Saving Five
A Memoir of Hope
by Amanda Nguyen
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Pub Date Mar 04 2025 | Archive Date Apr 04 2025
Description
"Amanda’s story—innovatively told by versions of herself at different ages—underscores the lasting power of speaking your truth, building a movement, and never losing sight of your dreams.” —Melinda French Gates
"In Saving Five, Amanda Nguyen shows us how to reclaim the full spectrum of our lives, replete with pain, fury, creativity, and recovered dreams.” —Chanel Miller, author of Know My Name
A brave and imaginative memoir by the Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen, detailing her healing journey and groundbreaking activism in the aftermath of her rape at Harvard.
In 2013, the trajectory of Amanda Nguyen’s life was changed forever when she was raped at Harvard.
Determined to not let her assault derail her goal of joining NASA after graduation, Nguyen opted for her rape kit to be filed under “Jane Doe.” But she was shocked to learn her choice to stay anonymous gave her only six months to take action before the state destroyed her kit, rendering any future legal action impossible. Nguyen knew then that she had two options: surrender to a law that effectively denied her justice, or fight for a change—not only for herself but for survivors everywhere.
A heart-wrenching memoir of survival and hope, Saving Five boldly braids the story of Nguyen’s activism—which resulted in Congress’s unanimous passage of the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act in 2016—with a second, beautifully imagined adventure, of Nguyen's younger selves as they—at ages five, fifteen, twenty-two, and thirty—navigate through dramatic incarnations of the emotional stages of her path toward healing, not only from her rape but from the violent turmoil of her childhood. The result is a groundbreaking work that seamlessly blends memoir with a moving journey toward acceptance and hope, forging a path ahead that is as inspiring as it is instructive.
From one of the most influential activists (and now astronauts) of her time, Saving Five is at once a tribute to resilience, a celebration of healing through action, and a resounding cry to change the world.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“Saving Five is an extraordinarily moving account of Amanda Nguyen’s pursuit of justice and healing for herself and for millions of survivors around the world. Amanda’s story—innovatively told by versions of herself at different ages—underscores the lasting power of speaking your truth, building a movement, and never losing sight of your dreams.” —Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and founder, Pivotal
"Brilliant. Amanda Nguyen is a compassionate, clear-eyed guiding force. Not only does she fight for survivor’s basic rights, in Saving Five she shows us how to reclaim the full spectrum of our lives, replete with pain, fury, creativity, and recovered dreams." —Chanel Miller, author of Know My Name
"Amanda Nguyen's journey from survivor to global advocate inspires and empowers us all to stand up and fight for what is right. Saving Five is truly a beacon of hope for anyone who has faced adversity and Amanda's voice is one that the world needs to hear." —Paris Hilton
"If Saving Five doesn’t inspire you, check your pulse. It is an extraordinary testimony of resilience, persistence, and ambition. While Amanda’s history-making journey alone could have carried this memoir, it’s also a feat of formal invention, lyrical prose, and a gifted storyteller’s sense of suspense. I was mesmerized from page one to its triumphant ending." —Mitchell S. Jackson, author of Survival Math, winner of the Pulitzer Prize
“It takes a special kind of bravery to suffer what Amanda Nguyen has endured and not only survive, but to become stronger through every slight, indignity, and betrayal by every power that you can imagine, be it governmental, administrative, institutional, or familial. I am in awe of her persistence, determination and fortitude to fight for and win rights we as American citizens have mistakenly assumed were ours by birthright. Saving Five describes why she is my hero.” —Terry Crews
"I am in awe of Amanda Nguyen's courage in sharing her story and her fight to support survivors. As a survivor, I know how painful it is to revisit and recount the horror of the rape and sexual abuse, along with the shame, stigma, and doubt that came with it. Today, Amanda and Saving Five are more than just that story—she’s an astronaut, an author, an activist, and a champion for all." —Nadia Murad, recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780374615918 |
| PRICE | $27.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 224 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Jaime S, Reviewer
Nothing I can say will fully capture how amazing Amanda Nguyen's powerful and inspiring memoir about finding hope after utter devastation was. The way Nguyen tells her story is creative and vulnerable, alternating between her story in "reality" and her grief journey in the "Realm of Memory." Her wonderful writing reflects that grief is worth feeling and it is always worth it to not give up and fight, whatever that looks like for you. If you relate to Nguyen's story or you don't, her messages are important and I really encourage anyone and everyone to read this.
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