Book 1 - Blog 2 - The Girl in the Picture

Book Details:
The Girl in the Picture
The story of Kim Phuc, the Photograph, and the Vietnam War
Pages: 372
Pages read: 372
Cumulative pages read: 372
Words on page 50: 297 (33 x 9)
Words in book: 110, 484 (averaged)
Cumulative words read: 110,484

Well, book one for this blog is complete. It really was a great read, and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in learning about the sufferings of war, and even about some of the more detailed aspects of what happened in Vietnam. The book also considers, not in great depth, the happenings after the Vietnam War, and the fact that the country then started warring with Cambodia. They had a tough time, the Vietnamese, none more so than Kim Phuc.

Kim, if she stayed in Vietnam, was destined to a life of poverty. Her communist government was controlling her every move, from what she would stay, to who and when interviewed about her story. She became world renowned, especially at events like world youth events, or major anniversary dates of the Vietnam War (like the 10 and 20 year anniversaries). She was not paid anything for many of the interviews, although at the time that she was living in Vietnam, she received the travel and accommodation free of charge.

Finally, she was given the opportunity to study in Cuba, where she eventually studied English. In her early years there, her quality of life was good, though it deteriorated with the demise of the economic situation in that country. Whilst in Cuba, Kim Married Toan.

Kim eventually got the opportunity to travel to Canada. While she was in Canada she took the opportunity to relocate to that country, and live in total freedom for the first time in her life. She was not controlled by a communist regime any longer. Although her and Toan continued to live in poverty, being unable to work, due to Visa delays, they were ecstatic with the move, and they had children and moved Kim's parents over from Vietnam to live with them. Toan is working two jobs to support the family, though it all seemed rosy at the end of the book.

For all of her suffering, heart ache and pain, Kim Phuc finally found happiness and a life that she longer for, for such a long time. Hers was a journey of endurance and tolerance, underpinned by strong religious beliefs and an at times strong family support network.

Key message from the book

I think there are several key messages to be taken from this book.

1. No matter what happens to you in life, there is always hope. And, there is always someone with a bigger burden to bare. Kim Phuc should have received much needed medical attention in the years following her burns. She did not receive that care until at least 10 years later, so the pain she must have endured during those long years would have been excruciating. If she can bear that burden, we can bear our trials and tribulations.

2. You must always maintain a positive outlook on life. One person that met Kim could not believed how"somebody who has met death up close can be so full of life? Smiling all the time, with everyone." A positive frame of mind with create positive outcomes, as they did for Kim.

3. Believe, and you shall receive. This is true for all aspects of your life. Believe in a greater good, and the fact that the universe provides, and it will do just that. In Kim's case, it was a belief in God that got her through. She believed that "the Napalm bomb was unknown and unexpected, and an "accident" but she came to believe that God, when he saw need, would deliver other "accidents" in her life to offset the suffering and evil wrought by the bomb; these accidents would be good people, strangers to her, wanting to do acts of goodness. How true it is - the universe provides.

Until next time, read hard.

Jimmy A

Oh, and by the way, when we were in Vietnam (today we are on our way home to Australia) we visited the place where the picture of Kim Phuc was taken. It looks different now to what it does in the picture. It was quite amazing to stand somewhere that significantly changed the worlds opinion on war.

Readability: 4 (out of 5)
Intesting Information: 4 (out of 5)
Overall book quality: 4 (out of 5)
Overall: 8 (out of 10)

Places visited: 1
People met: 0
Books given away: 1 (to Gemma, my wife)
Books purchased second hand or cheap: 1