Beyond the Rice Paddies

by Linda West

This poignant memoir shares the story of a young Vietnamese girl during the height of the war in Vietnam.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1419675559
• ISBN13: 9781419675553
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
• Length: 111 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Beyond the Rice Paddies

This is an innocent perspective of war and the horrors it can bring to civilian lives at the crossroads. Through the eyes of a 10 year old village girl, we get a tiny glimpse of people attempting to normalize and survive an untenable situation on a day to day basis. Written simply and clearly, as she actually saw and interpreted what was occurring is the power of this work. A must read for us all to slow down a bit so we can count the cost of war.

Nostalgic and Sweet Book

This is a wonderfully sweet and charming book about the Vietnam war, seen from a child's viewpoint. The author was a small child when us big old Americans were trudging through her village. I always wondered what the people felt as they were watching us. Then, especially after I had been in Vietnam a few months and realized the futility of what we were doing, I hated it and felt bad about our actions upon the common people especially (wonder how the Iraqi vets will feel in a few years). In Nam, the villagers were just trying to survive and had done nothing to deserve this. In reading the book, I was so moved as a Vietnam vet and hope all my fellow vets will get on board and get this book. I immediately ordered a couple of copies. Thanks so much to the author for writing it and please forgive us our tansgressions.

War Through a Little Girl's Eyes

This is a well-crafted look through a little girl's eyes at an often sweet and sometimes dark childhood. Remember where you were when the Vietnam War was being fought? If you are Ms. West's age and living in the U.S., chances are you were enjoying a far different upbringing. In "Beyond the Rice Paddies," she gives us a compelling snapshot of what it was like to grow up as war raged around her home in Vietnam. The vignettes are written in first person, which gives them a dreamy quality of recollection and add feeling to the author's remembrance of a life lived in what now must seem like a strange time and place. It is refreshing to read a book written by someone who is grateful to American troops for the battles they fought. Ms. West refers to the soldiers who marched through her village as "giants," a phrase she uses to describe how they appeared to a little girl, but perhaps also a revealing insight into how she feels about those brave and honorable men. I finished the book hoping for an epilogue. There wasn't one, but perhaps that is the basis for her next book. Well done.

Great book-A must read!

Beyond the Rice Paddies is a page burner that draws you in with soft heart felt emotions and intrigue. I couldn't put it down and finished it before getting up. Linda West has been able to hold on to her childlike innocence and portray it in her first bold step of writing; How she managed to, can only come about via Love. My heart bleeds for those left behind, and hopes for those here, like Linda West.

Heartfelt memoir

This is a wonderful memoir told from the perspective of a number of events during the Vietnam war. The little girl's interpretation of war and its' atrocities is jarring wake up call telling us a story beyond the economics and politics of war mongering and torn countries ... these are people's lives! I would highly recommend this book to friends and family. It is an awakening, provocative look at the Vietnam war.