We’ve just added a new book to our Time of Remembrance Secret War Resources page: Across the Mekong River. We recently had the opportunity to meet with the author, Elaine Russell, to learn about what inspired her to write this novel, which, in less than a year, has earned three awards.
Brief summary of the novel:
“In a California courtroom, seventeen-year-old Nou Lee reels with what she is about to do. What she must do to survive. She reflects on the splintered path that led to this moment, beginning twelve years ago in 1978, when her Hmong family escaped from Laos after the Communist takeover. The story follows the Lees from a squalid refugee camp in Thailand to a new life in Minnesota and eventually California. Family members struggle to survive in a strange foreign land, haunted by the scars of war and loss of family. Across the Mekong River paints a vivid picture of the Hmong immigrant experience, exploring family love, sacrifice, and the resiliency of the human spirit to overcome tragic circumstances.”
Nineteen teachers in the greater Sacramento area attended the Crossing Lines – Tools for Teaching Tough Topics seminar the week of June 16-20 and had the pleasure of meeting author Elaine Russell. They received signed copies of Across the Mekong River and posed for a photo with her during the seminar.
Gail & Kathleen
