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Mango Rains
Young American, Julia Galbraith, arrives in the seemingly peaceful capital of Cambodia during the season of the mango rains–short showers that presage the more violent monsoon. As she falls in and out of love, she is caught up in a maelstrom of political crises that will change the world–and Julia–forever.An engaging, disturbing tale of love, loss, and human frailties set against cross-cultural conflicts. – Kirkus Reviews"...a lovely and tragic cautionary tale, well told."– Paul Hendrickson, author of Hemingway's Boat and Plagued by The Dreams and Furies of Frank Lloyd Wright"This evocative book about love, loss, and political intrigue is an enchanting portrait of a very particular time and place and of the people who lived through it."– Bonny Wolf, author or Talking With My Mouth Full"A rich, evocative novel about the richness of expatriate life."-– Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize winning biographer and author of Crossing Mandelbaum Gate and The Good Spy
282 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 17, 2020
Mango Rains is important to me as a piece of historical fiction because it refers to a time in history that I, now a senior citizen, once experienced. But my experience during that time was limited to high school and college campuses. This book concerns the world of foreign service officers much closer to the oncoming upheaval in the humid arena of southeast Asia. The story is not filled with violence and horror as one might expect, but the clouds of approaching doom (in this case, those of the Mango rains) hover in a tacit way, clouds immediately felt by readers like me, who can recollect that era with ease and how it affected us so deeply.
The story cleverly and uniquely unfolds from one character’s journaling to a series of vignettes that extend to that character’s friends, lovers, and fellow officers. It reads somewhat like a William Boyd novel in which the setting is described effortlessly – in this case the humid tropics – and in which the actions of the characters leave the reader amused, bemused, and sometimes saddened. Humanity is in full view, here, through the torrential, seasonal downpour (as evoked in the book’s title). Self-centeredness, short-sightedness, alcohol dependence, and the ever-present pulse of sexuality are exposed, as is camaraderie and resilience.
The purpose of the book is not based on a full-fledged plot. It is one slice of the pie of the Vietnam era in which we are made aware of the exotic atmosphere and colorful circumstances of a diverse group people we might never have thought of before, whose specialized duties and off-duty behaviors interest us.
The story cleverly and uniquely unfolds from one character’s journaling to a series of vignettes that extend to that character’s friends, lovers, and fellow officers. It reads somewhat like a William Boyd novel in which the setting is described effortlessly – in this case the humid tropics – and in which the actions of the characters leave the reader amused, bemused, and sometimes saddened. Humanity is in full view, here, through the torrential, seasonal downpour (as evoked in the book’s title). Self-centeredness, short-sightedness, alcohol dependence, and the ever-present pulse of sexuality are exposed, as is camaraderie and resilience.
The purpose of the book is not based on a full-fledged plot. It is one slice of the pie of the Vietnam era in which we are made aware of the exotic atmosphere and colorful circumstances of a diverse group people we might never have thought of before, whose specialized duties and off-duty behaviors interest us.
April 16, 2020
A perfect escape to steaming (and steamy) southeast Asia. Enter the life of a young US Foreign Service officer and her colleagues in the early 1960's -- the calm before the storm. Feel the heavy, tropical air. See the lush landscape. Experience diplomatic and expat life of a bygone era. A joy.
April 7, 2020
Wonderful sense of place and believable dialogue put me right there in the midst of this period I lived through the newspapers But without knowing all that was really going on...,no spoiler alert!
February 15, 2020
Riveting and informative
Mango Rains takes readers on a journey to the past, to the early 1963-64 when South Vietnam was fighting communist enemies and Cambodia was still an ally...albeit an uneasy one. Told from the perspective of Julia, a young Foreign Service employee and her friends and colleagues, author Anne Oman cleverly details the collapse of whatever goodwill existed after President Kennedy was assassinated. The story highlights the lack of understanding of southeast Asian cultural differences and the often cavalier attitude of personnel that were supposed to be protecting American interests. The author, who served in the Foreign Service during this period draws readers into the sights, sounds, smells, prejudices, and celebrations of the area as it was. This also is a story of personal intrigue...love, betrayal, loss, hopes and disappointments experienced by her well defined characters as their lives unfolded (or unraveled) in the ensuing years. It is a wonderful read. Most highly recommend.
Mango Rains takes readers on a journey to the past, to the early 1963-64 when South Vietnam was fighting communist enemies and Cambodia was still an ally...albeit an uneasy one. Told from the perspective of Julia, a young Foreign Service employee and her friends and colleagues, author Anne Oman cleverly details the collapse of whatever goodwill existed after President Kennedy was assassinated. The story highlights the lack of understanding of southeast Asian cultural differences and the often cavalier attitude of personnel that were supposed to be protecting American interests. The author, who served in the Foreign Service during this period draws readers into the sights, sounds, smells, prejudices, and celebrations of the area as it was. This also is a story of personal intrigue...love, betrayal, loss, hopes and disappointments experienced by her well defined characters as their lives unfolded (or unraveled) in the ensuing years. It is a wonderful read. Most highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews