Cambodia - First They Killed My Father

Book 28: First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers - Loung Ung

"One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of 5. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung's family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed."

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This is an extremely well-written book about a part of the world and a time in history that is glanced over in most American history books. We've all heard of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge and we all have a vague sense that they were terrible. We also seem to leave out the part about the Vietnamese being the good guys in this story. Go figure. 

It's not an easy read. War and genocide never are. But Loung's story is powerful and important. You should read this one even if you're not doing an around-the-world challenge.