs to support her family, and flee the cruelty of her stepfather. While there, she was introduced to bars, nightclubs, and Saigon Tea. At eighteen, she dated and lived with a young American airman. Two months after their baby was born, the airman returned to America, and Loan never heard from him again. She raised their son by herself. Time healed her heart, and she eventually found true love in a young Air Force officer, whom she married in 1968, accompanied him to the United States in 1971, and shares her life with him to this day.
She became a naturalized American citizen in 1973, and while becoming a mother and raising two sons and a daughter, obtained her high school GED and attended numerous college courses. Linda graduated first in her class from her school of cosmetology and received her certification from the state of South Carolina. She is the owner/operator of the successful "Elegance by Linda B." Beauty Salon in Charleston, South Carolina.
She is the author of Red Blood, Yellow Skin, and its sequel, Journey on Edge, to be released soon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 23, 2017
This is the story of one girl's life in Vietnam. She was born Nguyen Thi Loan in 1947 in North Vietnam and she lived through the wars in Vietnam - between the Vietnamese and the French in the 1940s-50s, then the civil war between the North and the South of the country when Vietnam was partitioned by the Allies after the second world war, then she is a young woman when America sent almost half a million soldiers to the country in the 1960s.
It's an incredible story, told in an easy to read style. We learn of her life as a young child in rural Vietnam. We learn of her simple lifestyle and family traditions. We see how the fighting affected her family and neighbours. We learn of the mass exodus and flight to the south which left thousands homeless and starving. We learn about her cousins and her brothers and sisters and the expectations on Linda as a girl.
We learn of how her family survived and the sacrifices they had to make.
There are deaths and incredible hardships but I have to say that I found it an uplifting story and the personal ending for Linda is amazing.
She has such a strong spirit and she grew up in situations which are almost impossible to contemplate, yet she survived and found her own way, by her own initiative, by luck and by courage.
This story tells of events from the humble perspective of an ordinary person. I found the details about daily life enthralling. There is no political agenda. It's a simple testimony. For that reason, it's an incredibly powerful story.
It's an incredible story, told in an easy to read style. We learn of her life as a young child in rural Vietnam. We learn of her simple lifestyle and family traditions. We see how the fighting affected her family and neighbours. We learn of the mass exodus and flight to the south which left thousands homeless and starving. We learn about her cousins and her brothers and sisters and the expectations on Linda as a girl.
We learn of how her family survived and the sacrifices they had to make.
There are deaths and incredible hardships but I have to say that I found it an uplifting story and the personal ending for Linda is amazing.
She has such a strong spirit and she grew up in situations which are almost impossible to contemplate, yet she survived and found her own way, by her own initiative, by luck and by courage.
This story tells of events from the humble perspective of an ordinary person. I found the details about daily life enthralling. There is no political agenda. It's a simple testimony. For that reason, it's an incredibly powerful story.
July 18, 2015
Red Blood, Yellow Skin is the story of Linda L.T.Baer. She was born Nguyen Thi Loan in 1947 in North Vietnam. The story of her childhood is incredible. Her father was killed, her mother remarried a doctor and left Loan by herself. It is a miracle she even survived. This book gives us an idea of what the people in North and South Vietnam went through, as the Viet Cong were building strength and the Americans built up their forces. This story is told in a simple, nonjudgmental manner and it is easy to read. The only judgment made during the book is that war is horrible for all involved and even the winner is a loser because of the loss of life. Linda moves to Saigon and becomes one of the bar girls. After reading this story about how poor the people were, you can understand why so many girls hung out in the bars to be entertained by the soldiers.
I highly recommend this book. It is fascinating and tells a story about Vietnam that we don't hear enough about.
I highly recommend this book. It is fascinating and tells a story about Vietnam that we don't hear enough about.
July 21, 2018
3.8 Nguyen Thi Loan, aka Linda Baer (the author) starts her incredible story when she is 4 years old. As she shares with us her experiences of fear, poverty, hunger, death, and loneliness, I was quickly struck by the almost matter of fact way she wrote of it. I imagined that this incredible and courageous woman must be quite like her style of writing. Honest and to the point with few embellishments. She reminded me of a female Dennis the Menace as a young child and I found my heart warmed by her curiosity and ability to see the wonder and beauty in life. She very well could of drowned in despair and hopelessness any number of times. Just the sheer number of incidents and experiences of war during years and years of her life could of made this book depressing and very "heavy" to read but is isn't at all. While she does write of some terrible realities of life in a nation at war, she does so without FOCUSING on the horror, or the death, or the injustice. Although hard to imagine, she was able to find curiosity, imagination, friends, laughter, tenderness, courage, strength and hope and shares it just as often and with the same strait forwardness. It has a very nice balance and it is written simply. I read it within a few hour. I would recommend this book!
July 27, 2020
This is the autobiography of a girl whose family escaped North Vietnam and subsequently lived through the war in South Vietnam. She left her family at a very young age to find work in the city to earn money to send back to them.
She relates honestly what it was like to be a headstrong, intelligent girl in a society that placed no value in her most outstanding attributes. Only her determination, sense of right and love of her young son and her siblings have her the strength to drive through.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
She relates honestly what it was like to be a headstrong, intelligent girl in a society that placed no value in her most outstanding attributes. Only her determination, sense of right and love of her young son and her siblings have her the strength to drive through.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In Red Blood, Yellow Skin, Linda L. T. Baer tells her story of growing up in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. Mrs. Baer lost many friends and family members, and her own innocence, to the war. The first casualty was her father who was brutally killed by Viet Minh in North Vietnam. Thereafter her mother married a rich doctor who treated the young Mrs. Baer terribly. When the North and South split at the 17th parallel, Mrs. Baer’s family escaped to the South where her mother and stepfather had difficulty providing for their family. At 13 Mrs. Baer moved from the small town where her family lived to Saigon in hopes of finding a job to help her family. While in Saigon Mrs. Baer made a life for herself that did not conform to her conservative parents’ wants. Although experiencing much hardship and heartache in Saigon, Mrs. Baer forged her own way and eventually found love and happiness.
Mrs. Baer’s book is an emotional account of a horrific time in Vietnam, and her story provides great insight into the lives of those who the war affected the most. Although she experienced death and hardship early and often, Mrs. Baer marched on with a strong head and strong heart. Her story emphasizes the importance of love, perseverance, family, and hope. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read about an amazing woman and her quest for happiness in a country at war.
In Red Blood, Yellow Skin, Linda L. T. Baer tells her story of growing up in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. Mrs. Baer lost many friends and family members, and her own innocence, to the war. The first casualty was her father who was brutally killed by Viet Minh in North Vietnam. Thereafter her mother married a rich doctor who treated the young Mrs. Baer terribly. When the North and South split at the 17th parallel, Mrs. Baer’s family escaped to the South where her mother and stepfather had difficulty providing for their family. At 13 Mrs. Baer moved from the small town where her family lived to Saigon in hopes of finding a job to help her family. While in Saigon Mrs. Baer made a life for herself that did not conform to her conservative parents’ wants. Although experiencing much hardship and heartache in Saigon, Mrs. Baer forged her own way and eventually found love and happiness.
Mrs. Baer’s book is an emotional account of a horrific time in Vietnam, and her story provides great insight into the lives of those who the war affected the most. Although she experienced death and hardship early and often, Mrs. Baer marched on with a strong head and strong heart. Her story emphasizes the importance of love, perseverance, family, and hope. I highly recommend this book to those who want to read about an amazing woman and her quest for happiness in a country at war.
August 19, 2015
This is a brilliant book, beautifully written. A true life insight into another time and culture. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for more work by this author, especially if she writes any historical fiction.
August 29, 2015
A MUST READ!! A true story of tragedy, family drama, survival, and romance all from the perspective of one girl's journey to womanhood while making it through a country at war. The writing is authentic as it is told from a Vietnamese-American. Truly a page turner as the story is compelling as reading a fiction novel such as the Hunger Games trilogy. I recommend anyone who would love insight into the Vietnam war from a child growing up trough it all to read this book.
January 12, 2020
A very engaging book on the life of a young Vietnamese lady and her family during the late 1950's thru 1973. From the escape of North Vietnam to the South and the many relocations once there Linda tells the story of her family and her later experiences of living in Saigon. At times very sad, at others heart breaking the resilience of the Vietnamese people is truly astounding.
August 3, 2015
A story of remarkable resilience.
Though aware of the Vietnam War, I'd never before read about it willingly mainly because, well, I dislike war. Then again, who else did? But when I saw Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer in Net Galley I didn't hesitate to read it.
History books only showed the number of casualties, the dates when the war started and when it ended. History books tell the events leading to the war and its aftermath. But what I wanted to read was the account of someone who suffered the devastation firsthand, not the cold facts and statistics of a historian. How the people continued to live their daily life in spite of the war. Red Blood, Yellow Skin delivered both to me.
There's a lot to like about this story. More than the war, this book's about perseverance, hard work, family, and love; it also tackles the issues of domestic violence, rape, and death. I can only imagine the hardship the author went through writing this. Family and friends drop dead like flies. Hard enough to deal with grief associated with the passing of loved ones without the war causing it, how much more if the war is the cause?
But people do move on. As hard as it is, we must. Linda proved that moving on is possible. That's what I learned from this book and I'm glad I chose to read it.
Though aware of the Vietnam War, I'd never before read about it willingly mainly because, well, I dislike war. Then again, who else did? But when I saw Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer in Net Galley I didn't hesitate to read it.
History books only showed the number of casualties, the dates when the war started and when it ended. History books tell the events leading to the war and its aftermath. But what I wanted to read was the account of someone who suffered the devastation firsthand, not the cold facts and statistics of a historian. How the people continued to live their daily life in spite of the war. Red Blood, Yellow Skin delivered both to me.
There's a lot to like about this story. More than the war, this book's about perseverance, hard work, family, and love; it also tackles the issues of domestic violence, rape, and death. I can only imagine the hardship the author went through writing this. Family and friends drop dead like flies. Hard enough to deal with grief associated with the passing of loved ones without the war causing it, how much more if the war is the cause?
But people do move on. As hard as it is, we must. Linda proved that moving on is possible. That's what I learned from this book and I'm glad I chose to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2015
What an amazing memoir. Told from the perspective of a young girl as she grows up in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. The reader is able to experience the human and civilian experience of the damage war causes. The battles themselves weren't the focus, rather how her country was being destroyed around her, sometimes, even in front of her eyes. Moving multiple times, from South to North Vietnam to eventually Saigon, Baer exposes the effects of war on the poor and those who are too busy living day by day to even care who is ruling the country. The book ends as she is meeting the man who will be her husband, but there is a sequel in progress to explore the transition from Vietnam to the states. Baer's writing style is the only thing truly preventing this from being a five-star book. It is more telling than showing, and certain phrases are used often. Despite that, all in all, it's a heart-breaking expose of life during war.
November 27, 2015
Red Blood, Yellow Skin: A Young Girl's Survival in War-Torn Vietnam by Linda L.T. Baer is a story of heartbreak and hope. Born Nguyen Thi Laon, her life started living in modest circumstances as her parents worked as farmers. Her father was killed and her mother later remarried. Baer's stepfather was often cruel both to Linda and her mother. Later Linda would move to Saigon where she scraped out a modest living. In the end Linda found happiness and became an American citizen.
I stayed up far too late reading Baer's gripping account as her book is a page turner.
Highly recommend.
Review written after receiving a sample.
July 7, 2015
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A heart-warmingly honest book as told by Linda Loan Thi Baer herself. Born and growing up through the Vietnam conflict, Loan stays strong and true to her family and the responsibilities imposed by them. Truly memorable, Loan's struggle is mirrored daily around the world, in different cultures and countries. Highly recommended reading.
A heart-warmingly honest book as told by Linda Loan Thi Baer herself. Born and growing up through the Vietnam conflict, Loan stays strong and true to her family and the responsibilities imposed by them. Truly memorable, Loan's struggle is mirrored daily around the world, in different cultures and countries. Highly recommended reading.
July 30, 2015
This is an amazing story of survival and resilience. Linda Baer (her american name) recounts her early life and teenage years in war torn Vietnam. Heartbreakingly sad, but too interesting to put down. Lots of detail about how the Vietnamese managed to live through such a dark time.
July 12, 2015
Powerful, frightening, violent story. Can't believe this happened in real life...and yet, I can. Thanks to NetGalley for this read.
November 14, 2020
The gods smile on some people.
Linda Baer / Nyugen Thi Loan (I'll use her American name going forward, since it's on the cover), was born in a small village in North Vietnam in 1947. Her early life was marked by tragedy, her father was killed by the Viet Minh, her mother remarried a wealthy but distant and abusive doctor of Chinese medicine, and the whole family moved to South Vietnam in 1954. Cut off from his community, her stepfather's practice decline and the whole family was reduced to penury.
Despite the hard times, Baer writes engagingly about the small joys of childhood in the countryside, with lots of animals, moments of good food against a general background of near starvation, and a few valuable friendships. As a girl and a non-biological child, Linda wasn't allowed to go to school, and as a teenager she started working in Saigon as a maid. These few years are one continuous period of 'how are you still alive?', and I'm genuinely astounded that a 14 year old girl frequently sleeping rough on the streets of Saigon wasn't victimized worse than she was. At this point, she seems about as street smart as small dog wearing a sweater.
In 1963, when she was 16, Linda had one of her first major strokes of luck. She met a woman named Lynn who wanted help to run a meat stand. This was stable work, and Lynn's all female household was safe from predatory male employers who were starting to take an interest in Linda. Lynn had an eye on the main score, and as Americans entered the country in increasing numbers in 1964 and 1965, helped Linda learn English and started a club. By the time she was 18, Linda was an experienced manager and bar girl, well-versed in spending time with Americans while drinking Saigon Tea, expensive faux-whiskey with the profits split between the girl and the bar owner.
Of course, it was still war. Linda was arrested several times for being in the wrong apartment without her papers and on suspicion of being a prostitute (which she wasn't). Friends and relatives died from random and omnipresent violence. She was engaged by her stepfather to a worm of a man. Even worse, she was raped and bore a child. And while she was pretty capable at being a bar girl and playing the black market, at some point the dance would end and she'd be left with nothing.
The last stroke of luck was a chance meeting with Don Baer, an American Air Force officer. The two of them fell in love, and when Don's tour ended and he was rotated stateside, he returned and they got married. The two of them went to the United States, then returned to Vietnam on unspecified civilian business in 1973. In a final stroke of luck, they were supposed to be on a C-5 flight out of Saigon, which they missed due to traffic. That plane crashed, killing over a hundred people, mostly Vietnamese orphans being evacuated.
Linda and family returned to the states, where she earned a GED and a degree in cosmetology, opened a beauty salon, has been married for 46 years, and wrote this book and a sequel.
Linda Baer / Nyugen Thi Loan (I'll use her American name going forward, since it's on the cover), was born in a small village in North Vietnam in 1947. Her early life was marked by tragedy, her father was killed by the Viet Minh, her mother remarried a wealthy but distant and abusive doctor of Chinese medicine, and the whole family moved to South Vietnam in 1954. Cut off from his community, her stepfather's practice decline and the whole family was reduced to penury.
Despite the hard times, Baer writes engagingly about the small joys of childhood in the countryside, with lots of animals, moments of good food against a general background of near starvation, and a few valuable friendships. As a girl and a non-biological child, Linda wasn't allowed to go to school, and as a teenager she started working in Saigon as a maid. These few years are one continuous period of 'how are you still alive?', and I'm genuinely astounded that a 14 year old girl frequently sleeping rough on the streets of Saigon wasn't victimized worse than she was. At this point, she seems about as street smart as small dog wearing a sweater.
In 1963, when she was 16, Linda had one of her first major strokes of luck. She met a woman named Lynn who wanted help to run a meat stand. This was stable work, and Lynn's all female household was safe from predatory male employers who were starting to take an interest in Linda. Lynn had an eye on the main score, and as Americans entered the country in increasing numbers in 1964 and 1965, helped Linda learn English and started a club. By the time she was 18, Linda was an experienced manager and bar girl, well-versed in spending time with Americans while drinking Saigon Tea, expensive faux-whiskey with the profits split between the girl and the bar owner.
Of course, it was still war. Linda was arrested several times for being in the wrong apartment without her papers and on suspicion of being a prostitute (which she wasn't). Friends and relatives died from random and omnipresent violence. She was engaged by her stepfather to a worm of a man. Even worse, she was raped and bore a child. And while she was pretty capable at being a bar girl and playing the black market, at some point the dance would end and she'd be left with nothing.
The last stroke of luck was a chance meeting with Don Baer, an American Air Force officer. The two of them fell in love, and when Don's tour ended and he was rotated stateside, he returned and they got married. The two of them went to the United States, then returned to Vietnam on unspecified civilian business in 1973. In a final stroke of luck, they were supposed to be on a C-5 flight out of Saigon, which they missed due to traffic. That plane crashed, killing over a hundred people, mostly Vietnamese orphans being evacuated.
Linda and family returned to the states, where she earned a GED and a degree in cosmetology, opened a beauty salon, has been married for 46 years, and wrote this book and a sequel.
January 9, 2023
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
Phenomenal book, and I have to say - phenomenal life. I stayed rooted to the story, and if it wasn't late in the night and time to sleep, I would have just finished it in one go.
Before reading it, I was afraid of graphic and heartbreaking content, as it is in tales of poverty, hardship and war. And yes, there was that, but the author told it in such a way that it didn't carry a very dark emotional undertone and wasn't as hard to read as I thought it would be. It was still serious and painful, and unimaginably sad - but there were also many meaningful stories of happy things, and somehow the hard things she just didn't dwell on for too long. All of this made the book feel very warm and accessible, even for a sensitive reader like me.
Trigger warning: I was also worried about the part where the author gets raped (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb) - but the whole thing takes ONE paragraph and is not graphic at all. I am usually wary of books containing that kind of violence, but as with anything this author put in the story, there was grace in how she wrote it. I don't think it will unsettle you to read it, even if you are sensitive like me.
I can't really pick any other word for this book other than comfortable. Despite so many rocky experiences, the author just makes her tale so comfortable and warm. By the end of it, I was genuinely so happy for the author's life and how it all turned out. After that kind of story, you want to breathe a sigh and say, thank god it worked out.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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Phenomenal book, and I have to say - phenomenal life. I stayed rooted to the story, and if it wasn't late in the night and time to sleep, I would have just finished it in one go.
Before reading it, I was afraid of graphic and heartbreaking content, as it is in tales of poverty, hardship and war. And yes, there was that, but the author told it in such a way that it didn't carry a very dark emotional undertone and wasn't as hard to read as I thought it would be. It was still serious and painful, and unimaginably sad - but there were also many meaningful stories of happy things, and somehow the hard things she just didn't dwell on for too long. All of this made the book feel very warm and accessible, even for a sensitive reader like me.
Trigger warning: I was also worried about the part where the author gets raped (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb) - but the whole thing takes ONE paragraph and is not graphic at all. I am usually wary of books containing that kind of violence, but as with anything this author put in the story, there was grace in how she wrote it. I don't think it will unsettle you to read it, even if you are sensitive like me.
I can't really pick any other word for this book other than comfortable. Despite so many rocky experiences, the author just makes her tale so comfortable and warm. By the end of it, I was genuinely so happy for the author's life and how it all turned out. After that kind of story, you want to breathe a sigh and say, thank god it worked out.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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September 23, 2017
I received this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
The author's tale of her life as a young woman in war-torn Vietnam was both heart-wrenching and hope-filled, and left me with a much deeper understanding of life during the war from the perspective of a Vietnamese girl coming-of-age at the time. The book is a first-person narrative, but reveals the resiliency that runs through much of the Vietnamese population after decades and decades of hardship and violence, and also enlightened readers on the thriving culture and tradition that exists within the country.
I am preparing to move to Saigon next week and am grateful for the opportunity for understanding that this book has begun to provide me with, and look forward to learning more about what makes Vietnam the amazing country that it is today.
The author's tale of her life as a young woman in war-torn Vietnam was both heart-wrenching and hope-filled, and left me with a much deeper understanding of life during the war from the perspective of a Vietnamese girl coming-of-age at the time. The book is a first-person narrative, but reveals the resiliency that runs through much of the Vietnamese population after decades and decades of hardship and violence, and also enlightened readers on the thriving culture and tradition that exists within the country.
I am preparing to move to Saigon next week and am grateful for the opportunity for understanding that this book has begun to provide me with, and look forward to learning more about what makes Vietnam the amazing country that it is today.
December 19, 2017
Thanks to Corrin for sharing this one with me! The author writes her memories of growing up a child in Vietnam, from being abandoned by her mother, to refugee camps, to losing loved ones and to interactions with American GIs, she covers it all. While her story dragged in parts, it was overall pretty fascinating and a unique perspective of life during the Vietnam War.
October 20, 2020
In the first part of the book, Baer describes a childhood spent suffering intense poverty along with grave abuse from her step-father - he once buried her in the ground up to her waist! She eventually escapes her home life only to fall victim several times to the predators of Saigon. In the end she seems to have found peace in her marriage and her life in the US.
April 29, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
The author is a woman who lived through some very tough times in Vietnam. Born in 1947, she lived through several wars, and had a tragic personal life besides.
Very educational as to how good we have it.
The author is a woman who lived through some very tough times in Vietnam. Born in 1947, she lived through several wars, and had a tragic personal life besides.
Very educational as to how good we have it.
August 8, 2015
Linda's memoir encapsulates her journey through the Vietnam War that doesn't focus on the perils of war as much as the human element. Told chronologically, Linda shares her poor upbringing with favorite pastimes finding bugs and picking leeches off herself, especially after a particularly devastating in which her father is murdered (thrown from a church window after which his head is split into quarters of which Linda is a witness to). But once a man comes to their village to propose marriage to her mother, her mother takes off with him for close to a year while Linda lives mostly happily, but still poor, awaiting her mother's return and an explanation for why she 'disappeared' without word leaving Linda to wonder if she would ever return.
Return she does, with fancy clothes and clothes for Linda and a promise to bring her to meet her stepfather who turns out to be a heathen, beating Linda regularly and reigning over the household with a heavy hand, which leads Linda to question her new life. Bombings are still happening, she discusses their hiding in the bomb shelters until she ends up in a club and living a very different life.
While I can appreciate the picture of her life's story, there was a choppiness to the narrative of "this, then this, then this happened" which disappointed me though the gravity of her situation was certainly a picture of life during that time. I would pair this with Chinese Cinderella as it captures domestic violence, politics, and a little girl growing up.
Return she does, with fancy clothes and clothes for Linda and a promise to bring her to meet her stepfather who turns out to be a heathen, beating Linda regularly and reigning over the household with a heavy hand, which leads Linda to question her new life. Bombings are still happening, she discusses their hiding in the bomb shelters until she ends up in a club and living a very different life.
While I can appreciate the picture of her life's story, there was a choppiness to the narrative of "this, then this, then this happened" which disappointed me though the gravity of her situation was certainly a picture of life during that time. I would pair this with Chinese Cinderella as it captures domestic violence, politics, and a little girl growing up.
June 27, 2016
I won this book for free in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I'm not the type of reader to indulge in anything out of the YA genre, and I entered this giveaway to break my habit. I didn't think I would win, so I wasn't worried about reading out of the norm. When I did win this, I was not only surprised but also excited.
Over the long time my book reviewing hobby has grown, I have learned that the best review keeps out the spoilers. Although most of my reviews go over the book, I'll put in good words about my reading experience and not what I necessarily read.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I will admit! I hesitated to read it at first because I didn't think I'd like it. If you want to read a book that is beyond your romantic novel or adventure series, this is the book for you. The author tells the story as if you were a witness to everything that happened, and it made the book just that much better.
My advice is to expand beyond your normal genre and to pick up a copy of Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer!
(sorry for the late review!)
I'm not the type of reader to indulge in anything out of the YA genre, and I entered this giveaway to break my habit. I didn't think I would win, so I wasn't worried about reading out of the norm. When I did win this, I was not only surprised but also excited.
Over the long time my book reviewing hobby has grown, I have learned that the best review keeps out the spoilers. Although most of my reviews go over the book, I'll put in good words about my reading experience and not what I necessarily read.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I will admit! I hesitated to read it at first because I didn't think I'd like it. If you want to read a book that is beyond your romantic novel or adventure series, this is the book for you. The author tells the story as if you were a witness to everything that happened, and it made the book just that much better.
My advice is to expand beyond your normal genre and to pick up a copy of Red Blood, Yellow Skin by Linda L.T. Baer!
(sorry for the late review!)
Read
November 29, 2016I enjoyed reading this book, as it is written in a simple and straighforward form. The author presents her life in Vietnam through the eyes of a child and later as a young woman going through political turmoil and the Vietnam War. It shows a different prospective on life, as well as customs that are different from the ones we are used to in the West without passing a judgement.
I would recommend it.
I would recommend it.
January 31, 2017
Having just traveled to Vietnam, I was ready to read a book about the the country and the war as seen from the eyes of a local. This book gave a detailed account of a young girl growing up in a rural Vietnam and how the communist struggle affected her family. I admire her strength and was glad she found love and a family.
March 11, 2018
I received this from a Goodreads giveaway. It definitely was interesting to read the back story of someone who lived in Vietnam during the war and at the beginning of it. The perspective was unique, but the content was a little bit dry.
December 13, 2015
An incredible story of survival and the resilience of the human spirit.
November 14, 2019
Thank you for the goodreads Giveaway kindle edition of this memoir.
I don’t know how Linda Loan Thi Baer pulls it off, but she has written a memoir of a very difficult childhood and early adult life in war torn Viet Nam in a very bearable way. This reader is in awe of her tenacity and strength to survive in the chaos of war including viewing her own father’s body hacked to death, dysfunctional family episodes, and leaving home at 13 for the streets of Saigon to earn money for her family.
This memoir is well written and edited, except for one editor’s note that didn’t get lifted.
Her memory of childhood detail is amazing. The reader gets a view of what people suffered in the proxy war fought in Viet Nam, but also a well explained and fascinating view of cultural detail and a small dose of historical backdrop.
She is apolitical and sees the world in terms of relationship, connection and her faith (Catholic Christian). There is no apparent anger toward her new home country, the USA, for the involvement in that ongoing conflict, however she is fairly frank about the effect of half a million young American men suddenly being stationed there.
Since I was just coming into the world as the conflict ramped up, I did not understand much about what was happening, just that it was on the news. Later, some children came to our school, so quiet, shy and reserved. As a child I had no idea what these children had been through and now facing being in a completely foreign country in an American warehouse style school. Later I would understand a bit more from study and talking with men who had served in the war.
This book goes a long way to fill in the quiet gaps of shy reserve of my fellow students back in the day. How utterly strange our way of life must have seemed!
This memoir is notable on a number of levels, but also is an addition to the studies of the war. Would love to see this memoir read in Viet Nam War history classes with other texts. It would definitely bring some humanity into the studies.
Thank you, Linda Loan Thi Baer, for writing this memoir and sharing your life experiences and views with us.
I don’t know how Linda Loan Thi Baer pulls it off, but she has written a memoir of a very difficult childhood and early adult life in war torn Viet Nam in a very bearable way. This reader is in awe of her tenacity and strength to survive in the chaos of war including viewing her own father’s body hacked to death, dysfunctional family episodes, and leaving home at 13 for the streets of Saigon to earn money for her family.
This memoir is well written and edited, except for one editor’s note that didn’t get lifted.
Her memory of childhood detail is amazing. The reader gets a view of what people suffered in the proxy war fought in Viet Nam, but also a well explained and fascinating view of cultural detail and a small dose of historical backdrop.
She is apolitical and sees the world in terms of relationship, connection and her faith (Catholic Christian). There is no apparent anger toward her new home country, the USA, for the involvement in that ongoing conflict, however she is fairly frank about the effect of half a million young American men suddenly being stationed there.
Since I was just coming into the world as the conflict ramped up, I did not understand much about what was happening, just that it was on the news. Later, some children came to our school, so quiet, shy and reserved. As a child I had no idea what these children had been through and now facing being in a completely foreign country in an American warehouse style school. Later I would understand a bit more from study and talking with men who had served in the war.
This book goes a long way to fill in the quiet gaps of shy reserve of my fellow students back in the day. How utterly strange our way of life must have seemed!
This memoir is notable on a number of levels, but also is an addition to the studies of the war. Would love to see this memoir read in Viet Nam War history classes with other texts. It would definitely bring some humanity into the studies.
Thank you, Linda Loan Thi Baer, for writing this memoir and sharing your life experiences and views with us.
January 2, 2018
"The price of freedom was indeed dear."
Linda, known then as Loan, certainly knows the truth about the price of freedom.
Born in 1947 there was no way her family could have known that their simple but happy lives would change and become filled with heartache and strife.
Thankfully, they were blissfully unaware of the political upheaval their country was to find itself embroiled in for many years to come.
Linda has managed to write a memoir that drew me in from the very first chapter. She has lived a dangerous and fascinating life and has quite the gift for story-telling.
The title, RED BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN says it all. It does NOT matter what color your skin happens to be, we all bleed the same red blood. This message is especially important at this moment in history. With racial prejudice filling the headlines, it is essential for people to realize their hate is ridiculous. We need to embrace the diversity that exists in North America today. We need to celebrate that diversity and tap into the power that exists when different cultures, races, colors, sexes, etc all come together with a common goal. Reading memoirs such as this one will open people's minds and hearts.
This is the first book in a duology and tells Linda's story from birth to the end of the Vietnam War. She has recently released her second book ENDLESS JOURNEY: BOOK TWO OF RED BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN which allows the reader to get to know her not just as a new immigrant but also as a proud American who has run a successful business for many years.
My review of Book Two will be posted within the next few days.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I would rate it 6 Stateside that was actually a thing, but for now, I give READ BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN a rating of 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
** I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley.**
Linda, known then as Loan, certainly knows the truth about the price of freedom.
Born in 1947 there was no way her family could have known that their simple but happy lives would change and become filled with heartache and strife.
Thankfully, they were blissfully unaware of the political upheaval their country was to find itself embroiled in for many years to come.
Linda has managed to write a memoir that drew me in from the very first chapter. She has lived a dangerous and fascinating life and has quite the gift for story-telling.
The title, RED BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN says it all. It does NOT matter what color your skin happens to be, we all bleed the same red blood. This message is especially important at this moment in history. With racial prejudice filling the headlines, it is essential for people to realize their hate is ridiculous. We need to embrace the diversity that exists in North America today. We need to celebrate that diversity and tap into the power that exists when different cultures, races, colors, sexes, etc all come together with a common goal. Reading memoirs such as this one will open people's minds and hearts.
This is the first book in a duology and tells Linda's story from birth to the end of the Vietnam War. She has recently released her second book ENDLESS JOURNEY: BOOK TWO OF RED BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN which allows the reader to get to know her not just as a new immigrant but also as a proud American who has run a successful business for many years.
My review of Book Two will be posted within the next few days.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I would rate it 6 Stateside that was actually a thing, but for now, I give READ BLOOD, YELLOW SKIN a rating of 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
** I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley.**
December 30, 2019
This book tells the story of a young child turned young woman fighting her way through a grim and dangerous reality with courage and perseverance.
In the end, although I do feel like I learned a bit about the daily reality for normal Vietnamese people during an incredibly difficult and dangerous time in their country's history, this book was not quite what I expected. I was looking for a new perspective on the lives of the people and the changes in the country. But nearly the first 2/3 of the book is a barely-connected string of anecdotes about the litany of abuses the author suffered at the hands of the author's step-father. While there are a few tidbits that can be gleaned from the stories about the culture of Vietnam at the time and the effect and proliferation of the war on the people, it reads like a transcribed dairy. The level of detail in the anecdotes would be impossible to remember, so it reads like fiction, or a "based on real events" story. There is no connection between the stories - it's just "This happened. Later, this happened. Here is another thing that happened." There is no narrative arc, no character growth or lessons learned from the stories, and no adult reflection on what those stories show about the country and its people.
Toward the end of the book, as the author becomes an adult, we see a bit more reflection and interaction with the culture and systems of Vietnam (as you would expect), so the book becomes more informative and perspective-shifting, which is what I was looking for. But I definitely learned more about surviving family dynamics and myriad parental abuses than I did about surviving war-torn Vietnam.
This book was won from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
In the end, although I do feel like I learned a bit about the daily reality for normal Vietnamese people during an incredibly difficult and dangerous time in their country's history, this book was not quite what I expected. I was looking for a new perspective on the lives of the people and the changes in the country. But nearly the first 2/3 of the book is a barely-connected string of anecdotes about the litany of abuses the author suffered at the hands of the author's step-father. While there are a few tidbits that can be gleaned from the stories about the culture of Vietnam at the time and the effect and proliferation of the war on the people, it reads like a transcribed dairy. The level of detail in the anecdotes would be impossible to remember, so it reads like fiction, or a "based on real events" story. There is no connection between the stories - it's just "This happened. Later, this happened. Here is another thing that happened." There is no narrative arc, no character growth or lessons learned from the stories, and no adult reflection on what those stories show about the country and its people.
Toward the end of the book, as the author becomes an adult, we see a bit more reflection and interaction with the culture and systems of Vietnam (as you would expect), so the book becomes more informative and perspective-shifting, which is what I was looking for. But I definitely learned more about surviving family dynamics and myriad parental abuses than I did about surviving war-torn Vietnam.
This book was won from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
April 12, 2018
I received this novel as a Kindle edition through a Goodreads giveaway. My review is entirely my own opinion. I want to thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read it.
Fascinating memoir of a girl's life in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. The author begins her story at the age of 4 when she is still living with her father and mother in a small village. Her father is killed by rebel soldiers and her mother and she struggle to survive moving from place to place. Her mother eventually remarries. After a year Nguyen Thi Loan joins her mother and her new stepfather but he is very harsh with her and she has an unhappy life with them. She moves to Saigon and works there doing various jobs which include working at a nightclub. However, she never becomes a prostitute. Her life is very hard and she faces many difficulties, including the loss of friends and family. The story begins in 1947 and ends in 1969. It gives a vivid portrayal of what life was like in Vietnam during this time period and also a different perspective of the American involvement in Vietnam. I don't want to give away too much information in order not to spoil it for other readers but would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading about people in different cultures and countries. It is also a powerful testimony of a young woman's courage to survive in spite of seemingly impossible circumstances.
Fascinating memoir of a girl's life in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. The author begins her story at the age of 4 when she is still living with her father and mother in a small village. Her father is killed by rebel soldiers and her mother and she struggle to survive moving from place to place. Her mother eventually remarries. After a year Nguyen Thi Loan joins her mother and her new stepfather but he is very harsh with her and she has an unhappy life with them. She moves to Saigon and works there doing various jobs which include working at a nightclub. However, she never becomes a prostitute. Her life is very hard and she faces many difficulties, including the loss of friends and family. The story begins in 1947 and ends in 1969. It gives a vivid portrayal of what life was like in Vietnam during this time period and also a different perspective of the American involvement in Vietnam. I don't want to give away too much information in order not to spoil it for other readers but would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys reading about people in different cultures and countries. It is also a powerful testimony of a young woman's courage to survive in spite of seemingly impossible circumstances.
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