When Heaven and Earth Changed Places

Summary

This haunting memoir tells the brutal story of the Vietnam War from the perspective of an innocent victim whose childhood was dominated by violence, devastation, and conflicts between the teachings of her culture and the realities of war. Le Ly Hayslip— the youngest in a close-knit Buddhist family— was 12 years old when U.S. helicopters landed in her village. She was raped and "ruined" for marriage by Viet Cong soldiers, imprisoned and tortured by the South Vietnamese, and sentenced to death by the Viet Cong. Ultimately fleeing to the U.S. with her children, Le Ly finally found peace, and in 1986, she was reunited with her family in Vietnam. The story of her homecoming— interwoven with her memories of the war years— paints a vivid picture of a noble, optimistic woman and her native country.