The Fragility of Life

One point made abundantly clear throughout The Land I Lost is that life in the unforgiving wilderness could be snuffed out in an instant. Nhuong treats the subject of death matter-of-factly, almost casually, demonstrating that death was a constant in his community.

Wild beasts presented the largest threat to the safety of the hamlet dwellers. Wild hogs, horse snakes, two-steps snakes, and crocodiles are just some of the forest denizens that present a daily threat. The community had to band together to resolve these threats, and survival definitely depended on being community-minded and helping one's neighbor. The most obvious manifestation of community activity was the hunting party, in which able-bodied men used bloodhounds to track and kill rampaging beasts. Nhuong describes hunting parties that were formed to take care of a lone wild hog that had killed a farmer, as well as a horse snake...