War and Other Problems tells the story of someone who grew up amid the hardships of the Vietnam War - with a father killed in the line of duty, a mother struggling to raise four children in a poor farming community, and the constant fear of invasion. He left school for the military to do his part in protecting his home, only to encounter new horrors and a losing battle. He spent years as a prisoner of war. Life wasn't any easier when he got out.

Escaping to America was a long, dangerous journey that involved swimming across a river at night, sneaking past checkpoints, running desperately through jungles, surviving the bombing of a refugee camp, and navigating new hazards around every corner.

When he finally arrived, it was to face a whole new set of troubles. But despite family drama, medical ailments, and acquaintances both kind and cruel, he has persevered through it all.