Golden Leaf: A Khmer Rouge Genocide Survivor

by Kilong Ung

This is a first-hand account of the life of Kilong Ung who grew up in Battambang, Cambodia and whose life dramatically changed in 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. Told from the eyes of the boy that he was, this is an honest, real account that takes the reader through Kilong's experiences as if one were actually there, without any need for embellishment of the story. This book gives the readers an insight that no history book could. It provides not just an insight into the Khmer Rouge and the terrible extermination of two million people but an insight into humanity, how it is possible for a people to be subjected to mass cruelty and hardship by a ruling power, and yet how an individual against the odds could endure this and do what it took to survive, even as tragedy befell his family. Kilong saw himself as a leaf, a golden leaf, at the mercy of mercurial winds. Yet through fortune and the help of others he survived against the odds, and was able to come to America, penniless and unable to speak English. The tale follows how he adapted to the new culture and made himself a success. The story is filled with humorous incidents as he adapts to American culture as well as poignant emotional times where he grapples with the demons of the past, struggling to overcome the terrible experiences and memories, even as he gains material success in American life. Then when an opportunity for revenge presents itself he is faced with a moral dilemma that will decide his life. Kilong has painstakingly composed a chronicle of his life over countless hours, testing the limits of his emotions. Much of this book was written in an unlikely environment; Starbucks cafe, whom Kilong publicly thanks for "providing power outlets, public restrooms, soft music, and Americano-inspired recoveries from writing blocks."

Genres: Nonfiction

258 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

About the author

Between 1975 and 1979, Kilong survived the Khmer Rouge genocide that killed two million Cambodians including his parents and youngest sister. After his escape into Thailand in 1979, he came to the U.S. as a refugee, learned English in high school, graduated from Reed College with a bachelors degree, and graduated from Bowling Green State University with a masters degree. He spoke at Portland State University, Portland Community College, University of Portland, Columbia, and MIT."

Reviews

[Peter Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an autobiography (no ghostwriter) of Kilong Ung who grew up in Cambodia and tells the tale of life before the Khmer Rouge, their take over, surviving the regime, escape, and transition to America.

The story of his life is nothing short of amazing. His entire town (like most others) were forced from their homes when the Khmer Rouge took over. They were forced to work in labor camps with barely anything to eat. Several family member’s died of starvation. He was forced to scrounge for food but even picking a coconut was a capital offense. The book is filled with harrowing and heartfelt experiences but I don’t want to spoil them by listing them here. Suffice to say, you get a crystal clear picture of what life was like for him and his family which makes the second half of the book, his escape to and life in America, all that much more amazing. It never got easy for him though as PTSD and survivor’s guilt as well as the struggle understanding American language and culture buffeted him the whole way.

What really makes this book great is not just the events but how much he remembers about his own thoughts and feelings at the time of those events, sometimes with brutal honesty that few would have the courage to share. It pulls you that much deeper into these events to give you great immersion into them.

Since the book wasn’t written with the aid of a ghostwriter (which I like) there are a few grammatical mistakes and broken sentences that can be distracting at times as you reread to try to understand but overall it isn’t an issue. My only disappointments were that the section heading titles gave away what happened in each section which I suppose isn’t uncommon for autobiographies but I’d rather not be told ahead of time what happens. My disappointment there probably shows how much edge of the seat drama is contained in the first half. It was a real page turner and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next but I didn’t want to be told with bold section heading names. Not a big deal though. Also, life leading up to the Khmer Rouge is a bit compressed and at the beginning of the book I remember wanting to understand better his struggles in school and a few other things.

Overall, it is a good book and gives the reader a great appreciation for what survivors of the Khmer Rouge not only went through then but how they struggle to deal with it even today. Ultimately though, and as the back of the book indicates, it is a story of triumph.

[Jess]

My dad is in this book! See page 149 for the beginnings of his role in Ung's story: "I was a leaf, and Dr. St. John was the wind that carried me to Bowling Green, Ohio." He's also in the last picture of the "Higher Education" section in the back of the book.

[Pamela Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing, heart-wrenching, tribute to the entire Ung Family as told by the only son - Kilong Ung. This book is an inspiration to read and should be required reading for American teenagers....