Fire Road: The Napalm Girl’s Journey through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace

by Kim Phuc Phan Thi, Ashley Wiersma (With)

Get out! Run! We must leave this place! They are going to destroy this whole place! Go, children, run first! Go now!

These were the final shouts nine year-old Kim Phuc heard before her world dissolved into flames―before napalm bombs fell from the sky, burning away her clothing and searing deep into her skin. It’s a moment forever captured, an iconic image that has come to define the horror and violence of the Vietnam War. Kim was left for dead in a morgue; no one expected her to survive the attack. Napalm meant fire, and fire meant death.

Against all odds, Kim lived―but her journey toward healing was only beginning. When the napalm bombs dropped, everything Kim knew and relied on exploded along with them: her home, her country’s freedom, her childhood innocence and happiness. The coming years would be marked by excruciating treatments for her burns and unrelenting physical pain throughout her body, which were constant reminders of that terrible day. Kim survived the pain of her body ablaze, but how could she possibly survive the pain of her devastated soul?

Fire Road is the true story of how she found the answer in a God who suffered Himself; a Savior who truly understood and cared about the depths of her pain. Fire Road is a story of horror and hope, a harrowing tale of a life changed in an instant―and the power and resilience that can only be found in the power of God’s mercy and love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Christian, History, War, Audiobook

317 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

On June 8, 1972, during the Vietnam War, a little girl made world news when she was photographed escaping her Vietnamese village, which had been bombed with napalm. Nine-year-old Kim Phuc was so badly burned that she was not expected to survive, but after fourteen months in a Saigon hospital and sixteen skin-graft surgeries, she returned to her village to begin rebuilding her life. During the years that followed, Kim struggled with physical pain as well as being used as a propaganda tool by the communist government. In 1986, she moved to Cuba to pursue her education. There, she met a young Vietnamese student, Toan Bui, who later became her husband. In 1992, she and Toan defected to Canada, where they have dedicated their lives to promoting peace. Today, Kim is the founder of the Kim Foundation International in Ontario, Canada, and a UNESCO Goodwill ambassador. She and her husband live in the Toronto area, along with their two children, Thomas and Stephen.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire Road
The Napalm Girl's Journey Through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace
By: Kim Phuc Phan Thi, Ashley Wiersma
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
This was an amazing story of an amazing person. This tells of her life before the bombs, lying in the morgue while alive for three days, her time after while trying to heal, the painful treatments, her personal mental torment, the life in her country making her act as a mouth piece against the Americans when it wasn't the American bombs, trying to find love with scars, finding a new religion and being thrown out by her family, and escaping to Canada. All was so detailed that you felt like you were there. Very tense and exciting. Emotional and dramatic. The narration was perfect! Couldn't be a better narrator than this performer for this book! She was spot on! She really carried the emotions, the pain, loss, and excitement well. The book does have quite a bit of religion in it about half way through but this is important for her story.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, the authors narrative was very real, honest, gentle and kind. It was informative yet easy to read. The only thing I did not like was how much of a focus on religion there was. I know the title implies it with the word "faith" however, it was too much pro-christianity for my liking. And there was an arrogance to the christianity to it. Like it is the only rational and kind religion. I tend to shy away from religion as I do not believe there is any one correct religious belief, nor do I believe religion is a thing. I am indifferent but understanding that it exists for others and I found the this book was too much a door to door selling of a religion.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't stop listening to this book. What a powerful story of Christ's work and sovereignty!

[Klara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - I was only able to read this as I knew Kim survived and has lived a fulfilling life. A harrowing but beautiful tale. A little too heavy on the religious content which became a bit repetitive (especially for an agnostic).

[Vanessa Loockx]

Straf ... deze foto was nog niet het ergste ...

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photo on the cover of this book is actually a very famous picture, yet I knew very little about the Vietnam war prior to reading about this book. Although I love history and read about frequently, for some reason I haven't read much about the Vietnam war. This book was also very interesting because it is told from the perspective of a child at some points, especially in the beginning. The book begins with the author detailing the day that napalm bombs were dropped on her village and the fairly horrific story of her recovery from the burns. She also talks about how the government interfered with her plans for school and tried to use her as propaganda, once they found out she was alive 10 years after the bombing. The first part of this book is fairly sad but the second part we see the author finding Christianity, meeting her husband and eventually starting a family, even though doctors told her she wouldn't be able to bear children herself. She goes on to find peace and also forgives the people who had hurt her in the past. It's a great story about someone finding faith and peace after enduring such a horrific event as a child.

Thank you to the publisher, Tyndale House Publishers, for sending me a review copy of this book.

[Heidi Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read.
I was struck over and over again by the author’s faithfulness. How she trusted the Lord with every step she took, and how she recognized his hand in all the events in her life… even the devastating ones.
Her heart of forgiveness and simple trust is one that I want to emulate as I follow the Lord as well.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely encouraging story of God's transforming power in the lives of His children. I loved learning of the healing that came into Kim Phuc's life when she encountered Christ. Even the horrors she faced as a child were worked together in the end for good in her life! The challenge of peace in her soul impacted me and the Holy Spirit used it to remind me of my duty to others in this life!

[Jessica Vique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on Audible. It was a 9hour listen & I got through it in less than 3 days, I was hooked on every word. Such a powerful life story & so beautifully written.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of this book has such a famous picture on it and yet I knew very little about it. I had known the general historic background but never heard the author speak before. There is so much said about the war in Vietnam but not a lot about what happened after it was over: how the Vietnamese people rebuilt, healed, and what kind of government they had to deal with. I was happy to learn more about these issues, as well as the story of Kim Phuc Phan Thi's faith.

Her story is painful, hopeful, bitter sweet, an extreme case of all things that work for our good, story in the works. I like that many of Kim Phuc's questions were answered, which is amazing in itself, considering how many victims that war created, and she not only survived but lived to see great things. That is a true blessing and a miracle of God. I was impressed by her humility and ability to forgive her enemies. Kim Phuc became an ambassador of world's peace, however I do not think it will happen before Jesus comes back, but in reality she became an ambassador for the peace in people's hearts, a mission much more important, attainable and grateful.

[Carolyn Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing story of redemption and hope! Kim Phuc recounts her fiery encounter with napalm and the lifetime results, including her conversion to Christianity, her departure from Vietnam, her eventual defection to Canada, and her worldwide presence as a speaker. A beautiful, uplifting story born out of a photograph, being left for dead, and an indomitable will to live. I received this book from the publisher.

[Amy Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely not for the squeamish. War isn't pretty. What's incredible is the story of the Vietnam war told from a child's perspective. A very interesting read!

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The more we cry, the more we pray." I listened to this one as an audio book and was so mesmerized that I really didn't make note of too many quotes, save this one to open my review. Wow. I do not even know how to express what this woman and her journey came to mean to me as I heard it unfold. We've all seen the photo of Kim Phuc, screaming and naked as the napalm that burned away her clothes takes its toll on her skin, but to hear the full story and how she overcame all possible odds to be the incredible woman and spokesperson that she is today is stunning. It was interesting to read this one on the heels of reading I am Malala. I can see Malala becoming the same sort of spokesperson and activist that Kim Phuc has become. I found myself repeatedly wondering if these two unbelievably strong women have met. If not, I hope they do meet, and soon. Her fire road led to Jesus, and she now lives a life of such peace that I was just undone by her willingness to choose forgiveness and stillness. What a woman! I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books impact you more deeply than others, and this book was one of those for me. I always approach memoirs with a slight hesitancy—so many get off on tangents, or drag on far too long, but generally, there’s something worth getting out of them, so I do my best to try to include a few in my reading diet every year.

Fire Road, though, was a refreshing read. The things Kim Phuc had to go through in her childhood and young adult years were beyond anything I could imagine, but the faith and tenacity she showed as she endured it all was encouraging, to say the least. So often, she had to deal with injustice with no possible recourse, and as an outsider looking on her life, I’d say what a waste! But God’s perfect timing was shown over and over again, and though it would be great to change the circumstances, her example of courage blessed me—and inspired me to be more courageous in my own life.

Anything but dry, this is an excellent memoir that I highly recommend.

[Jessie Mattis · Rating 5 out of 5]

After studying the Vietnam war for the past few years and seeing this famous photo time and again, I was surprised to learn this memoir existed. I'm so glad I found it – this is truly one of the best, most inspiring memoirs I've ever read. The author's story of deep, life-changing tragedy, overcoming, faith, and ultimately peace will speak straight to your heart. Highly recommend!
(I will say, while I understand it is a famous photo, the cover is difficult for me because I have three kids and didn't want to leave this book lying around the house for them to find. I ended up taping construction paper over the cover. Conversations with my kids about these topics are important for sure, but on our own timeline.)

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is a powerful story and it tackles how war damages not only a body, but people as well. Review to come.

[Caroly · Rating 5 out of 5]

tirando o fato que essa mona ficava evangelizando a cada capitulo, achei bem legal

[Kathy T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful story of faith and forgiveness.
Kim Phuc Phan Thi is a wonderful person. So great to see how God is working in her life amidst so much trauma.
A must read!!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

From my AP review:

Phuc’s survival and the errant bombing of civilians in her village outside Saigon by the South Vietnamese military have been comprehensively explored by journalists in the decades since the war, and in Denise Chong’s 1999 book, “The Girl in the Picture,” that detailed the war from the Vietnamese perspective.

“Fire Road,” written with Ashley Wiersma, completes the picture by adding Phuc’s own voice to the story.

The book makes a reader hungry with descriptions of the flavors of her childhood in Southeast Asia: her mother’s noodle soups, the guavas and bananas she plucked ripe off the trees outside her family’s home.

Equally rich are the details of how war appeared to a child: Sandal prints on the ground, where Viet Cong had crossed their property during the night. Bright purple-and-gold smoke that marked bombing targets. The deceptively soft whump-whump sound of napalm canisters hitting the ground.

Napalm sticks to its victims like jelly, burning through layers of skin and muscle. Phuc writes that the Vietnamese government’s use of her story for propaganda stuck as painfully to her, interrupting her studies and threatening to confine her until she defected to Canada.

Still, Phuc doesn’t dwell on the war, its aftermath or her efforts to physically distance herself from her government minders. Her focus in “Fire Road” is her conversion to Christianity, finding a savior with scars she could relate to, and her persistence in persuading her husband and family to join her religious journey.

https://apnews.com/aa37e6b855a44667a6...

[Allie Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I looked at my feet in the picture, running as fast as they could possibly run, and I thought about the race I had run for so long—a desperate attempt to flee the bombs and the war, my picture and also my pain. I had run from my religion. I had run from communist control. I had run from Vietnam. I had run from Cuba too. Motivated by sorrow, and then by rage, and then by fear, and then by resolve, I had spent so much of my life running, convinced that for me, there was no other choice. And yet the path I had been racing along all that time had taken me straight into the arms of God.”

“Fire Road” by Kim Phuc tells the incredible true story of “The Girl in the Picture”—The little Vietnamese girl set on fire by napalm bombs in the 1970s, the little Vietnamese girl whose life would be forever altered by the events that took place that day . . . The day the world became captivated by her nightmare.

In June of 1972, Kim Phuc’s life was changed forever when the war in Vietnam came to her hometown. While fleeing the bombing of her village temple, Phuc was literally set on fire by napalm bombs that spattered the area. Her clothes burned off, and a camera flashed just in time to capture her scream . . . A scream that, though silent, would later span the globe.

Kim Phuc’s story is one of war. Of pain, of terror, of Communist control. Of forgiveness, of love, escape and, ultimately, of hope and healing. You won’t be able to put it down!

[Tonya Blessing]

Kim is known as the Napalm Girl. In June of 1972, at the age of eight, she was caught in the crossfire between North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese soldiers. Over 2/3's of her body received extensive burns. I assumed before reading the book that the material would be very anti-American. I was pleasantly surprised to find just the opposite to be true.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book. A story of how horrible war can be, but out of her misery, hope and her faith in God, bring her peace.

[Juliana Freire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro lindo... Uma lição de vida emocionante e impactante.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

That horrifying picture of that little screaming, naked girl, stunned onlookers, and a nasty looking cloud in the background. It became the most famous photo emblem of the Vietnam War--the napalm, the bombings, the suffering of civilians, the protesters and supporters ( a great divide of emotions and philosophy that still affects the United States). But until reading this book, I had no idea what happened to her or what her story had been. Kim grew up like any kid would wish--in spite of the war which didn't mean much to a child-- safe, secure, playing with many siblings and cousins in a small town along what was then the major highway the length of Vietnam. Her Mom worked long and hard in her very popular and famous noodle restaurant, and the family was middle class. They were devoted followers of the CaoDai sect (which I had never heard of but learned about) and often visited the beautiful local temple to honor many gods and the world's great religious leaders, including Jesus. The Viet Cong became troublesome and threatening, but the family managed to evade the worst, until That Day. Instead of the usual bombs, napalm was dropped and they were urged by South Vietnamese soldiers to run from the temple grounds where they were sheltering. But flames caught her, deeply burning her back and left arm. Barely alive, she did end up in Saigon's best children's hospital where she stayed for several months. A life of endless pain--physical and emotional--had just started. Deeply craving an education, the Communist rulers decided she was more useful for their political publicity. Living in pain and depression, she contemplated suicide. But some of her family had contact with a Christian pastor and slowly she heard his message. Something new revitalized her. She met another Vietnamese student when her government sent her to Cuba to study, so her story is also romantic. Fed up with dictatorship, she convinced her husband they could get away from their minders and seek asylum in Canada. Today she has two sons and is a grandma. The book's main theme is evangelistic, as for many years she has lived and preached the Christian Gospel, but she also speaks out to audiences for the cause of peace. An inspiring and gripping story as Kim overcame so many obstacles to be able to live a full and rewarding life, reunited with all her family.

[Jeanne Leaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! True story of Kim Phuc Phan Thi, once a carefree and innocent little 9 year old girl, growing up happily in Vietnam, when her whole world changes in an instant. She is struck by a napalm bomb, badly burned, and left for dead during the Vietnam War. She survives but experiences years of so much pain and disappointment ... until she finds Jesus, the One who understands her suffering. This is truly an inspirational and powerful testimony of how Jesus can fill those dark places in our lives. She begins a journey of emotional healing, peace, and eventually, incredible forgiveness. Amazing to read how God provides for her every need in unexpected ways, blesses her, and gives her a ministry where she continues to share her story and the hope of Jesus with others.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best biographies that I have read. Kim came under the worlds spotlight in 1972 when at 9 years old South Vietnam and the United States dropped napalm bombs over her village. She was severely burned and sent to a hospital in Saigon where her parents found her in the morgue three days later. Kim shares how she became a propaganda tool by her government, came to embrace Christianity and accept Christ as Savour, studied in Cuba, found love and got married, defected to Canada, and had two boys after being told for years she couldn't have children. She shares about the pain she suffers from chronically and her faith in Jesus to help her through it. She has had the opportunity to travel all over the world sharing her experience. Everyone needs to read this book from one of the most beautiful women in the world. It touched me deeply.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredibly moving testimony of God's grace, and also an inside testimony to the horrors of Communistic states. I listened to the audio version, and it was absolutely wonderful. Though at times hard to hear the soft-spoken narrator, at most other times, she brought the book absolutely to life for me, and very unusually for audio books, to tears. I have the feeling that I might not have been brought to tears as much in this book if I'd read it, but the audio version made it more real. Her reunion with her mother was a tear-jerker. She was so brave in so many ways. Read this book--for your soul and for your education.

[Angel Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a little biased with personal memoirs and dismiss the integrity of the writing a bit mainly due to the fact that English is not the author’s first language. Her story definitely needed to be told. It was a bit of a challenge to read because of how the book was structured. It was as though she was telling you her raw testimony in real life so it was a bit back and forth. It started taking more shape in the second half of the book. Over all it was very moving and encouraging to those with Christian faith. She speaks about her faith a lot and shares her challenges and things she learns over time.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. I vividly remember when I first saw the famous picture of the Vietnamese children running from a napalm attack in 1972. Kim Phuc, the little girl in the center of the photo, shares her story with candor and a generous heart. Her journey to find peace despite unimaginable pain (physical and emotional) led her to Christianity, which is central to the book.

[Sandra Rebholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing...just amazing. This is the story of fear, pain, and eventually forgiveness. How one person could endure what she went through I don't know. God was definitely present and center for her to transform the way she did. Absolutely an amazing story. So much love for those willing to receive.