Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book! As soon as I finished it I started reading it again. Lai uses her own experiences in Vietnam during the war and her new life in the U.S. as the basis for this book. The picture of Vietnam that I carry is of forest and explosions and children running down streets screaming. This book shows the side of Saigon that is everyday life-going to the market, spending time gardening and with family but it doesn't gloss over the sound of the bombing or the hunger. When the family arrives in the U.S. after escaping on a cramped military ship, they face discrimation and adjustment that takes time to face and heal.



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