Lulu in the Sky: A Daughter of Cambodia Finds Love, Healing, and Double Happiness

This is the last of the series. I'm so glad I found & read all 3. Some heartbreak for those people, some history, all very interesting.

"Lulu In The Sky" is the third installment by Loung Ung.Her first novel "First They Killed My Father" tells of the atrocities of the Cambodian Genocide that started in the mid-1970s, harsh survival against all odds, and the loss of family & life as she knew it.Her second novel, "Lucky Child" describes arriving to a foreign land and starting over. But starting over is not as easy as it seems. The painful loss and memories from Cambodia are still fresh and burned into her memory. Loung struggles to find herself, make friends, and please her brother and sister-in-law.In "Lulu In The Sky" we see Loung move from victim to victim advocate. With the patient love and support of college boyfriend and future husband, Mark, she finds the courage to confront the evils of the past. No longer an awkward immigrant girl, Loung blossoms into a confident and strong voice for battered women, veteran soldiers, and eventually for Cambodia. With a pen and paper Loung exorcises ghosts of the past that have haunted her, tells the world about the Cambodia genocide, and keeps the memory of her parents and lost siblings alive."Lulu In the Sky" is a powerful novel, which showcases the human spirit's ability to overcome the unthinkable, the invaluable contributions that immigrants bring to secondary countries, and the power of love. A highly inspirational and memorable novel indeed!*** On a side note, my in-laws are from Cambodia and experienced the Cambodian genocide firsthand. The following is a portion of text that I wrote to the author after reading her books:"Loung, I am forever indebted to you. You have given me insight that I may have never otherwise gained into the life of the Cambodian family during the mid 70s and early 80s; from the loss and war in Cambodia, to struggles of growing accustomed to a new country and its cultures. In a way, you have been the voice for my in-laws on topics that they cannot bear to speak of and that I have not been able to ask them. Often times, I don't think that there would be anything positive in dredging up the past. And though no individual or family had the exact same experiences, I believe that many circumstances were similar. Thank you for in that way being their voice to me. I can understand and appreciate them even more after reading your books."Thanks Loung.

I loved this book! I went on a trip to Thailand and Cambodia this past year and was looking for a great book to read that would also let me in on what the people of Cambodia actually lived through during the Genocide in the 1970s under Pol Pots rule. We visited the Toul Sleng museum and the Killing Fields and heard of the horific things that had happened but I wanted to put a real voice and story to everything I was learning. When walking through a book store a few blocks from our hotel which was part of the old US embassy buildings I found Loung Ung's first book titled and First They Killed My Father. It started as a normal 5 year old's childhood and then showed you how Cambodia drastically changed over night. I was so hooked on this book I read the entire thing on the flight back. When I got back home my husband ordered her next book called Lucky Child. I again couldn't put it down and read it within a week. This book is the 3rd in the series and is as great as the first two were. Shortly after I read this book I actually found out there was a book reading by the author at a book store in Harvard Square and got to meet her in person. She is a great person who is very down to earth and has done a lot for her country. She actually doesn't make any money on her books in Cambodia. It all goes to charity there to help those who are still suffering from things like the many land mines still around. You should really buy these books. I have never read such a page turner and it was great to have three books to read back to back. I will warn you some of the things in the first book can paint a pretty graphic picture of the genicide that happened in Cambodia. These books will change you life and make you appreciate what you have as well as showing you how much the people of Cambodia have been though and that they really are a great people. The books and my trip were a life changing experience!

The media could not be loaded.  Great read!Must get other books to experience her journey.

The first time I saw Loung Ung she was being interviewed on late night TV just after her first book was published. The interview was so riveting I went out the next day and ordered her book First They Killed my Father. It was an unbelievable experience both emotionally and educationally. I am older than she is but knew little more about the genocide in Cambodia than what I heard in history classes. Recently I saw a small blurb in a People magazine about Angelina Jolie making a movie of her book and it led me to her two sequels about the rest of her life. I would like to thank Ms Ung for inviting me into her life and the lives of her amazing family and for putting faces on the people of her homeland.

The author has a vivid way of writing. I have all 3 of her books and highly recommend them. the 1st book starts when she is age 5 and the war tears her life apart. The next book is a very smartly done comparison of her life in America and the life of her sister that she had to leave behind in Cambodia. The 3rd book tells of her time trying to grow up in a different country and much more.

I quickly became hooked on this memoir series after seeing an ad for the movie by Angelina Jolie for First They Killed My Father. Ms. Ung is an absolutely phenomenal writer who takes you directly into the heart of the camps and helping you view it all from the eyes of a child. In the third installment, Lulu in the Sky, we see her struggle as an adult and she works to cope with her experiences, adapt to a new culture, and even go and find love. Plus, her love of food really speaks to my heart, or, erm, stomach.

I definitely recommend reading the series. Gives insight to the genocide in Cambodia and puts a human face to it. So many struggles around the world and good to be aware how easily it can happen anywhere.

Gripping

All three of the books that Loung Ung has written on the Cambodian genecide offer an amazing perspective on the attrocity. Really respect the author and the work she does.

Page turner like her two earlier books (did not read the first). Luong's often lyrical writing in Lulu in the Sky reveals her inner turmoil and her many challenges as she tries to overcome these with the help of her friends and a very special, compassionate and loving man in her life.

A good copy as mentioned

Tolles Buch ! Wer “First they killed my father“ und „Lucky child“gelesen hat, sollte auch unbedingt dieses lesen !Nur zu empfehlen!