I Did Not Miss the Boat

Memoir of a Vietnam Hoa Refugee

By: Lea Tran

Narrated by: Lea Tran

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

I Did Not Miss the Boat is the coming of age story of an adolescent girl who struggled to help her family & assimilation into a new country while searching for her own identity. From surviving the vast South China Seas, pirate raids, and uninhabited Indonesian islands to surviving high school and family life, Lea Tran did not experience a typical American upbringing.

When the communists took over Saigon, Tran's world had turned upside down. Together with five hundred others, she and her family left everything they knew in hopes of a better future as "people" part of the mass exodus of refugees from post-war Vietnam.

Being Hoa, a Chinese minority in Vietnam, meant that she had shallow roots in both Chinese and Vietnamese traditions. In coming to America, she and her family grappled with holding onto their heritage, while embracing the new Western culture. Her memoir speaks to the experience of first-generation immigrants and refugees, and what it was like to rebuild their lives in a foreign land.

Through her vivid account of harrowing times, drastically opposite environments, and unparalleled determination, Lea Tran's inspiring journey from oppressive traditions to self-discovery and liberation will captivate and educate any non-fiction fan.

©2020 Lea Tran (P)2022 Lea Tran

Thank you for telling your story

I had previously read Lea's book and loved it. I have gifted it to several friends. Hearing it narrated in Lea's own voice and knowing that these are her words, made it so much more poignant and moving. This book tells the story of Lea's family before, during and after the Vietnam war. It tells of the slowly building fear and desperation that led them to build a boat to escape. Their intelligence, cleverness and strong will were key to their success and you feel your heart beating fast as they make their risky escape. Although it is clear that the boat escape was a turning point in their lives, I found their experiences in the camps and picking up the pieces in the USA to be as compelling. I have no experiences in my life to compare to theirs, I can clearly see the value of this book for immigrants of any nationality and for those of us who wish to understand and love them. I had previously considered this a "must read" book, but now I think it also a "must listen". Thank you Lea, for baring your soul.

Courage and Resilience

It's been a while since a book captivated me so much. I listened to it during my long walks and often would tear up in public listening to stories of unbelievable adversity and deep family bonds. This book opened my eyes to what happened to people in Vietnam when the communists took over and their challenging assimilation experience in a new and foreign land. It is hard to even imagine what her parents faced and endured. The courage and resilience that Lea and her family exhibited in the face of unimaginable pain and trauma are truly inspirational. Thank you for sharing your deeply personal story with us, Lea. A must-read book and hopefully one day this story makes it to the BIG screen.

A brief, vulnerable, glimpse.

I really enjoyed this story, it give a very open view of a person's struggles that you would not otherwise be able to see. Lea Tran's optimism throughout is uplifting and encouraging.

it is really good and healthy for myself, whose relatives immigrated several generations ago, to step into the shoes of a recent immigrant to recognize the hardships that they have suffered.

So glad I found this book

So glad I found this book. I, myself, am a first generation American from my parents who are also boat people. The experiences that Lea went through reminds me so much of my family especially Lea’s relationship with her father. This book reminds me to appreciate my parents more. Amazing audio book told by Lea herself and you could feel her emotions as she’s telling her story.