HAING NGOR

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Stories of Human Survival and Triumph
Review: Enter into the compelling story of a truly remarkable man, Haing Ngor, living through the Cambodian holocost of the late 1970's under the Khmer Rouge. Be prepared, however, for some of the most gruesome torture that a man could suffer - both physically and mentally. If you have any heart at all, you will be changed by this book.

The story begins with a history of Haing's early life in a peaceful Cambodian existence that would be no more. You see a life that is transformed into that of a frial, hungry, tortured and battered peasant. He has everything physically and materially stripped away from him and only his wife to live for. And the story gets even worse. But, through it all, this man clings to hope and a faith in his God that defies all sense reason.

The story does not end painfully. You will see how this one man's deep scars and loss literally transform him into something greater than what he began as. It is not an easy read, but a very compelling one.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Stories of Human Survival and Triumph
Review: Enter into the compelling story of a truly remarkable man, Haing Ngor, living through the Cambodian holocost of the late 1970's under the Khmer Rouge. Be prepared, however, for some of the most gruesome torture that a man could suffer - both physically and mentally. If you have any heart at all, you will be changed by this book.

The story begins with a history of Haing's early life in a peaceful Cambodian existence that would be no more. You see a life that is transformed into that of a frial, hungry, tortured and battered peasant. He has everything physically and materially stripped away from him and only his wife to live for. And the story gets even worse. But, through it all, this man clings to hope and a faith in his God that defies all sense reason.

The story does not end painfully. You will see how this one man's deep scars and loss literally transform him into something greater than what he began as. It is not an easy read, but a very compelling one.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing, deeply disturbing, yet inspiring...
Review: I'm sorry that it took me so long to find this book, partially because the book is actually entitled "SURVIVING the Killing Fields: The Cambodian Odyssey of Haing S. Ngor" (and after all this time it took only a few days to read it). Aside from that, it's probably the most intense memoir about life under the Khmer Rouge. Also gives thorough insight into the social and political maze that led led to Pol Pot's reign of terror, and what happened to Cambodia afterwards. Ngor also told not only the *deeply* disturbing details of his life as a war slave, but also the difficulties of starting a new life in America. In addition, he clearly portrayed the bizarro-ness of life as a celebrity, as opposed to the life he lived in his homeland. The reader gets a real sense of the isolation he must have felt, even after his successes in America. All this, along with his spiritual beliefs in karma, which helped him explain some of the madness, make this a beautiful and haunting story. By the way, reading this will make you want to see 'The Killing Fields' again, just to see his performance one more time. It's clear that this memoir served in part as a therapeutic device for him personally, but it's also a truly inspiring book for anyone to read. Reading about his journey was weirdly prophetic, bittersweet and sad because ten years after this book was published, Ngor was killed in a senseless act of violence in L.A.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing, deeply disturbing, yet inspiring...
Review: I'm sorry that it took me so long to find this book, partially because the book is actually entitled "SURVIVING the Killing Fields: The Cambodian Odyssey of Haing S. Ngor" (and after all this time it took only a few days to read it). Aside from that, it's probably the most intense memoir about life under the Khmer Rouge. Also gives thorough insight into the social and political maze that led led to Pol Pot's reign of terror, and what happened to Cambodia afterwards. Ngor also told not only the *deeply* disturbing details of his life as a war slave, but also the difficulties of starting a new life in America. In addition, he clearly portrayed the bizarro-ness of life as a celebrity, as opposed to the life he lived in his homeland. The reader gets a real sense of the isolation he must have felt, even after his successes in America. All this, along with his spiritual beliefs in karma, which helped him explain some of the madness, make this a beautiful and haunting story. By the way, reading this will make you want to see 'The Killing Fields' again, just to see his performance one more time. It's clear that this memoir served in part as a therapeutic device for him personally, but it's also a truly inspiring book for anyone to read. Reading about his journey was weirdly prophetic, bittersweet and sad because ten years after this book was published, Ngor was killed in a senseless act of violence in L.A.

Rating:
Summary: how can one do anything but cry?
Review: This book was my first exposure to what had happened in Cambodia. I saw a man go through a typical childhood for his class abnd become a doctor and meet the woman of his dreams. His life was perfect. Then on April 17,1975 it all came crashing down. He and the rest of his family were plunged into some of the worst conditions to ever exist in history. He survived almost his whole family. Then, he had the courage to show the whole world what had happened to his people. Sadly, this man was killed in a "random" murder in his home in LA. We promised the survivors of the Holocaust that we'd never let it happen again, but we did in Cambodia. Read this book and see why again we must try and keep it from happening ever again.

Rating:
Summary: A man of extraordinary courage
Review: This is an outstanding portrait of a man who survived the barbaric reign of terror of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Anyone who has seen the movie "The Killing Fields" has a cursory understanding of the Khmer Rouge and their attempt to transform Cambodian society during their control of the country from 1975 to 1979. However, this film omitted most of the astounding atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge as anyone who has visited Tuol Sleng S-21 in Phnom Penh (as I have) can tell you. In this book Dr. Ngor relates his horrifying experiences of life under the Khmer Rouge in detail and in the process educates the reader as to just how horrible an existence it really was.

This book is remarkable because of the detail related by Dr. Ngor and the personal nature of its content. Many Cambodians to this day will not talk about his period in their lives. For many, the mental and physical abuse they suffered during this period was too painful to re-live ever again. As I read this book, I could not help but wonder how Dr. Ngor was able to keep himself together.

Dr. Ngor effectively puts the period of Khmer Rouge rule in historical context by explaining the historical events and forces which led to their capture of the country. These events and forces included the People's Republic of China, North Vietnam, the Vietnam War, the United States, and of course, the C.I.A.

I admire Dr. Ngor for his extraordinary courage, and I regret that I did not have the opportunity to meet him during his lifetime. May he rest in peace.

Rating:
Summary: What men must suffer
Review: When I read this book sometime back, I was reading it just to read.As I got into the book I found it hard to put down. I cried, I got angry,I hated HATE. I lost two brothers in this mess! Whose loss is greater. Are we not all equal? What these people went through just to survive was dispicable. We take advantage of life! I fell in love with Haing Ngor, I wish I could have met him and hugged his neck. Not in a sexual way, but as a loving sister. This was the most precious kind of man. He gave of himself in a way we should all be doing.What he went through we could only imagine. To watch babies be ripped out of the wombs of women and to go from rich to poor, to watch your world crumble before your eyes and still have love for your fellow man. I have a respect for all life, we all need to open our eyes and look around. Life is a blessing and we should count ours. I love my country,and our people, but that doesn't mean I can't love others to. Haing S. Ngor was a great man who gave for all countries, and all men. He had a heart of gold. May God forgive us all for the Hate we hold.