Alex is war baby of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence, he is adopted by the McKensies in America. The McKensies had recently lost their son in Vietnam. The Silent and the Lost opens with the wedding of Alex and Sangeeta, and then goes back in time to 1971 and the political conflict in East Pakistan. It is a story of heroism and betrayal, family and friendship, love and anguish. This is the story of the nine months of revolution that created Bangladesh. A story of two generations spread across two continents, thousands of miles apart, brought jarringly together when Alex begins his search for answers into his past.
A masterfully told story about a period in history that was overshadowed by the Vietnam conflict. Until I read this story I wasn't really aware of the conflict that took place in East Pakistan. The characters come alive on these pages. You can't help but feel their pain and wish them the best. Not a very happy tale - those based a violent history usually aren't. The children that were born as a result of this conflict were at least given an chance to find happy homes and find good families. I am very glad that I read this book.
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