Review of Faith, Family, Country & FriendsNy

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Faith, Family, Country & FriendsNy" by Jon Danh.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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On April 29, 1975, Chuong Danh learned he had fifteen minutes to locate his family and flee his homeland. He and his loved ones escaped war-torn Vietnam as refugees with an unknown future but found hope and a new beginning in America. Faith, Family, Country & Friends: My 15 Minutes to Escape Vietnam is Choung “Jon” Danh’s brief but powerful testimony of his family values and his success in the pursuit of the American Dream.

I found it fitting to have chosen to read this book just days before celebrating America’s Independence Day on July 4. As a native-born American citizen, I appreciated the open honesty of the author as he shared his journey to the U.S. and his gratitude for the freedoms that exist in this country. His thankful words and positive attitude reminded me of the extensive freedoms that are easy to take for granted and sent me into the Fourth of July weekend with a greater appreciation for the nation where I was born.

I also loved the author’s testimony about the core values that he learned growing up. The respect and honor he expressed for his father and his faith inspired me. I was also intrigued by the details he shared about his early years in the Buddhist monastery where his father sent him to live with his grandfather. The book featured Buddhist quotes, Jon’s reflections, and his family’s “DANH” values of Dedication, Ability, Never Quit, and Honesty. Each was inspirational in its own way, and there were many words of wisdom to take to heart.

While Danh’s journey was not easy, he opened my eyes to the hardships and the unknowns of leaving your home with nothing but the clothes on your back. My favorite part of the stories he shared about his time as a refugee is that he never lost hope and chose to use the values instilled in him as a boy to help him get his family established in a new home. I also appreciated his thankful words and final challenge to the reader to “develop your own core values, believe in yourself, and make your dreams come true.”

There was nothing that I disliked about the content shared in the memoir, but unfortunately, there were some punctuation and grammar errors throughout the book. For that reason, I give Faith, Family, Country & Friends three out of four stars.

This short inspirational memoir is a quick and easy read that will leave you contemplating the lessons and core values long after you put it down. Danh’s words and eagerness to express the transition of his life from a refugee to a proud citizen are heart-warming and thought-provoking. I recommend this book to anyone who has lost sight of their American Dream and needs a positive word of encouragement to get back on track.

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Faith, Family, Country & FriendsNy
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[Kanchan Bhil]

The journey from Vietnam to America must have been one of the hardships and difficult times. The books about such incidents always teach us some values. Thank you for this great review! This book is definitely going on my bookshelf.

[Maliha Naveed]

As a descendant of the people migrating from subcontinent to Pakistan, I could absolutely relate to the narrative of this book. Nice review.