Christina Puryear

Catholic with Confucian Tendencies Christina Puryear

In the late 70s and early 80s, the world watched in horror as thousands of Vietnamese refugees fled to freedom on rickety boats. Many lost their lives at sea, but some, like Vu Khanh Thanh, were rescued by British ships and brought to the UK for resettlement. His book tells of his flight from the north of Vietnam to the South, and life under communism where his activities as a local councillor got him in trouble with the authorities. We learn about his fight for survival on a boat stranded in the ocean and his rescue. The book is unique, because Thanh is unique - he was the first Vietnamese person in the UK to be elected as a local councillor. He was the first Vietnamese person to be awarded an MBE for services to his community. His life story is one of great upheavals, great struggles and great adventures. The book explores Thanh remarkable journey, the separation and subsequent reunification of his family, ending in the London borough of Hackney where his family have adjusted to a new British life over the past 30 years.