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The Vietnamese Boat People
“Now, after so many long years of enjoying Freedom and, a life of plenty in my new country, I wonder whether anyone among us on that boat, still remembers the promises and vows which we had made during the days when we struggled desperately against violent storms, against the danger of dying from hunger, thirst, and cold, and against countless terror-filled moments.
Let us burn incense in memory of the souls of those boat people who have perished in the sea. Let us pray that these unfortunate souls have been freed from suffering and have gone to rest peacefully in heaven. Their deaths for the sake of Freedom fully bespeak their courage and indomitability, which was no less heroic than that of our past fallen national heroes, and which deserves to be written in the Vietnamese people’s historic pages about that period of turmoil - highlighted by their perilous journeys in the South China Sea.”
Let us burn incense in memory of the souls of those boat people who have perished in the sea. Let us pray that these unfortunate souls have been freed from suffering and have gone to rest peacefully in heaven. Their deaths for the sake of Freedom fully bespeak their courage and indomitability, which was no less heroic than that of our past fallen national heroes, and which deserves to be written in the Vietnamese people’s historic pages about that period of turmoil - highlighted by their perilous journeys in the South China Sea.”
320 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 19, 2021
CONTENT WARNING FOR BOOK: There is a lot of true accounts of rape and murder in this book. Like a lot a lot.
I was barely out of kindergarten when my father first told me about his journey to escape Vietnam on a fishing trawl. For weeks, he shared that boat with dozens and dozens of other refugees trying to make their way to Malaysia and--therefore--freedom. On the way, they battled starvation, dehydration, and potential encounters with Thai pirates who would have murdered everyone on board for gold.
So digging into this book, I was excited to learn a little bit more about what my father and his friends went through to leave their home waters for another. Now that I'm done, I can confidently say that even if a fraction of what went on in between these covers is true then it was more horrible than I ever would have imagined in my worst, most howling nightmares.
These are survival stories, ones written and retold by survivors of one of the worst human rights crisises the world has ever seen. Quite frequently it was incredibly difficult to read. So much so that I often had to set the book down to have a drink or a cry.
It's a difficult book but ultimately a very important one for me and my family. It's one that I'm glad I started -- and am even more glad I'll never have to go through myself.
I had to knock some stars off the ultimate review though for a number of reasons. 1. This book could have done with a better editor. It's clear that many of these stories were translated from Vietnamese and the sentences and grafs are often really clunky as a result. There's also a TON of grammatical issues throughout that can really pull you out of a moment. 2. The stories began to bleed together in a way I don't think was intentional or helpful. After a while, the reader gets almost numb to all the similar stories of starvation, and death, and horror. But then, is that not what so many of the survivors on these boats went through?
Recommend if you want first hand accounts of survival and perseverance in the face of so much evil and apathy.
I was barely out of kindergarten when my father first told me about his journey to escape Vietnam on a fishing trawl. For weeks, he shared that boat with dozens and dozens of other refugees trying to make their way to Malaysia and--therefore--freedom. On the way, they battled starvation, dehydration, and potential encounters with Thai pirates who would have murdered everyone on board for gold.
So digging into this book, I was excited to learn a little bit more about what my father and his friends went through to leave their home waters for another. Now that I'm done, I can confidently say that even if a fraction of what went on in between these covers is true then it was more horrible than I ever would have imagined in my worst, most howling nightmares.
These are survival stories, ones written and retold by survivors of one of the worst human rights crisises the world has ever seen. Quite frequently it was incredibly difficult to read. So much so that I often had to set the book down to have a drink or a cry.
It's a difficult book but ultimately a very important one for me and my family. It's one that I'm glad I started -- and am even more glad I'll never have to go through myself.
I had to knock some stars off the ultimate review though for a number of reasons. 1. This book could have done with a better editor. It's clear that many of these stories were translated from Vietnamese and the sentences and grafs are often really clunky as a result. There's also a TON of grammatical issues throughout that can really pull you out of a moment. 2. The stories began to bleed together in a way I don't think was intentional or helpful. After a while, the reader gets almost numb to all the similar stories of starvation, and death, and horror. But then, is that not what so many of the survivors on these boats went through?
Recommend if you want first hand accounts of survival and perseverance in the face of so much evil and apathy.
April 4, 2020
Really crazy to read first hand accounts of what happened to the Vietnamese boat people during their escape. I know several people (including relatives) who escaped Vietnam as boat people and now live in the US. I have never heard any of them speak of this time in their lives and never thought to do any research into what actually happened out at sea.
This book made its way to me randomly and I am so glad it has. This is a must read for anyone looking to hear translated accounts of real boat people on their journey out at sea and at the refugee camps.
This book made its way to me randomly and I am so glad it has. This is a must read for anyone looking to hear translated accounts of real boat people on their journey out at sea and at the refugee camps.
June 12, 2025
did not finish.... so difficult to read with story after story filled with hardship and suffering. i understand the importance of having these narratives be heard, but i couldn't get through it. also, the several typos detracted from the editing quality.
August 23, 2021
As you might know the author now has some questionable political tactics, but regardless, I’m glad these stories are documented because this is a really important period in history that so many people forget about.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews