8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unfaltering hope, the relentless optimist, August 27, 2008
This review is from: Golden Bones: An Extraordinary Journey from Hell in Cambodia to a New Life in America (Hardcover)
I must congratulate the author for creating such a powerful story that will inspire us all for generations to come. It takes an incredible amount of courage to relive those moments in order to tell of them. On behalf of all of us who are fortunate to be able to read of his journey, we thank him for his soulful outpouring and for sharing a piece of history that we might otherwise never have known about.
From cultural highlights about Cambodia (arranged marriages, faith, and even pet bears), to the carnage of the Khmer Rouge, to public speaking tips (Z180 delivery), to even getting ripped off in NYC, Sichan has created a memorable book that reminds us that the key to overcoming anything life throws at us is to keep that optimistic spirit alive, and to treat others around you with endless kindness and respect.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Hell to the White House & United Nations, August 25, 2008
This review is from: Golden Bones: An Extraordinary Journey from Hell in Cambodia to a New Life in America (Hardcover)
Golden Bones reads like fiction, until you realize it is a true story. It is history, international politics, intrigue, the White House, United Nations and a love story all rolled into one. I started it on a Friday evening and could not put it down until I finished it on Sunday. What a most fascinating and moving story. The courage and leadership showed by Sichan Siv at such a young age was remarkable, and should be an inspiration to everyone. Fleeing hell and thirteen years later becoming a Presidential aide sounds more like a novel than reality.
In addition, I enjoyed learning more about the history and culture of Cambodia.
While reading Golden Bones, I was often in tears, and frequently, crying. Ambassador Siv's escape during the 1975-1976 period occurred when I was working in the White House. I saw how difficult his life was, and thought how soft it was for me at that same time. I can't even imagine what it was like to learn that your family had been brutally murdered. The description of his mother and family was wonderful and heart warming. His escape from the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields was remarkable and riveting.
Sichan Siv's return to Cambodia in 1992 representing the President of the United States must have been one of the most enjoyable and emotional moments of his life. Also, what a thrill to have the Dalai Lama ask for your autograph?
After going through hell, Ambassador Siv had so many good things happen to him upon arriving in the United States, but, obviously, meeting Martha Lee Pattillo, his future wife, had to be at the top of the list. His description of their courtship and relationship has the making of a movie, a true love story.
One of my regular tennis partners while in the White House was George H. W. Bush, before he became "41," so I also share Sichan Siv's great admiration for him. (Bush, Sr. was our liaison to China and then Director of the C.I.A. in those days).
I learned a great deal from Golden Bones, including courage, motivation and leadership, not to mention ABC, (American By Choice), and overall, one must work hard to achieve their objectives. Also, I'll always remember, "No matter what happens, never give up."
Golden Bones is an inspiring and uplifting story for people of all ages and walks of life.
John G. Carlson
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Amazing, Inspiring Story, August 21, 2008
This review is from: Golden Bones: An Extraordinary Journey from Hell in Cambodia to a New Life in America (Hardcover)
Golden Bones is one of the most amazing, inspiring stories that I have ever come across. It is really at least two inspirational stories. The first is Sichan Siv's tale of survival during the murderous reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia--a reign that killed over a fifth of Siv's countrymen and almost his entire family. His dramatic, against-all-odds escape from Cambodia by bicycling across the entire country, somehow escaping detection and outwitting the Khmer Rouge, is an epic in and of itself. The second story--how Siv rose from a penniless refugee in the U.S. to a high-ranking White House official and later a U.S. Ambassador--is an incredible tale in its own right. His rise from working as a New York cab driver plying the streets outside the U.N. to a high-ranking Ambassador representing the U.S. inside the U.N. is one of those "only in America" stories that should make us all proud. The book keeps you on the edge of your seat as it navigates through all of the dramatic twists and turns of Sichan Siv's remarkable life. This book is required reading!
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