Under the Naga Tail: A True Story of Survival, Bravery, and Escape from the Cambodian Genocide

by Mae Bunseng Taing, James Taing

A courageous and poignant memoir of one young man’s daring escape from Cambodia’s genocidal regime

Forced from his home by the Khmer Rouge, teenager Mae Taing struggles to endure years of backbreaking work, constant starvation, and ruthless cruelty from his captors—supposed freedom fighters who turned against their own people. Mae risks torture and death to escape into the dark tropical jungles, trekking across a relentless wilderness crawling with soldiers.

When Mae is able to overcome unthinkable odds in the hopes of reuniting with his family, fate takes cruel turn as he flees war-torn Cambodia. He becomes trapped as a refugee with thousands of others on the ancient temple mountain, Preah Vihear, a place surrounded by countless deadly landmines. Caught up in the terror once more, it is only his willpower to survive and dreams of a better country that give Mae the strength to face the dangers ahead.

This gripping and inspiring memoir, written with Mae’s son, James, is not merely an incredible story of survival, but a testament to the human spirit’s capacity in us all to endure and prevail in spite of great adversity. Under the Naga Tail will find its place among the most epic true stories of personal triumph.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Biography, Asia, War, Biography Memoir

352 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2023

About the author

Mae Bunseng Taing is a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia. His story and that of his family inspired the documentary Ghost Mountain, released in 2019 and directed by his son, James, and Virginia Dean. Mae Bunseng lives in Connecticut with his wife, where they raised their children and where he has run a full-time home painting business for more than thirty years. This is his first book.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for an outstanding book of survival from the Cambodian genocide under the fanatical Khmer Rouge. This book was started by James Taing, who encouraged his father, Mae Bunseng Taing to tell his story of life under the Khmer Rouge. The details of this story are so harrowing, that James, born in the US, started having nightmares after listening to, and transcribing his father's story.
The title refers to the creation myth in Cambodian mythology.
I encourage anyone who is interested in stories of survival of any genocide, be it the WWII Holocaust or the Armenian genocide at the beginning of the 20th century to read this book.
One quote, soon after Khmer Rouge takeover:
"In more village-wide meetings, we were made to pledge all we had to Ankar. They promised Ankar would watch over us, and provide food and shelter. Without currency to buy and sell things, in the markets, only Ankar distributed what was deemed necessary for us. Ankar was the sole provider and therefore the sole owner of all our property, deserving our upmost performance.
Or else they would kill us."
Thanks to the authors and Greenleaf Book Group for sending me this book through LibraryThing.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

under the naga tail by Mae Bunseng Taing and James Taing

Synopsis /

Forced from his home by the Khmer Rouge, teenager Mae Taing struggles to endure years of backbreaking work, constant starvation, and ruthless cruelty from his captors—supposed freedom fighters who turned against their own people. Mae risks torture and death to escape into the dark tropical jungles, trekking across a relentless wilderness crawling with soldiers.

When Mae is able to overcome unthinkable odds in the hopes of reuniting with his family, fate takes a cruel turn as he flees war-torn Cambodia. He becomes trapped as a refugee with thousands of others on the ancient temple mountain, Preah Vihear, a place surrounded by countless deadly landmines. Caught up in the terror once more, it is only his willpower to survive and dreams of a better country that give Mae the strength to face the dangers ahead.

My Thoughts /

Buckle UP. Get comfortable. I've a lot to unpack.

The Cambodian Civil War
On the eve of the civil war in 1967, Cambodia experienced a political environment of increased repression. The Cambodian Civil War unfolded from 1967 until the fall of Phnom Penh 1975. It happened in the shadow of Cambodia regaining its independence from France in 1953. This coincided with the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. Cambodia found itself having to walk a tightrope while the United States, China, and the Soviet Union all vied for influence. At the same time, the Vietnam War raged to its east and the Lao Civil War to its north.

If, like me, you find yourself wondering about the connection between Cambodia and France? Cambodia and France have had a close relationship since France intervened in 1863 and colonized the country, whilst helping Cambodia to fend off the territorial ambitions of Thailand on the East and Vietnam on the West. For France, Cambodia, together with Laos, constituted an “island of French culture in the Far East”.

Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge started in the shadows in Phnom Penh in 1960, led by revolutionary dictator and politician, Pol Pot and communist politician and revolutionary, Nuon Chea. Known as the 'red Khmers' due to their association with Marxism and Maoism, the group was equally nationalistic and hostile to the historical enemies of the Khmer people - Vietnam and Thailand. Initially small in number, the Khmer Rouge were often overlooked by Western eyes as a result of heightened focus on the Cold War in the 1960s. The Khmer Rouge eventually shifted its focus to the countryside where they tapped into the discontent of rural Cambodians.

Between 1976–77 a new regime, sought to collectivize Cambodia by mobilizing its population into an unpaid labour force and sought to double the average pre-revolutionary yields of rice immediately and on a national scale. The human costs of that ill-conceived experiment were enormous, and the Khmer Rouge were widely condemned by the international community once the magnitude of their crimes became known.

Crimes
The Khmer Rouge had taken power in the country following the Cambodian Civil War and instituted a radical reorganization of Cambodian society - [a social experiment] which attempted to create a classless agrarian society. City dwellers were forced from their homes and into the countryside, where they were forced to work as farmers or labourers and were assigned to work groups depending on age and gender. Families were split apart as a result. Religious and ethnic minorities faced persecution. Christian and Buddhist groups were targeted, but it was the Cham Muslim group that was most affected. As many as 500,000 people, or 70% of the total Cham population, were exterminated. Anyone considered an intellectual was targeted. This meant teachers, lawyers, doctors, and clergy were targets for the regime. Even people wearing glasses were a target of Pol Pot’s reign of terror.

During that time, gross mismanagement of the country’s economy led to shortages of food and medicine, and untold numbers of people succumbed to disease and starvation. There was an explosion of mass violence that saw between 1.5 and 3 million people killed at the hands of the Khmer Rouge [the Cambodian Genocide], and for what? Their crimes? - being educated - holding a certain religious belief - having a physical impairment or worse, just being sick. Needless to say, this 'social experiment' was a huge tragedy and a dismal failure.

under the naga tail
In some cultures, storytelling is an integral part of life. It binds together knowledge and belief and is a tradition which is passed on through generations and preserved in its originality.

"Nagas are legendary multi-headed serpents that control the rains, and therefore are symbolically the guardians of prosperity and treasures in the Kingdom of Cambodians. Cambodians say that they are 'Born from the Naga', descendants of this divine bloodline, tapping into the spirit that irrigates the rivers and seas, alongside the rainbows that bridge earth to heaven."

Life for Mae Bunseng Taing began like most other children - his family was quite large (he was the youngest of eight siblings). He went to school, loved math and Chinese. He learned Mandarin.

For generations Cambodians held the moon in a high reverence, a deity, and associated it with ample harvest for plants and crops. When Apollo 11 first landed humans on the moon, 20 July 1969, Mae Bunseng Taing was eleven-years-old and often imagined what it would be like to visit such a bright glittering planet. Life was pretty good.

Little did he know that a revolution was coming.

I've read a lot of books detailing war, and war crimes surrounding Hitler and the Nazi regime, as well as quite a few surrounding the events of WWI. When I saw the cover for under the naga tail and read that it was a personal account about the war in Cambodia (of which I remembered very little) I knew I had to read it.

Told in the first person point of view, Mae Bunseng Taing tells us his journey from the very beginning right up to his immigration to the United States.

Three weeks into the month of February 1975, someone shouted, 'Hurry up! The guards are here!'

Mae Bunseng Taing's experiences during the ruling of the radical communist movement called Khmer Rouge, make for heartbreaking reading. It's impossible not to feel emotional whilst reading his account of the atrocities he witnessed at the hands of those serving its military leader, Pol Pot. Mae Bunseng Taing, together with the help of his son, James, has documented the account of his, and his family's journey back into freedom. Another attempt at storytelling being passed through generations - only this time it's not mythical or imagined - it's wholly real.

The line halted. There were so many refugees ahead of me, carrying their frail loved ones and pressing to seek the end no matter the costs. We crouched down for hours. A thick blanket of gritty black flies the size of bumblebees swarmed over what remained of the cadavers. There was only the sound of frantic buzzing. As I breathed in the air, the flies flocked, aggressive as hornets - they knocked into my cheeks, crawled into my ears, my mouth, and my nose, trying to follow the stench of death into my lungs. When people rose to move again, all seemed to go quiet. "Don't even breathe", they whispered among themselves, or the sudden movements could trigger a bomb. We stayed stooped, crawling one inch at a time.

After seven hours, we reached open air for the first time in two weeks.

As you read you are taken into the heart of Cambodia's land, with breathtakingly beautiful descriptions of its mountains, forests, and rivers; only to be brought back to reality when you realise that these beautiful mountains were riddled with landmines and soldiers carrying guns who would shoot innocents, "just because". As you read, you felt like you were taking the journey right along with Mae Bunseng Taing - it was totally engaging.

Even though the content of what this book is relaying is difficult to read; there were many, many beautiful snapshots and moments of joy.

If learning more about our history interests you, then I would urge you to give this book a read. It staggers the imagination what humans are capable of doing to one another. But this story is also a testament to the immeasurable strength, never ending resourcefulness, and limitless courage humans also possess.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors, Mae Bunseng Taing and James Taing, publisher Greenleaf Book Group Press, and NetGalley as always, for an advance digital copy of UNDER THE NAGA TAIL.

This brilliant but emotionally demanding book is the novelized memoir, written by James Taing, of his father, Mae's, haunting experiences during the Cambodian culture wars in the 1970s, which he barely survived. The accounts included in this book are harrowing. At times, I found it difficult to accept, to believe humans were capable of treating each other with such inhumanity, but why should I feel that way? I've read a dozen similar accounts just this year, some of which took place in my own country. Why does such cruelty keep striking me as unbelievable? As too unacceptable to be true?

One of the things I noticed about Mae's account is that he remembers every tiny kindness he encounters. He clings to them as though they are food or medicine and could keep him alive. Probably they do, probably they give him the courage and motivation to continue another day. But a lot of people around him are afraid, and scared people tend to act in their own interests without understanding the consequences of their actions.

I recommend this book to readers who know little about this subject, as I myself did. But be prepared for a tense read. The book is well done and a page turner, but not because it is enjoyable, as such. I would have liked more history here actually; as it was, the actions discussed in the book were a bit free floating. At the same time, this sense of disembodiment would have have been very real for Mae during his ordeal. Reading UNDER THE NAGA TAIL is an exercise in empathy for sure.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Recommend? Definitely
Finished: February 21 2023
Read this if you like:
👤 Memoir
🕰 Historical fiction
👨‍👦 Family stories
🏔 Survival stories
💰 Political stories

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hard book to read. I don’t mean it was poorly written but the subject matter was hard to absorb because what happened to the author and so many others was brutal and inhumane. I will admit I didn’t know much about the Cambodian genocide that happened in the 1970’s before reading this book and this glimpse at one person’s experience was sickening, but I am glad to be better informed. I love that this memoir was written by the survivor with his son’s help. So much of the book was around family and supporting loved ones even when you had nothing yourself so for the father and son duo to tackle this massive project together was fitting. I’m not surprised it took a long time to write because there is so much pain and trauma inside these pages. An inspiringly honest glimpse at the worst horrors the author has faced. Mae’s struggles to survive and escape were inspiring. Definitely a book to read, but be prepared for the emotional kick.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a factual memoir of Mae Bunseng Taing’s life experience of torture and terror. It’s not one to miss. His story tore my heart apart. I could not believe what he, his family and others went through. I am amazed that he survived and horrified at the way Thailand treated him and other refugees. And, of course, the Khmer Rouge that committed the genocide. I am so glad that he lived to tell this story and that his son helped to make this book happen.

Also, the thanks given to the Americans that tried to save all the refugees that they could. What a tribute! I loved seeing the photos of all the family members. I’m so sad that they weren’t all able to make it to safety.

I am very grateful to have won this book through a Goodreads giveaway!

[Inés Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something quite strong in a book that is based on a true story, it hits you differently. It was not easy at all to get through this, it was not easy to even begin to read. The word genocide is terrifying to hear, so i hesitated with this book, but my curiosity and need to know more won me over. I do not know anything about this time period, in fact, it's the first time I hear about a Cambodian genocide. Once I started to read this my heart was speeding up, the things they endured and went through was not easy to read at all. Inside of the book they had pages with real pictures of family and the refugee camp and remains of lots of rubber sandals and plates in 2017. This book educated me in what happen to Cambodia in the 1970s, it was very well written. The story is utterly remarkable and I would recommend it to everyone, but be ready for the emotional heart gripping feeling it will give you.

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the mid to late seventies when I could have cared less for what was going on in other countries. As a high schooler then, I was oblivious to the communist actions conducted by the Khmer Rouge. So as I read Under the Naga Tail in present day, I am reminded that history is so important and should not be ignored.

There are no words to explain the pain and suffering that the Chinese Cambodians like Mae Bunseng Taing had to endure under the Khmer Rouge regime. It’s unfathomable to think that such atrocities on the tens of thousands even occurred.

Under the Naga Tail is a testament to the people like Mae whose perseverance and determination fortified their resolve to escape war torn Cambodia.

Told in the first person point of view, the story unfolds from the very beginning of the unrest until Mae’s escape to America. There are photos that highlight the families while living in the refugee camps, and photos of Mae as he successfully integrated into American life and found meaningful purpose.

Under the Naga Tail wasn’t the easiest to read due to the subject matter. But, it certainly left a memorable impression that I won’t soon forget. Five stars.

I received a finished copy of the book from Greenleaf Book Group Press through Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Paloma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review in English | Reseña en Español

I often find many reviewers saying they don’t like rating memoirs, because authors put their personal experience, their suffering, and traumas out there and hence, it does not seem right to put a number-either low or high- to such books. However, I beg to differ. I agree that a person’s experience should always be treated with care, and I have a lot of respect for authors who share traumatic pasts as well as stories of loss and resilience. But, I think there is a difference between what is been told and how it is being told.

In the case of Under the Naga Tail I just kept thinking there was a lot of editing work that was needed. The memoir focuses on the experiences of a Cambodian man who lived through the Khmer Rouge genocide during the 1970s. We learn from the start of the brutal regime, to his escape to Thailand, the subsequent deportation and all the misfortunes and tragedies he and his family faced until they were able to come to America. The horrors this man and his family went through are unspeakable and most impactful if we think these actions were repeated all over again across Asia and other parts of the world. It is an experience that touches everyone because in any given moment, all societies could fall under a tyranny which cares little for humanity and seeks degradation in every way.

My problem with this book is that it felt repetitive at times and hence, it felt like the story went in circles. For example, while I am sure every situation was probably worst than the other as the regime became more authoritarian, and as they left as immigrants to a country that later deported them, tragedy was, at one point, too much. Not to say that the experiences were not important or that as a reader I grew tired of the horror, but thinking in terms of a book, I think the editor could have worked more on which memories to keep, or at least how to shorten them to make them more impactful. However, this was not done and then there are pages and pages of how they ran through the jungle, two, or three times. While in different situations, I think some parts could have been deleted or shortened, and the work would have been more impactful because as it was presented, the narrative just felt more dense but without telling anything new.

Another aspect I didn’t like and which I think could have been easily addressed in a foreword or inserted here and there in the narrative, was the lack of context. As a reader who knows little of Cambodia and its history, I felt the book lacked information for those of us who were reading about the Khmer Rouge for the first time. The author (and the editors) assumes the readers know what happened in Cambodia, which was not the case. As I read, I often had to stop and do a web search to try to understand what was happening. An example: we learn that they were forced by the military to leave the cities and move to rural areas, but we were never explained why. This made no sense to me -until I read what was behind the Khmer Rouge ideology, which was communist in nature and saw cities as capitalist ideas.

Unfortunately, because of these issues, I did not enjoy the book. As I said, I think it has nothing to do with the author -as writers, we often need guidance on what to keep and leave out, particularly when we are writing from experience and from pain. And here is where the editors and publishers can have an impact in making a story shine through technical merits.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the ARC.

___

Esto podrá sonar duro pero creo este "memoir" pasa sin pena ni gloria, como tantos textos que se publican últimamente en el mercado anglosajón. No es culpa del autor y no se trata de demeritar lo que se cuenta ni la experiencia, que es brutal -el hombre narra su vida después de la llegada de los Jemeres Rojos en Cambodia en la década de los setentas. Un genocido, como muchos de los que vivió Asia en la época y durante el cual millones de personas sufriendo la crueldad de un regimen absurdo y del terror. Exponer estas tragedias y la pérdida de seres queridos, del país, y de la esperanza es brutal y se reconoce y respeta el valor de quienes lo hacen. Sin embargo, hay una diferencia entre lo qué se narra, y cómo se narra. Y este libro adolece de una falta de edición terrible, que parece de amateurs y que hacen de la narración lenta, pesada y aburrida en secciones. Y como digo, la experiencia vivida es terrible, pero cuando el editor no evalúa si vale la pena contarnos por quinta vez una marcha a campo traviesa -que si se elimina no pasa nada y nos lleva directo a la acción- entonces el libro comienza a caerse. Hay una falta de cuidado en cómo se cuenta lo vivido, que insisto, no es responsabilidad del autor, sino de los editores. Otro aspecto que me parece grave, y que es de esas cosas que se solucionan rápido -en un prólogo y insertando en la narración referencias breves- es la falta de contexto. El libro asume que todos sabemos lo que pasó en Cambodia, cuando esto no es el caso. Por ejemplo, mientras leía, no entendía porque las milicias iban desplazando a la población de las ciudades a las comunidades rurales. Entonces tuve que parar y buscar aparte quiénes fueron los Jemeres Rojos y que hicieron en el país -algo que, considerando que este libro es una "memoria" y en parte autobiográfica, debió haber sido trabajado por los editores. Vaya, entiendo que hay temas de cultura general pero para alguien que quiere saber que pasó en Cambodia, éste libro no da respuestas.

[Jill Dobbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational and courageous book that clearly shows how far and how much the body and spirit can take when there is hope, boundless determination, and a belief in a just world. Under the Naga Tail is a story that takes readers deep into the history of the Cambodian genocide. Bunseng Taing tells the story of when his large family was forced by the Khmer Rouge to leave their homes. They become homeless refugees sent to concentration camps where they suffered from beatings, starvation, poverty, and illness. Finally, after five years of barely surviving, and hoping to escape the brutality inflicted upon them, they make it to America where they feel safe and build new lives.

During a time when refugees were welcomed in the U.S., Bunseng's family received help and settled there, thankful to America for their new lives. This horrible period in history, along with the thousands of innocent lives that suffered and died during those years, is a time that should never be forgotten. I am thankful for Bunseng Taing's story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bunseng Taing, and the publisher for this ARC.

[Ria Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watched the documentary Ghost Mountain (2019) featuring Mae, right after I put the book down. Really sending shivers down my spine of how real everything I just read was!
What an incredible story of bravery and human survival. I was mostly in the dark about the history of Cambodia in the 70s but reading Under The Naga Tail really opened my eyes. (No, I have never seen The Killing Fields-but I will be renting it shortly).
The unthinkable events Mae goes thru are truly disturbing. It's hard to imagine this happening only 40 something years ago.
It was hard to put the book down, as I had to know how Mae and his family survive. The 3 part layout to the story was perfectly timed, with helpful maps for reference.
I totally recommend this book!
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for a free copy.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn. I don't have much to say except read this book. But be prepared for an extremely emotional journey. This was so hard to read due to the horrible experiences the author went through. Yet it was a book that was hard to put down at the same time.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a first hand account of the horrors of the Cambodian genocide that occurred in the 70s. It is well-written, detailed, and quickly paced. But the nightmare the author and the people of Cambodia endured was tough to take in — many times I had to pause and decide if I wanted to keep going because the descriptions of the torture, starvation, loss, and grief were so shattering. The strength it must have required to live through these events is unfathomable to me. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotional fortitude that was needed to relive them again in the telling of them. I am glad I read it and I am thankful Mae Taing and his son, James, persevered and brought this story to the world. The Cambodian genocide is not often talked about today, at least not in our part of the world. Yet these atrocities and the people that had the strength to survive and even go on to thrive should not be forgotten.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a first hand account of the horrors of the Cambodian genocide that occurred in the 70s. I honestly knew nothing of this time period in history going into this book and the accounts of the horrible things that Mae Taing and others endured were hard to read at times.
The book was well written and an inspirational story of overcoming great obstacles to survive.

[Melissa MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important story that sheds light on a genocide not often spoken of. This gripped me from almost the very beginning. The strength and will to survive are astounding. My mom lived in LA in the late 70’s/early 80’s and has always spoken of Cambodian refugees. I get it now. I won’t be forgetting this any time soon.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really well written and powerful. I knew next to nothing about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge before I began this book, but now I’m interested in learning more about the history. The only thing is I wish there was more details about the aftermath and process of immigrating to the US.

[Vicki Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another must-read. I was a child when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia and the Killing Fields happened. I can remember reading in the newspaper and watching the news about concentration camps and killings in Cambodia. This is the true story of one of the survivors and his family. I believe it is essential to read the stories of people who have been collateral damage of political violence, so that hopefully, we humans can learn to do better.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of resilience, strength, and hope. This is a must read! I came away from the book with great adoration for the entire family who went through this experience.

[Amanda-Has-A-Bookcase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Taing family for writting this amazing book. What Mae went through (and what everyone else went through) is so hard to believe, yet it really happend. I have learned alot and after finishing this book I find myself looking up more information on the Cambodian Genocide. I plan on having my daughter read this as part of her homeschool Asain Studies course. This is a story that must not be forgotten.

[Ashley : bostieslovebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

In UNDER THE NAGA TAIL: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL, BRAVERY, AND ESCAPE FROM THE CAMBODIAN GENOCIDE, Mae Bunseng Taing details the difficulties and horrors he and his family faced during their escape from the Khmer Rouge regime. The book is written with Mae’s son James Taing.

UNDER THE NAGA TAIL was heartbreaking but also inspiring. Going into this book, I did not have much knowledge about Cambodia and the genocides that occurred. I’m glad to have learned about Cambodian culture and the conflict in the area during the time period that Mae and his family were there, even though it was quite difficult to read emotionally. I know that atrocities such as this happen in areas of conflict and war daily, but it doesn’t make it any less affecting. The strength of Mae and the other refugees was incredible. It’s because of stories such as his that I continue to have faith in humanity despite the terrible things that occur in the world. I had a hard time putting this book down.

UNDER THE NAGA TAIL was a deeply affecting memoir that I’d highly recommend.

Thank you to Greenleaf Book Group for the giveaway finished copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the DRC.

[Nicole (Nerdish.Maddog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heart wrenching memoir about "Mae" Bunseng Taing and what he, his family and his entire country experienced during the Cambodian Genocide, by the Khmer Rouge, in the 1970's. When the Khmer first came to power, the people of Cambodia thought that they were going to restore rule and make Cambodia great and powerful again. Almost overnight the soldiers invaded his town and forced everyone out, promising that they would be able to return in 3 days. The soldiers continued to march them on, but now their story had changed. No one will be going back, no one will be better than anyone else by having possessions, everyone will work to make Cambodia a great and powerful country that all other countries will admire. They forced people to work in various government projects and farming with little to no food. In order to keep their fellow countrymen in line, the Khmer forced them to watch live executions to know what was at stake for trying to escape or failing to listen to orders. At only 18 when the Khmer Rouge took control, the reader is taken on his harrowing journey which ultimately ends in asylum in America. The book ends with an epilogue that speaks of America's failures in foreign policy while policing the world, but speaks how America's true strength lies in its compassion when others are suffering. This is a common theme I see in every book written by or about refugees. To care for those in need is the greatest strength a county can possess.

[Sharon Dene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very remarkable story how this boy may T ANG survive. He had a very good life with his family and treating and stuff like that but when the camera rules came his life changed dramatically He had to go under a lot of hardships but he faced it willingly but he always kept his father in his mind and always makes sure he got back to his father somehow. They were treated Treat it very badly because they were Chinese. I can't believe how anybody could survive this going through Marsha's no food worrying about your family. His family was very important to him and they pretty much try to all stay together but they lost one member the little boy. He was taken away from his family and put in his camps which were very harsh conditions but we somehow survived. Even made it back one time to see his father because he knew his father was very ill. Then they made it to time Try Thailand. This was a really good camp they finally had some food You're trying to survive in this camp as well I think I'm very now at this photographer who was Chinese and they told him to go away. Then Thailand also turned on them as well. I could not believe what these people went on in this mountain you must be very long to survive in your brain because there is nothing else you could do at this point You lost some of their family members. But this turned out to be really good Because they managed to America and everybody eventually had a sponsor to go there. This is a really good book to read about the camera rouge and how they really treat it people. You don't actually hear Chinese people going through this but they did

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Three and a half stars.

Taing's story of life under the Khmer Rouge is haunting and, at times, horrifying. The book often works better as narrative non-fiction than memoir as Taing often doesn't share his emotions and inner reactions to the events that took place, perhaps because of the trauma. In either regard (as memoir or non-fiction), I didn't think there was enough background information about Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge gained control of the country. Other than a brief mention of a king that reigned prior to these events, and some other changes in government, there isn't much to illustrate why and how the Khmer Rouge took power. There is also no mention of the surrounding countries and their motivations for getting involved, or not involved, as the conflict progressed. I had a few other questions that were answered by the epilogue, but I wished they had been addressed earlier. These issues aside, the book is exceptionally well-written and it is remarkable that Taing was able to convey such detailed descriptions of events even after several decades. Many of these events will stay with me for a long time; the memoir shows humanity at its best and worst. Not an easy read, but an important one.

[Ionia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, emotionally charged memoir. I have read a few different accounts of the Cambodian genocide, but I have never read one where I felt such closeness and sympathy for those involved. Reading this book made me stop and think about life, freedom, and all the various things we take for granted in this world.

Although at times this is an emotionally difficult book to read, I enjoyed the way it was written. The details were vivid and the descriptions allowed me to feel as if I were right there along with the characters. My favourite thing about the book was the pure honesty with which it was written. The author's feelings came through clearly, and at every twist and turn, I found myself hoping that they would come through the other side and find happiness in the end.

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants an up close look at these events, from a human perspective.

This review is based on a galley copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Aleksha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mae Bunseng Taing's Under the Naga Tail: A True Story of Survival, Bravery, and Escape from the Cambodian Genocide is a personal memoir accounting firsthand what life was like as someone who experienced the Cambodian genocide in the 1970s. It's vulnerable, powerful, and a timeless thought piece.

I couldn't put this book down. This was my first time even hearing about the Cambodian genocide and it broke my heart over and over again leaving me in tears, both happy and sad. The way the story is told through the eyes of firsthand account and the heartbreaking pain the refugees endured created a long lasting impact on me as a reader; Easily the best personal memoir I've ever read. It did a great job completely immersing me and I felt like I was learning as he was learning, my heart breaking for his heartbreak, and my thoughts spinning as his life is snatched without warning time and time again. Truly masterful.

[kathryn]

A true story of unimaginable horrors that puts into perspective much of Cambodia’s current political and economic climate, and further reveals the scars the genocide left on the generations before me. The worst of humanity was found in these pages, from Pol Pot to whoever it was in Thailand who decided that refugees should be sent to their deaths. My dad’s family was fortunate enough to be able to escape not long after the events of this book, when the western world had taken further notice and was able to provide aid. I can’t imagine what would have happened if they had been evicted from their refugee camp in Thailand, dumped onto the Preah Vihear mountain, and left to fend for themselves in a region riddled with land mines.

(And even now, this has me remembering our recent brief, ill-conceived attempt at visiting a durian farm out in the Cambodian countryside. Outside the gates, we found a red sign with a skull and crossbones that warned us to beware of mines. We left fairly quickly after that.)

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very important to educating the world about the horrors inflicted on the country of Cambodia in the 1970s. Of course, I was familiar with the Khmer Rouge and their oppression and genocide of the Cambodian people but reading a first-hand account of this period in history was eye-opening. Mr. Taing’s story is hard to read because it’s almost unbelievable that so many terrible things happened to him and his family. He gives a detailed account of each step of his journey over five years as a young man from fleeing Cambodia to Thailand and back and forth to and from labor and refugee camps and his treacherous trek across a mountainous minefield that had me on the edge of my seat. The years of starvation, slave labor, torture and danger on every journey that this family suffered is mind-boggling. This is an incredible survival story and an important one that needs to be told. Thanks to BookishFirst, NetGalley and Greenleaf Publishing for the Advanced Reader Copies of this book.

[Marissa Iverson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankful I won this book in a giveaway.

What a powerful autobiography.

I’ll be honest, this is a tough read, but it’s one I think we all should do. The education system I grew up in did not really cover the Cambodian Genocide which is why I wanted to read this.

This is the story of Mae’s 5 year journey of survival, heartbreak, devastation, and hope. His son, James, wanted to record his father’s story so history would not be forgotten, and it will not be.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” As a young girl growing up in America, I was taught about the atrocities of the Holocaust, the persecution of native peoples, and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. The Cambodian genocide is a topic I know frightfully little about but one I found myself fascinated in as I read Under the Naga Tail. I’m grateful that this book is shining a light on a horrible part of human history that not enough people know about and does so in a way that showcases the hope, strength, and will of these survivors.

Under the Naga Tail does wonderfully in explaining the historical context of the Cambodian genocide from the lens of a young man as he lives through it. The prose is simple but effective. We see Mae leave behind an ordinary life running a family business to fighting for food, shelter, and basic human rights. As a Chinese-Cambodian, he is discriminated against in the only home he’d ever known and forced to adapt to ever changing circumstances.

Like other reviewers, I had to put the book down several times to regain my bearings due to the heavy subject matter. Learning about the cruel treatment he received at the hands of soldiers and despite knowing that he eventually makes it to America, reading through the journey and suffering it took for that to happen broke my heart. Ultimately, this book is one brave man’s account of war and its very real consequences. An at times sad but deeply moving read. Thank you to the authors for sharing your personal story and to the publisher and NetGalley for this review copy of the book.

[Meghan Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow… not sure how else to react. One of the toughest books I’ve read in a long time. So much history and detail about a major event that kind of got pushed aside with Vietnam war. This memoir was absolutely heart wrenching. I need a light book instantly

[Amanda Villhauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a goodreads giveaway.
This book was sad.
I really don’t know any other way of saying it. It took a lot of courage for the survivor to tell their story, and they were admirable. I really do recommend.