Author: Xuelin Yeong

  • When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

    Following my previous book review ‘Last Night I Dreamed of Peace’, here’s a pre-war story, one more suitable for children—‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit.’

    The author of the book, Judith Kerr, wrote it based on her own childhood experiences. It’s considered a semi-autobiographical novel, although some parts are purely fictional.

    Anna, a Jewish girl of nine, led a happy life with her parents and her elder brother Max. Her father was a famous writer who often wrote articles criticising the Nazis, while her mother is a well-to-do housewife, who never had to worry about housework as they could afford to hire people to help them. That gives an idea of how affluent their family were before the Nazis came into power.

    Although Anna’s father was sometimes an impractical man, he had great foresight and knew that should the Nazis be elected, he and his family would be in great danger. Thus, he escaped to Switzerland, and arranged for his family to do so too, right before the elections. It was a wise move, as after they left their property were confiscated. In fact, the title of the book refers to Anna’s favourite toy that was taken away along with everything else.

    As the days passed, the family’s economics became increasingly strained. While in the past they had lived comfortably, now they struggled at the brink of poverty. They had to move from country to country in search of a better life, and the children were forced to adapt to new schools, people and foreign languages. For example, Anna struggled very hard to learn French, but as she finally mastered the language, the family had to move to England.

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  • Last Night I Dreamt of Peace

    Peace.

    In some countries, it is an ever-present entity, sometimes taken for granted. In other countries, it is something that can only be dreamt of.

    Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is a heart-warming, touching story of a young doctor serving in the Vietnam War. Known as the Vietnamese version of Anne Frank, she kept a series of diaries in the midst of the fighting, unrest, and the hectic life she led. Unlike other accounts of war stories, her diaries not only speak of patriotism and bravery, but also of her personal insecurities, homesickness, and self-analysis.

    The Girl Behind the Diaries 

    Dang Thuy Tram was born in the 26th of November 1942, into a family of intellectuals. Her father was a surgeon at St Paul’s Hospital, and her mother a lecturer at the Hanoi School of Pharmacology. Her home in North Vietnam was filled with books, flowers, music and warmth. She grew up in this privileged surroundings to become a compassionate and sensitive young woman, with a love for music and knowledge of literature and poetry. Her literary interest is often reflected in her writings. She often quoted examples from literary works such as Vietnamese poetry as well as Western classics.

    Following her father’s footsteps, she studied medicine at the Hanoi University Medical School, and trained as a surgeon. However, after the call of duty, she left a life of ease and comfort, choosing instead to serve the wounded soldiers in the perilous South, where war raged and bombings were common.

    She was shot on the 22nd of June, 1970 after the location of her clinic was exposed to the Americans by an informant. A few days before that, her situation at the clinic was desperate as many had left, and food became very scarce, with only enough rice for only one more meal. Two of her colleagues went out to seek help, leaving her to guard her patients alone. Her diary ends with,

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