My book
It is often said by Vietnamese, when rice is good, life is good. When there is no rice, there is no life. These were the times when the truth of the saying was tested and found to be all too true.
When Chien started school, his lunchbox was full. When Cong started a couple of years later, his lunchbox was half-full. By the time I started school, the contents of all our lunchboxes, if put together, were seldom enough to keep a mouse alive. Our stomachs were empty. The time of the great famine had come.
There was no plague of locusts that ate the crops, no flood which drowned our crops. Instead ,the famine was due to the coming together of two very different things: an unprecedented drought and mounting government debt.
Read about how my brothers and I discovered that even dead snakes still bite. Come with us as we hunt whatever nature gives us for food and fun. Follow me as I defy traditional filial obedience and become a university student and later, tour guide. Laugh at me as I make mistakes and learn to cope with mistakes of others. Follow me to Europe where I have an indecent proposal and escape drug dealers. Come back with me to Vietnam and listen to how I found success only to lose everything, rebuild and lose everything again.
Come into my world and listen to the stories from my family that will make you sometimes want to turn away and close the book but will still force you to read on and on to find out how I ultimately satisfy my thirst for a better life despite the roadblocks and landslides that stand in my way.
Sample Reading
“Up From The Paddies”
Nestled within the verdant landscapes of postwar Vietnam, amidst the rice paddies that bore witness to the nation’s tumultuous history, my story unfolds—a narrative woven with threads of resilience, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of a better tomorrow.
Born into the humble abode of rice paddy farmers, my early years were steeped in the shadows of conflict’s aftermath. The echoes of war lingered in the air, mingling with the whispers of hope that danced on the horizon. Against this backdrop, I came of age, a witness to the dramatic changes that swept through our homeland.
The specter of famine cast its long shadow, claiming not just crops but lives—cherished friends lost to the cruel grip of starvation. Yet, amid the despair, glimmers of optimism emerged, heralding a new era of political change. It was a time of seismic shifts, where the promise of progress beckoned with tantalizing allure, offering not just hope but the chance to dream anew.
In the midst of these transformations, I found myself caught between the tug of tradition and the allure of a rapidly evolving society. My parents, pillars of strength and wisdom, navigated the shifting currents with grace, their leadership and entrepreneurial spirit guiding our family through the tumultuous waters of change.
But as the landscape of my homeland shifted, so too did the trajectory of my own journey. Alongside my brothers, I ventured into the untamed wilderness, where even the dead snakes retained their bite—a metaphor for the harsh realities of life in a world teetering between tradition and modernity.
In defiance of societal norms, I pursued education and enlightenment, a path fraught with challenges and setbacks. Yet, each obstacle became a stepping stone, propelling me forward on a quest for knowledge and self-discovery.
From the lush countryside of Vietnam to the cobblestone streets of Europe, my adventures knew no bounds. Amidst danger and uncertainty, I persevered, guided by an unwavering belief in the power of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future.
Through laughter and tears, triumphs and tribulations, my family’s stories resonate with a timeless wisdom—a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul. In these tales, you will find echoes of your own struggles and triumphs, a reminder that amidst life’s uncertainties, hope endures, illuminating the path to a better tomorrow.
Welcome to my world—a world where the past intertwines with the present, and where the journey of a lifetime awaits.