Tha aftermath of the Vietnam war is brought vividly to life in Dennis Dunivan's new young adult book Escape from Communist Heaven. Young Viet Nguyen is just 14 when tanks roll through his Saigon neighborhood as the Americans abandon the city to the Viet Cong. The rebellious teenager chafes under Communist rule, and he is soon arrested an sent to a labor camp. Determined to escape his captors, who dream of creating a "Communist heaven" on earth, Viet hatches a daring - and dangerous -plan.
Dennis Dunivan was a journalist based in London when he met the real Viet Nguyen. After hearing Viet's stories of life in a Vietnamese prison camp, Dunivan crafted a tale based both on his friend's memories and his own research. Although they are separated by thousands of miles, Dunivan and Viet remain the best of friends.
