Kim Phúc

Some books impact you more deeply than others, and this book was one of those for me. I always approach memoirs with a slight hesitancy—so many get off on tangents, or drag on far too long, but generally, there’s SOMETHING worth getting out of them, so I do my best to try to include a few in my reading diet every year.

Fire Road, though, was a refreshing read. The things Kim Phuc had to go through in her childhood and young adult years were beyond anything I could imagine, but the faith and tenacity she showed as she endured it all was encouraging, to say the least. So often, she had to deal with injustice with no possible recourse, and as an outsider looking on her life, I’d say what a waste! But God’s perfect timing was shown over and over again, and though it would be great to change the circumstances, her example of courage blessed me—and inspired me to be more courageous in my own life.

Anything but dry, this is an excellent memoir that I highly recommend.… (meer)

"The Girl from the Picture" tells her story. She was just a girl when the Vietnam War ravaged her country and disrupted the peaceful life of her family. They got used to the presence of North Vietnamese soldiers around their village - though not entirely to the way they demanded supplies from them whenever they needed it. But when bombing raids started Kim's family fled to the safety of a nearby temple. Nothing could shelter them from the horrible fire that rained from the sky the day the infamous picture of Kim running naked and burned down the road was taken. Kim tells us what happened after that picture - a miraculous story of how her mother's tenacity literally brought her back from the dead in a hospital morgue. The pain that Kim must now endure every day of her life starts at that point. So does her spiritual journey as she searches for something to give her hope when she must live with so much pain. Kim's journey through pain and from despair to hope takes her from Vietnam to Cuba, the Soviet Union and eventually Canada and the U.S. I found it moving and kept routing for her to succeed over such dismal odds and it was satisfying when she did. I did find parts of the book disjointed and hard to follow however, and I can only feel this is due to the translation of her story as English is obviously not her first language.… (meer)

Powerful.

When reading (or listening) to the personal story of another's life and tragedies, it all seems unbelievable. How can this much suffering happen to one individual? There are many memoirs and stories recounting the horrors of the Vietnam War, but this one stands out by embodying the destruction and wounds of so many, much like the famous photo. There were so many events that left me aghast and heart broken for her experiences, and yet the book is filled with hope.
Kim Phuc's primary mission for this book was obviously sharing her faith, but it is the backbone of her journey from war victim to peace advocate. The book starts in her hometown in Vietnam and follows her down Route One where the napalm bombs left their mark on her 8 year old body and the world. Here her suffering begins, but without this "Fire Road" she would never be the spokesperson she is today.
This book is satisfying. The Vietnam War feels real and eminent; her wounds are weighty and painful; the oppression is terrifying and smothering. But her journey is remarkable; her courage is inspiring; her impact is immeasurable.
Fire Road is truly a work from Kim's heart.… (meer)