“‘Sea of Hope’ is an account -- at once thrilling and poignant -- of a harrowing journey that begins in childhood, traverses space and time, and lands us squarely in the hearts of a supremely brave family. It is inspiring and humbling to follow this extraordinary father and mother, along with their resilient children, as they navigate passage from a seaside village in Vietnam to professional life in Southern California. This page-turning book illuminates the profound strength of the human spirit -- while renewing our faith in the shared dreams of many new Americans as they discover, explore, and grow.”

— Broughton Coburn, author of Everest: Mountain Without Mercy

"‘Sea of Hope’ reads like a good novel--the story of a family bravely fleeing their home to escape oppression and seek a new life in an unfamiliar land. But this is no novel. This is the true story of the Ma family who fled South Vietnam in 1977 and miraculously made their way to the United States. In a gripping tale written by Barbara Ma, the second-youngest of eight children, we follow her family from their happy life on Cam Ranh Bay, to the Communist takeover in 1975, through their daring escape by boat under cover of darkness to Malaysia, until they are all eventually reunited in California. It is a poignant account of a family's courage and perseverance against all odds that will leave you cheering--and misty-eyed.”

— Donald Nichols, Accounting & Financial Professional

"Barbara and Tiffanie have completed and presented a most terrific story and history, with all of the details and descriptions of people and situations they worked through. ... I felt my stomach being full just imagining all the foods, spices, smell and sounds of laughter all day long.... Your family's book would be helpful to the tens of millions of legal immigrants who come to the USA, and who have experienced their own crises, disasters, political unrest, famine, tortures and forced dislocation by wars or the crash of their economies."

— Tony Guhr, Director of Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing, LLC

"Just finished ‘Sea of Hope’ by Barbara & Tiffany Ma. Couldn't put it down. The story of Barbara (she was 11) and her family escaping South Vietnam on a boat, from the brutal tyranny of the North Vietnamese army and Viet Cong, after the 1975 Tet Offensive. I purchased it on Amazon. Highly recommend it...Amazing story of perseverance and family unity!"

— Frederick Strale, Jr., Ph.D.

"Lovely book and good nonfiction read introducing Barbara’s family on their journey out of Vietnam to the U.S..”

— Cheryl Rice, Realtor

“‘Sea of Hope’ tracks the history and journey of the Ma family as they survive the final days of the Vietnam War and embark on a harrowing escape from their idyllic town in South Vietnam to a new life in America. Taken from the point-of-view of author Barbara Ma as an ethnically Chinese girl growing up in coastal South Vietnam, the story shares the joyful innocence and sorrows of a child’s life during wartime. You can feel the love of family, culture, history and tradition on every page. This is a loving tribute to parents who risked everything to make a better life for their children. Anyone with an immigrant ancestor or refugee story will especially appreciate the sacrifice, loss and serendipity that accompanies the Ma’s as they leave one home in search of another. While some might cling to their gold bars or memories of what was lost, in the end all that matters is family.”

— Aaron Orullian, Director, Film & Television Conservatory, Orange County School of the Arts

“This book is a wonderful read, particularly for someone who grew up in the Vietnam era, and reading of the years to follow. I would highly recommend this book as a holiday gift. It provides reading not just a biography of a wonderful loving family and their challenges to escape to America, but a book of history, a book of Asian food and culture, a book of Chinese language, and a geography book. You will enjoy.”

— Barbara Thunder-Barnes, V.P. and Treasurer of Scripps Ranch Friends of the Library