Surviving Shadows

Surviving Shadows: A Life Shaped by Civil War and Genocide
by Koum Visidh

Set against the backdrop of one of the darkest periods in Cambodia's history, Surviving Shadows is a powerful true story of endurance, loss, and survival during one of the country's darkest eras. From the civil war (1970-1975) to the Khmer Rouge's brutal rule (1975-1978), under which atrocities were carried out and almost two million people perished in one way and another, including mass execution, forced labor, starvation, and diseases, Koum recounts a life shaped by suffering and the relentless struggle to stay alive.

As war consumed the nation, families were torn apart, their lives upended by violence and fear. When the Khmer Rouge seized power, an even greater nightmare unfolded-starvation, forced labor, and mass executions became daily realities. Amid unimaginable hardship, Koum fought to survive, navigating a world where death was ever-present and hope was a fragile thread. Told with raw emotion and unflinching honesty, Surviving Shadows is a powerful testament to human resilience and a tribute to those who endured the horrors of war and genocide. Through personal experience, Koum sheds light on a past that must never be forgotten.

Surviving Shadows brings to light the pain of a nation and the resilience of those who lived through it. Told with raw emotion and vivid detail, this book is a tribute to the countless lives forever changed by war and genocide.