First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung Summary
Overview of First They Killed My Father
Loung Ung's harrowing memoir of surviving the Cambodian genocide as a child captivates with raw emotional truth. Adapted by Angelina Jolie into a BAFTA-nominated film, this firsthand account gives the statistics of genocide "far greater psychological force" than history books ever could.
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A Childhood Shattered by Revolution
The streets of Phnom Penh once bustled with life-vendors setting up food carts, children playing soccer, and families going about their daily routines. This was the Cambodia five-year-old Loung Ung knew before April 17, 1975. That afternoon, as she played hopscotch outside her family's apartment, trucks rumbled into the city carrying men in black clothes with red scarves. These Khmer Rouge soldiers ordered everyone to evacuate immediately, claiming American bombs were coming. Within days, two million residents were forced from their homes, beginning one of history's most brutal genocides. The Ung family represented Cambodia's growing middle class-nine members living comfortably in Phnom Penh. Loung's father had left life as a Buddhist monk to work as a military policeman in the Royal Secret Service. Her Chinese-born mother maintained their spacious apartment where Loung lived with six siblings: studious Meng, girl-crazy Khouy, beautiful Keav, playful Kim, quiet Chou, and adorable three-year-old Geak. As the family fled the city, Pa quickly instructed them to claim they were peasants, knowing his government connections meant certain death. The journey transformed them overnight from privileged urbanites to desperate refugees. Seventeen people crammed under one thatched roof with dirt floors. "You must forget the city," Pa instructed Loung, "and never speak of our previous life." They learned to survive without basic necessities-using hay instead of toothbrushes and bathing without soap. Their Chinese heritage and middle-class background made them doubly targeted under the new regime. What does it mean when your very identity becomes dangerous? For the Ung family, survival meant erasing who they were and becoming invisible in a landscape of fear.
Life Under the Brutal New Order
The Ultimate Loss and Separation
A Child Warrior Emerges
Liberation and Refugee Life
Journey to America and New Beginnings
The Power of Memory and Resilience
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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