WARATAH From the Ashes of the Vietnam..., HaLe Thai
WARATAH From the Ashes of the Vietnam..., HaLe Thai
List: $35.00 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.50

WARATAH From the Ashes of the Vietnam War Grew a Spirit that would not be Stopped

Author: Ha-Le Thai

Narrator: Kiki Wong

Unabridged: 17 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/19/2019


Synopsis

Ha-Le Thai knew that escaping Vietnam for freedom in a cramped, leaking boat would not be easy. She imagined that building a new life in Australia, from little more than a hope and a dream, would stretch her courage and strength to its limits. But the warrior and refugee never guessed that her biggest challenge of all would be motherhood.

A product of two cultures, Ha Le’s daughter is educated, confident and excited to introduce her Australian boyfriend to the family. As a protective mother, Ha-Le must overcome beliefs of the past and embrace the future she’s fought so hard for. But when a darker secret is revealed, Ha- Le finds herself once more a warrior caught on a battlefield. This time, however, cruel words and stony silences replace beatings and famine; the emotional warfare somehow taking a greater toll.

Past and present collide as Ha Le searches her history to try and make sense of her heartbreak. She might have overcome the threat of death and communism, but she’s never truly escaped the ghosts that keep her light from shining. In this tale of strength and vulnerability, love and loss, life journeys and self-discovery, Ha Le must save her family a second time by returning to where her story began.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Juan on December 27, 2021

This is a moving story, and the way in which it is written combines perfectly with the depth of the tale. Waratah tells the story of an expatriate woman that escaped from Vietnam during the worst years of its history looking for a better future. She completed this amazing and risky journey on board a......more

Goodreads review by Kristin on December 10, 2021

What an amazing, incredibly strong story and woman. Waratah, a name for a resilient flower in Australia, is a book about the life and battles of the author Ha-Le Thai. She mentions that the name of her book is her favorite flower and one that symbolizes her life, a phoenix-like plant that only grows......more

Goodreads review by Agustina on August 31, 2021

WARATAH: Abridged Version is Ha-Le Thai story, an amazing woman that never thought motherhood was going to be as hard as being a refugee from Vietnam. Family means everything to her and she will do the impossible for them. The secrets and ghost from the past are always in the lookout and it doesn’t......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on August 31, 2021

So many great facets! I loved this book so much! For one thing, I study and love South and East Asian culture, so Ha-Le’s perspective was intriguing and gripping. Of course, I didn’t agree with every thought and choice she made. However, choices she made, especially toward her daughter and husband, f......more

Goodreads review by Evelyn on December 26, 2021

Once again, Ha-Le Thai has managed to populate her memoir with three generations of powerful women that tugged at my heart strings. "Waratah" is a marvelous and thought provoking autobiography which shows hopes and dreams fulfilled or dashed. It let me ride along with the author the wildest adventur......more