MY REVIEW OF “DESTINATION SAIGON” by Walter Mason

Sydney author, Walter Mason, is a man of genuine humanity, spirituality and charming sense of humour and these qualities shine out from his writing. His latest book, “Destination Saigon”, is a portrait of his odyssey through his ‘spiritual homeland’, Vietnam. Mason captures the rich and crazy tapestry of life in modern Vietnam, though in so many respects that ‘modernity’ is defiantly ancient, timeless. Mason takes the reader right with him on his journey through Vietnam’s cities and countryside - with many a rewarding motorbike-passenger near-death experience, dance frolic and quiet meditative moment on the intensely spiritual place that is Vietnam. Indeed, Mason takes the reader with him on a highly personal journey of spiritual insight and revelation.

His portrait of the Vietnamese people is inspirational - a people of such kindness and generosity in such a poor country. Mason’s profound human ‘connection’ with such souls will long resonate with the reader, especially for the life-changing truths revealed to Mason as a result. Indeed, from my own war-historical perspective, Mason’s portrait of the Vietnamese people could not be more ironic, and triumphantly so: A population which, having endured unimaginable violence, horror and loss, is capable of the most profound gentleness. Indeed, “Destination Saigon” provided me with a very good insight into Buddhism, Vietnam’s omnipresent faith, which permits no form of violence: As Mason captures it so beautifully, “not even towards a bell”, the Buddhist monks instead “inviting the bell to sound”. But most resonantly of all, Mason captures the profound humility of Buddhism in the context of one Buddhist ‘master’: the humility of the truly great in that they do not see themselves as separate from those less fortunate.

Mason evokes too Vietnam the nation of staggering contrasts and extremes, subtly, hilariously capturing the colour, craziness and contradictions of the maelstrom of Vietnamese city life: One of my favourite moments was his civic portrayal of a place dear indeed to his heart, the Kwan Yin temple in Cholon of which Mason writes, “though ostensibly dedicated to the Buddhist goddess, is in fact still a repository for dozens of different deities and spirits. So many, in fact, that staff at the shrine have a hard time identifying some of them. It is situated down the romantically named Lao Tzu street, within walking distance of several other temples as well as a porno theatre, a gay sauna and several hundred brothels. You’ve got to love Cholon.”

“Destination Saigon” presents Vietnam as a nation which, by the very nature of its people, has always survived and will always survive. The book touches on the Vietnam War, known in Vietnam as ‘the American War’, only briefly; for the Vietnamese people it is something in the far past. Something survived. So one of the book’s most enduring scenes for me was one I didn’t see coming. One where, in a brief aside from insanely happy celebration, ghosts are felt. In a nation full of ghosts.

“Destination Saigon” is a lovely book. Mason’s irrepressible curiosity, passion and respect for Vietnam and its people render it a highly rewarding read.
-- JUSTIN SHEEDY, Author of "Nor the Years Condemn"