The Unwanted: A Memoir of Childhood

What Kien Nguyen has accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. He tells his harrowing memoir matter-of-factly, without judgment or self-pity. The story is engaging, sad, and somehow life-affirming. Read it with a box of kleenex nearby.

This story was fantastic...It was hard to stop reading. Both my husband and I read the book while on vacation and really enjoyed.
Kien Nguyen does a wonderful job telling his life. I would love a sequel...to know the how his life was after arriving in the U.S.

This is one of the most intriguing memoirs that I have ever come across. I read it straight in 4 hours until 4 in the morning! The language and writing style are certainly not elaborate, but the serve well to communicate the memories and thoughts of the author. The Unwanted comes highly recommended by myself and the friends I have shared it with!

This story was so engaging, I finished the book in one sitting. It offers many insights into the living conditions and struggles of those still left in Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. After reading this book, I felt very thankful to be alive and appreciate the daily comforts that I take for granted.

I cried through several passages of this book. The abuse and humiliation that Kien Nguyen had to endure while growing up as an Amerasian in post-war Vietnam was so unjust. Even though these events have shaped who he is today, they have left a lot of scars. Despite the obstacles, this story reminds us of the strength of the human spirit and our ability to overcome incredible hardships. I admire Kien Nguyen's courage to share such an incredible story.

This is an excellent book. Young adults should read this book to see how the author's life compare to his or her own life. It is a very inspirational book. I highly recommened.
It would be more pleasant and easier to relate to the facts if a family picture is included in the cover.

This book is a distressing and fascinating story and also one of courage. In clear language devoid of bitterness the author tells of the years following the Vietnam War. Both insightful and inspiring.

I would recommend this book to others, I couldn't put it down. Was a little disappointed at the end because I wanted to know more. Its a great book, really makes one put their life in perspective, some of us take so much for granted!

I just finished reading The Unwanted by Kien Nguyen. The psychological, mental, physical pains and atrocities that the South Vietnamese people had endured and encountered when the communists took control over the South in May, 1975 were tremendous, unbelievable and far beyond the description of any book. I wish if the author had called it a novel instead of a memoir. A memoir should base only on the true stories, facts and incidents. It should have not been fantasized, imagined neither copied from the past historical facts. The people's court that he described in his book only happened after 1954 in the North after the communists had taken over that part of the country and never been repeated after 1975, esp. in Nhatrang, the town where he claimed that had happened. His attempt to escape by boat, esp. his landing back to Camranh and what he described about the jail system were obviously coming from his imagination and untrue to the residents of Camranh and those who had been through this system. His English writing skills were very impressive