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The Happiest Refugee
A Memoir. The extraordinary true story of a boy's journey from starvation at sea to becoming one of Australia's best-loved comedians. A story of true inspiration.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
483 people are currently reading
7070 people want to read
About the author
Anh Do
186 books455 followersAnh Do is a comedian, artist and also one of the highest selling Australian authors of all time, with total book sales approaching 3 million.
Anh’s first book, The Happiest Refugee, is his enormously popular memoir recounting his perilous childhood journey in a tiny boat from war-torn Vietnam to Australia. The book became an instant hit and has won numerous awards including Australian Book of the Year.
Anh has since turned his attention to children’s book writing.
Weird Do is an illustrated series starring Weir (1st name), Do (2nd name), a kid with a very unfortunate name. Aimed at the 8+ market, these books have gone off the charts as national best-sellers, resulting in 14 books total and more on the way. The first Weir Do won the Australian Book Industry Award for Older Children (2014).
Other children's book series include Hotdog, the adventures of a sausage dog and also Ninja Kid, the escapades of a 10 year old Nerd who discovers he’s the world’s last ninja.
In 2019, Anh released Wolf Girl, a series about a little girl who gets lost in forest and befriends a group of dogs and an enormous Wolf who become her family. Then came Rise of the Mythix, which marks the first of a number of sagas described by Anh as ‘A superhero movie in a book’.
All of Anh Do’s books are mega bestsellers and all rate between 4-5 star averages on websites such as Goodreads and Amazon.
It’s clear that Anh is an exciting voice in literature, able to delight across age ranges and different genres with great success, and he isn’t planning to slow down any time soon.
Anh’s first book, The Happiest Refugee, is his enormously popular memoir recounting his perilous childhood journey in a tiny boat from war-torn Vietnam to Australia. The book became an instant hit and has won numerous awards including Australian Book of the Year.
Anh has since turned his attention to children’s book writing.
Weird Do is an illustrated series starring Weir (1st name), Do (2nd name), a kid with a very unfortunate name. Aimed at the 8+ market, these books have gone off the charts as national best-sellers, resulting in 14 books total and more on the way. The first Weir Do won the Australian Book Industry Award for Older Children (2014).
Other children's book series include Hotdog, the adventures of a sausage dog and also Ninja Kid, the escapades of a 10 year old Nerd who discovers he’s the world’s last ninja.
In 2019, Anh released Wolf Girl, a series about a little girl who gets lost in forest and befriends a group of dogs and an enormous Wolf who become her family. Then came Rise of the Mythix, which marks the first of a number of sagas described by Anh as ‘A superhero movie in a book’.
All of Anh Do’s books are mega bestsellers and all rate between 4-5 star averages on websites such as Goodreads and Amazon.
It’s clear that Anh is an exciting voice in literature, able to delight across age ranges and different genres with great success, and he isn’t planning to slow down any time soon.
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July 11, 2021
5★
UPDATE 2017: I have just enjoyed a re-read of Anh’s wonderful memoir and liked it even better this time. I’ve quoted some passages at the bottom of my original notes from 2012.
Original:
I've been a fan of Anh Do's comedy and heard him refer to the fact that he was a Boat Person and his father captained the boat. But I had NO idea how horrendous the journey was or how hard the family worked to look after anyone else that needed help while struggling themselves.
A lot of the stories are told separately, not necessarily in chronological order, and with the same tone he uses on stage. He's happy to make fun of himself, and he seems most comfortable praising others and kind of glossing over his academic record (law degree) and arts training and entrepreneurial skills (agreeing that he's 'part Chippewa' to a tourist buying imported American trinkets from him).
I originally assumed his story was going to be an "as told to" sort of ghost-written one, but he's a bright, articulate (and funny) writer, screenwriter, actor, presenter and all-round decent human being.
[There is still controversy about who wrote what. I have no idea what the truth is. https://www.wheelercentre.com/news/02... ]
Aussies will especially relate to his Sydney childhood, schools, footy, music, markets and such. For people who've never lived in Australia, he gives a good feel for the time in which he grew up as an Aussie kid as well as a Vietnamese kid. There is humour, of course, but it's not a funny book. It's a real autobiography, warts, jokes and all, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm now a fan of his writing, too!
EXCERPTS
Unbelievable, this one! In Vietnam, after the war, one of his uncles had malaria, so the army doctor took him into the jungle on a stretcher with vats of salt water to treat him the only way they knew how . . . with no anaesthetic, just a stick of bamboo between his teeth!
“Then Uncle Thanh passed out. He didn’t see the doctor carefully pull out his intestines and other organs from his stomach cavity and place them in the vat of saltwater. This treatment was supposed to sterilise the organs and purge the body of malaria. After a few minutes the doctor put them back into his stomach cavity and quickly sewed the gaping wound shut with a needle and thread, as if he were patching up a hole in his army coat.”
Later, thinking Thanh had died, they put him in a coffin, but the next day a guard heard him banging on the lid, and he was saved.
When Anh asked his mum about her day-to-day life during the war, she said:
‘You get used to the noise and bombs and bullets and you end up not being really concerned about getting killed so much as being sick of having this bland rice with no fish sauce,’ she said.”
On the boat rotting fishing boat they’d scavenged for their trip:
“Forty people had transformed this tiny fishing boat into a living, seething mass of human desperation floating in the Eastern Sea. Forty people on a nine by two and a half metre fishing boat, weighing the boat down so much that there was only half a metre of mossy wood between the rails of the boat and the waterline. Every time a big wave hit, we’d all scramble to bail out the water.”
They were attacked and robbed twice by pirates, who dangled his baby brother, Khoa, overboard but relented at the last minute. Khoa grew up to make films with Anh, one about street kids, which they called “Finished People”.
“We gave it this title because many of the street kids referred to themselves as ‘finished people’ as they thought that their lives were as good as over.”
It received critical acclaim and was nominated for many awards. Later, Anh nominated Khoa as Young Australian of the Year, for his work. After all the candidates had moved through the process, Khoa made it to the finals.
“‘The 2005 Young Australian of the Year is . . . Khoa Do!’ Jesus Christ! Khoa’s done it. My brother just won Young Australian of the Year. Khoa, the baby dangled over the side of the boat by the pirates, the toddler that Mum dressed in little girls’ dresses, the fat kid who thought the homeless woman was going to eat him . . . had just won Young Australian of the Year.”
Anh studied law at University while also studying art at TAFE. The crunch came when he graduated and applied for jobs.
“Art was the opposite story—I loved being there. It resonated with me that the whole point about art is not to get the diploma, but to learn the craft.”
. . .
“People often asked me why I studied law and art at the same time. ‘Why not?’ was my answer. If there was a rule saying you couldn’t study full time at TAFE and uni simultaneously, I didn’t know about it.”
Ultimately, he chose art and comedy. Here’s why:
“I interviewed with many of the big companies—UBS Warburg, Macquarie Bank, Andersen Consulting, and others at that level.”
. . .
out of the hundred or so candidates, only twenty were going to get job offers and the rest would get the ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you.’”
. . .
“ ‘Congratulations Anh, you’ve got the job.’ Whoo-hoooo! ‘Any questions?’ I was going to let it slide, but I really wanted to know: ‘How many hours a week do you work?’ It was a risky question to ask, and I’d waited till after finding out I had the job to ask it. If I’d asked too early, I might have sounded like I was a lazy bugger. ‘Well, Anh, at my level, I’m doing about sixty to sixty-five hours a week. I’m trying to cut back, but it can get pretty intense.’ Holy Schmoly. It was a lot of hours to be doing something I knew I wouldn’t like.”
Then a comedian friend said he worked only a few hours a week and made a bundle of money (a very successful comedian, I might add, and that clinched it.
Anh now has a great TV series, “Anh’s Brush with Fame” where well-known people share some of their deepest stories while sitting for his portrait painting.
You can read more about him here.
http://www.anhdo.com.au/index.html
UPDATE 2017: I have just enjoyed a re-read of Anh’s wonderful memoir and liked it even better this time. I’ve quoted some passages at the bottom of my original notes from 2012.
Original:
I've been a fan of Anh Do's comedy and heard him refer to the fact that he was a Boat Person and his father captained the boat. But I had NO idea how horrendous the journey was or how hard the family worked to look after anyone else that needed help while struggling themselves.
A lot of the stories are told separately, not necessarily in chronological order, and with the same tone he uses on stage. He's happy to make fun of himself, and he seems most comfortable praising others and kind of glossing over his academic record (law degree) and arts training and entrepreneurial skills (agreeing that he's 'part Chippewa' to a tourist buying imported American trinkets from him).
I originally assumed his story was going to be an "as told to" sort of ghost-written one, but he's a bright, articulate (and funny) writer, screenwriter, actor, presenter and all-round decent human being.
[There is still controversy about who wrote what. I have no idea what the truth is. https://www.wheelercentre.com/news/02... ]
Aussies will especially relate to his Sydney childhood, schools, footy, music, markets and such. For people who've never lived in Australia, he gives a good feel for the time in which he grew up as an Aussie kid as well as a Vietnamese kid. There is humour, of course, but it's not a funny book. It's a real autobiography, warts, jokes and all, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm now a fan of his writing, too!
EXCERPTS
Unbelievable, this one! In Vietnam, after the war, one of his uncles had malaria, so the army doctor took him into the jungle on a stretcher with vats of salt water to treat him the only way they knew how . . . with no anaesthetic, just a stick of bamboo between his teeth!
“Then Uncle Thanh passed out. He didn’t see the doctor carefully pull out his intestines and other organs from his stomach cavity and place them in the vat of saltwater. This treatment was supposed to sterilise the organs and purge the body of malaria. After a few minutes the doctor put them back into his stomach cavity and quickly sewed the gaping wound shut with a needle and thread, as if he were patching up a hole in his army coat.”
Later, thinking Thanh had died, they put him in a coffin, but the next day a guard heard him banging on the lid, and he was saved.
When Anh asked his mum about her day-to-day life during the war, she said:
‘You get used to the noise and bombs and bullets and you end up not being really concerned about getting killed so much as being sick of having this bland rice with no fish sauce,’ she said.”
On the boat rotting fishing boat they’d scavenged for their trip:
“Forty people had transformed this tiny fishing boat into a living, seething mass of human desperation floating in the Eastern Sea. Forty people on a nine by two and a half metre fishing boat, weighing the boat down so much that there was only half a metre of mossy wood between the rails of the boat and the waterline. Every time a big wave hit, we’d all scramble to bail out the water.”
They were attacked and robbed twice by pirates, who dangled his baby brother, Khoa, overboard but relented at the last minute. Khoa grew up to make films with Anh, one about street kids, which they called “Finished People”.
“We gave it this title because many of the street kids referred to themselves as ‘finished people’ as they thought that their lives were as good as over.”
It received critical acclaim and was nominated for many awards. Later, Anh nominated Khoa as Young Australian of the Year, for his work. After all the candidates had moved through the process, Khoa made it to the finals.
“‘The 2005 Young Australian of the Year is . . . Khoa Do!’ Jesus Christ! Khoa’s done it. My brother just won Young Australian of the Year. Khoa, the baby dangled over the side of the boat by the pirates, the toddler that Mum dressed in little girls’ dresses, the fat kid who thought the homeless woman was going to eat him . . . had just won Young Australian of the Year.”
Anh studied law at University while also studying art at TAFE. The crunch came when he graduated and applied for jobs.
“Art was the opposite story—I loved being there. It resonated with me that the whole point about art is not to get the diploma, but to learn the craft.”
. . .
“People often asked me why I studied law and art at the same time. ‘Why not?’ was my answer. If there was a rule saying you couldn’t study full time at TAFE and uni simultaneously, I didn’t know about it.”
Ultimately, he chose art and comedy. Here’s why:
“I interviewed with many of the big companies—UBS Warburg, Macquarie Bank, Andersen Consulting, and others at that level.”
. . .
out of the hundred or so candidates, only twenty were going to get job offers and the rest would get the ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you.’”
. . .
“ ‘Congratulations Anh, you’ve got the job.’ Whoo-hoooo! ‘Any questions?’ I was going to let it slide, but I really wanted to know: ‘How many hours a week do you work?’ It was a risky question to ask, and I’d waited till after finding out I had the job to ask it. If I’d asked too early, I might have sounded like I was a lazy bugger. ‘Well, Anh, at my level, I’m doing about sixty to sixty-five hours a week. I’m trying to cut back, but it can get pretty intense.’ Holy Schmoly. It was a lot of hours to be doing something I knew I wouldn’t like.”
Then a comedian friend said he worked only a few hours a week and made a bundle of money (a very successful comedian, I might add, and that clinched it.
Anh now has a great TV series, “Anh’s Brush with Fame” where well-known people share some of their deepest stories while sitting for his portrait painting.
You can read more about him here.
http://www.anhdo.com.au/index.html
June 30, 2019
An honest account that I couldn't put down. What an incredible life.
This book is full of trials and tragedy and yet it never feels depressing. In fact, it's quite the opposite: it exudes positivity and the genuine joy that comes with gratitude.
I was completely mesmerised by the story and at the same time I was so invested because of the attitude that permeated the entire book: be thankful always. I love that. I love that no matter what happened the Do family found the brighter side.
There's not really much I can say except that I enjoyed this so much more than I expected to. I like that the humour is effortless and not contrived - it's just him telling his story in his own words.
I'm familiar with Anh Do as an Australian comedian but not much beyond so it was really interesting to read about how he got where he is and the attitude with which he and his family have faced all of life's hardships. What genuine, caring people.
Loved it, really loved it. I'd highly recommend this whether you're familiar with the author or not - it's just such a great story of triumph in the face of adversity and it's told in a light-hearted way that will have you rooting for everyone all at once.
This book is full of trials and tragedy and yet it never feels depressing. In fact, it's quite the opposite: it exudes positivity and the genuine joy that comes with gratitude.
I was completely mesmerised by the story and at the same time I was so invested because of the attitude that permeated the entire book: be thankful always. I love that. I love that no matter what happened the Do family found the brighter side.
There's not really much I can say except that I enjoyed this so much more than I expected to. I like that the humour is effortless and not contrived - it's just him telling his story in his own words.
I'm familiar with Anh Do as an Australian comedian but not much beyond so it was really interesting to read about how he got where he is and the attitude with which he and his family have faced all of life's hardships. What genuine, caring people.
Loved it, really loved it. I'd highly recommend this whether you're familiar with the author or not - it's just such a great story of triumph in the face of adversity and it's told in a light-hearted way that will have you rooting for everyone all at once.
August 4, 2017
Anh Do and his family escaped war-torn Vietnam in a rickety boat, one that had far too many people on it, and the journey was extremely dangerous. Anh’s Dad was the pilot of the boat, and he was determined to see all his passengers safe and sound on the shores of Australia.
As refugees in Australia, life was an extreme and constant struggle. But they were determined to survive, and Ahn’s parents worked hard to provide a secure lifestyle for them all. From working late into the night sewing, seven days a week, to finding any small job they could, they proved they could and would survive. Ahn's Dad's philosophy in life was...There are only two times. Now and too late.
Ahn, his younger brother, Khoa and little sister, Tram felt happy in their childhood, with their loving extended family always around them. Then suddenly, when Ahn was only 13, their father left home, after becoming a heavy drinker, and it was just their Mum who had to struggle to support the family.
The sacrifices Ahn’s Mum made for him and his siblings inspired him to want to do well, and to ‘give back’ to the wonderful country who gave them a home, and to also be able to provide his Mum with some little luxuries she had never had.
Read about the incredibly uplifting and inspiring story that was Ahn’s childhood and growth into adult-hood, the humour that made Ahn who he is today, the heartache and determination, plus his dreams for the future. A wonderful memoir, moving and amusing, and totally inspiring.
Highly recommended.
As refugees in Australia, life was an extreme and constant struggle. But they were determined to survive, and Ahn’s parents worked hard to provide a secure lifestyle for them all. From working late into the night sewing, seven days a week, to finding any small job they could, they proved they could and would survive. Ahn's Dad's philosophy in life was...There are only two times. Now and too late.
Ahn, his younger brother, Khoa and little sister, Tram felt happy in their childhood, with their loving extended family always around them. Then suddenly, when Ahn was only 13, their father left home, after becoming a heavy drinker, and it was just their Mum who had to struggle to support the family.
The sacrifices Ahn’s Mum made for him and his siblings inspired him to want to do well, and to ‘give back’ to the wonderful country who gave them a home, and to also be able to provide his Mum with some little luxuries she had never had.
Read about the incredibly uplifting and inspiring story that was Ahn’s childhood and growth into adult-hood, the humour that made Ahn who he is today, the heartache and determination, plus his dreams for the future. A wonderful memoir, moving and amusing, and totally inspiring.
Highly recommended.
November 16, 2021
The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do is an incredible and brilliantly written story. This man has a contagious smile, but behind this beautiful smile lies some sadness.
When Anh was a young child, he and his family escaped from war torn Vietnam, but in doing so they nearly lost their lives. As we follow Anh on his journey through his tough childhood into adulthood, we get a clearer picture of just how much he and his family went through to survive in the hope of creating a better life.
I absolutely LOVED this book from start to finish. An uplifting and inspiring story that will have readers laughing out loud and sometimes readers will have tears in their eyes. We all experience life struggles from time to time, but when you read a book like this it makes you think we can all get through those tough times even if it doesn’t seem possible at the time. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
When Anh was a young child, he and his family escaped from war torn Vietnam, but in doing so they nearly lost their lives. As we follow Anh on his journey through his tough childhood into adulthood, we get a clearer picture of just how much he and his family went through to survive in the hope of creating a better life.
I absolutely LOVED this book from start to finish. An uplifting and inspiring story that will have readers laughing out loud and sometimes readers will have tears in their eyes. We all experience life struggles from time to time, but when you read a book like this it makes you think we can all get through those tough times even if it doesn’t seem possible at the time. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
August 8, 2021
The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do is a beautiful autobiography, made all the better by Anh's infectiously optimistic, almost rushed, but 'smiley' narration. For those who don't know, Anh Do is an Australian comedian, and I think you could say a celebrity. He seems to pop up in all types of shows. He is funny and very talented.
Anh currently hosts a show on "our" ABC - oh, how I love our Government funded TV network - called Ahn's Brush with Fame. Now this guy, interviews someone for 30 minutes and while they are talking he is painting a massive portrait of them. Yes painting. At the end he shows them and us, the viewer, the end result - and the portraits are mind-blowing.
The link to his show is here https://iview.abc.net.au/show/anh-s-b... - it is worth a look, I'm afraid our overseas buddies might not be able to access it.
Anh came over to Australia as a refugee, by boat, at the end of the Vietnam war. He was 4 or 5 years old, the boat was skippered by his Dad - it was 9 metres long and 2 metres wide and there were around 40 refugees on board. Imagine that? There were pirates (I can't believe how depraved some humans are) - and all sorts of hardships. Oven baked heat during the day, dreadful smells, squalor and fear.
Anh's family is massive, they were poor - even when settled here in OZ. But they made do, his mother is a legend, she worked so hard to put the kids through private school - made sure they had the best she could afford. The father had his issues, drink related - and there are so many family dramas here, this is a very honest autobiography.
Anh has done very well, a nice combination of serendipity and hard work (more so). The stories of his siblings, loves, friends and many, many adventures makes this really worthwhile.
I really enjoyed this.
4 Stars
Anh currently hosts a show on "our" ABC - oh, how I love our Government funded TV network - called Ahn's Brush with Fame. Now this guy, interviews someone for 30 minutes and while they are talking he is painting a massive portrait of them. Yes painting. At the end he shows them and us, the viewer, the end result - and the portraits are mind-blowing.
The link to his show is here https://iview.abc.net.au/show/anh-s-b... - it is worth a look, I'm afraid our overseas buddies might not be able to access it.
Anh came over to Australia as a refugee, by boat, at the end of the Vietnam war. He was 4 or 5 years old, the boat was skippered by his Dad - it was 9 metres long and 2 metres wide and there were around 40 refugees on board. Imagine that? There were pirates (I can't believe how depraved some humans are) - and all sorts of hardships. Oven baked heat during the day, dreadful smells, squalor and fear.
Anh's family is massive, they were poor - even when settled here in OZ. But they made do, his mother is a legend, she worked so hard to put the kids through private school - made sure they had the best she could afford. The father had his issues, drink related - and there are so many family dramas here, this is a very honest autobiography.
Anh has done very well, a nice combination of serendipity and hard work (more so). The stories of his siblings, loves, friends and many, many adventures makes this really worthwhile.
I really enjoyed this.
4 Stars
November 9, 2011
Out of five stars, I rate this book SIX out of five.
This is one of the most uplifting memorable true stories I have ever read. Easy to read, difficult to put down.
A potentially life changing read.
Some of my favourite quotes are: (May contain spoilers)
"Khoa, the baby dangled over the side of the boat by pirates, the toodler that Mum dressed in little girls' dresses, the fat kid that thought the homeless woman was going to eat him... had just won young Australian of the year."
This is one of the most uplifting memorable true stories I have ever read. Easy to read, difficult to put down.
A potentially life changing read.
Some of my favourite quotes are: (May contain spoilers)
"Khoa, the baby dangled over the side of the boat by pirates, the toodler that Mum dressed in little girls' dresses, the fat kid that thought the homeless woman was going to eat him... had just won young Australian of the year."
January 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this. The audio book was a good choice as I liked hearing Anh Do enthusiastically tell his own story. His family is fascinating - some details about things his parents and uncles went through were unexpectedly harrowing, as was their trip from Vietnam as refugees. I smiled at Anh's father being surprised at how warm Austria was, only to discover they had in fact ended up in Australia.
Anh talks movingly about both his parents, including his more difficult relationship with his father, and their reconciliation. It was incredible to know that all their hard work and sacrifice paid off, with their children achieving some pretty awesome things.
After finishing this I watched the 2005 film "Little Fish" starring Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Sam Neill and Dustin Nguyen-- it was a very good movie, and I was pleased to see a youngish Anh there as well!
I was also impressed by his paintings, especially the one he did of Jack Charles:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-0...
Definitely a book worth reading, or listening to, depending on your preference.
Anh talks movingly about both his parents, including his more difficult relationship with his father, and their reconciliation. It was incredible to know that all their hard work and sacrifice paid off, with their children achieving some pretty awesome things.
After finishing this I watched the 2005 film "Little Fish" starring Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Sam Neill and Dustin Nguyen-- it was a very good movie, and I was pleased to see a youngish Anh there as well!
I was also impressed by his paintings, especially the one he did of Jack Charles:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-0...
Definitely a book worth reading, or listening to, depending on your preference.
December 15, 2021
The Happiest Refugee is an entertaining, fascinating and inspiring read, one I have been intending to get to for a long time, and I'm pleased to report lived up to my high expectations.
Australian comedian Anh Do relates the story of his family over the past 50 years, from his parents' meeting on a train, his own early life in Vietnam, the family's perilous journey to Australia as refugees, growing up in western Sydney and his developing career in performance. While following a broadly chronological format, the narrative comprises a linked series of vignettes, in which Do recounts pivotal, hilarious and tragic moments in his own, and his extended family's, lives. This is contextualised within the underlying narrative thread of his parents' and wider family's ongoing pursuit of a "better life" in Australia.
Utilising his trademark ability to combine laugh-out-loud humour with pathos, Do relates the family's struggles and extraordinary successes with a frankness that enhances the reader's feelings of empathy and identification with elements of Do's own experience. Wound within the storytelling is Do's raw and emotional depiction of his gradual reconciliation with his father, Tam, who abandoned the family during Do's teen years. Tam Do is a complex and fascinating character - simultaneously a heroic saviour of many, a proud and enthusiastically ambitious father and yet also a financially-reckless and occasionally violent alcoholic, riven by feelings of guilt over his failure to save everyone for whom he has ever felt responsible. Elements of his personal history really are extraordinary and many individuals, including Ahn and many members of the extended family and refugee community, owe their lives to his quick-thinking bravado. It's terribly sad those same personality traits that allowed him to lead his wife and children to a better life also ultimately tore the family apart.
The Happiest Refugee is an extraordinary Australian story of courage, commitment, perseverance and gratitude. I've previously enjoyed Anh Do's comedy and artwork as an Australian television viewer, but reading The Happiest Refugee really makes me admire him as a person. This is a compelling read that I'd recommend to anyone who loves inspiring true stories, contemporary Australian history and humorous anecdotes.
Australian comedian Anh Do relates the story of his family over the past 50 years, from his parents' meeting on a train, his own early life in Vietnam, the family's perilous journey to Australia as refugees, growing up in western Sydney and his developing career in performance. While following a broadly chronological format, the narrative comprises a linked series of vignettes, in which Do recounts pivotal, hilarious and tragic moments in his own, and his extended family's, lives. This is contextualised within the underlying narrative thread of his parents' and wider family's ongoing pursuit of a "better life" in Australia.
Utilising his trademark ability to combine laugh-out-loud humour with pathos, Do relates the family's struggles and extraordinary successes with a frankness that enhances the reader's feelings of empathy and identification with elements of Do's own experience. Wound within the storytelling is Do's raw and emotional depiction of his gradual reconciliation with his father, Tam, who abandoned the family during Do's teen years. Tam Do is a complex and fascinating character - simultaneously a heroic saviour of many, a proud and enthusiastically ambitious father and yet also a financially-reckless and occasionally violent alcoholic, riven by feelings of guilt over his failure to save everyone for whom he has ever felt responsible. Elements of his personal history really are extraordinary and many individuals, including Ahn and many members of the extended family and refugee community, owe their lives to his quick-thinking bravado. It's terribly sad those same personality traits that allowed him to lead his wife and children to a better life also ultimately tore the family apart.
The Happiest Refugee is an extraordinary Australian story of courage, commitment, perseverance and gratitude. I've previously enjoyed Anh Do's comedy and artwork as an Australian television viewer, but reading The Happiest Refugee really makes me admire him as a person. This is a compelling read that I'd recommend to anyone who loves inspiring true stories, contemporary Australian history and humorous anecdotes.
November 8, 2017
I just loved this. What a positive story. I love the way he tells the whole story.. the good and the bad. I felt like I was really "in" this book.
March 9, 2012
I must be the only person in Australia who is not familiar with Anh Do, which a few visits to YouTube will no doubt fix...nevertheless his memoir was both tragic and funny, humble and most of all uplifting. For any reader who has encountered refugees before, many parts of his story will sound familiar: the harrowing sea voyage, his encounter with racist attitudes in Australia and the family credo to succeed. But pervading it all is Anh's luminescent smile, his family's 'can do' attitude, helped along by the kindness of strangers wherever they go. It's a heart-warming story. Most impressive is the family's attitude to life - to not just survive, but to achieve personal happiness by helping others and by doing whatever you can do best.
'The Happiest Refugee' will no doubt be seen as essential reading as part of the Asian literature of new National Curriculum; it has so much to offer. It's highly readable for both teens and adults, filling in a gap of our migrant history about which teenagers may know little. Timely too, considering Australia's present refugee debate; also it's Refugee Week!
'The Happiest Refugee' will no doubt be seen as essential reading as part of the Asian literature of new National Curriculum; it has so much to offer. It's highly readable for both teens and adults, filling in a gap of our migrant history about which teenagers may know little. Timely too, considering Australia's present refugee debate; also it's Refugee Week!
July 25, 2013
I read this a while ago. Nearly a month ago. I was so grumpy at my country and it's petty politics when it comes to people coming to us seeking asylum, I couldn't write a review for a while. And then in the last 6 days, my country has completely lost the fucking plot. The two major parties are trying to complete to be the cruelest to the relatively small number of people who come to Australia each year (it's small as it's a hard place to get to. We limit the numbers of refugees already just by being geographically difficult), wanting a safe place to live. And I am disgusted. Repulsed. Absolutely and utterly ashamed. Which leads me to my point. This is not going to go away for a while (in fact, since I started writing this last night, the opposition has come out with another hideous policy), as the politicians feeds us lies and twisted weasel words of mistruths to the ignorant masses. There will not be a time for the foreseeable future I will not be too angry to write this review. So here we all are.
Anh Do is an Australian comedian. I'd link a video but a lot of them are locked down to Aus. So YouTube him on your own time. I've known of him for about 10 years or so now, mainly as he was a regular for the Canberran comedy competition for a few years, would come to our local comedy club every now and then, and then he and a few other comedians from other ethnic backgrounds started touring around together doing shows on growing up in Australia as an immigrant or from an immigrant family.
This book tells his experiences of growing up in Australia as a poor, Vietnamese refugee and the ridiculous things that happened to him and his family. He also details how his family escaped Vietnam in a boat dodging communists and pirates, sometimes not very successfully.
It's eye opening. Even as someone who spends a fair amount of time reading or listening about these issues. The reality is I'm always going to experience Australia as a white, middle class, educated Australian. There are parts I will never fully understand as it's not my experience of this country. I've always known of Vinnie's stores (St Vincent de Paul, a charity/thrift/op shop). They are nothing special. But if you have only owned one pair of clothes and then you walk into a store full of clothes going for $1 each, I can appreciate that this is almost magical. But it will never be an experience I will fully get I am sure.
The book is reasonably well written. It's written like a collection of comedy sketches, with a vague chronological order throughout the book. Because of this, it's really easy to read. I knocked it out in a couple of days. But the last part of the book was a little resume-y. A little too "look at at all the awesome things I have done". Which is great. For a kid who nearly didn't make it to Aus, and turned his life into a success story, that's fantastic! But when it's "then I was on this successful tv show, and then on this famous tv show, and then this one" I was sitting there thinking, "I know mate, I can look up your IMDB profile".
It's a good book. I recommend it highly, especially if you need to experience the world outside of your own world view like me. I would love to beat our general population and politicians over the head with it, pointing out that this is how we humanely deal with and settle refugees. How refugees spend so much time working so hard trying to "earn" the opportunities they have been given by being given a safe place to live.
It's an important book. And it's hilarious.
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
Anh Do is an Australian comedian. I'd link a video but a lot of them are locked down to Aus. So YouTube him on your own time. I've known of him for about 10 years or so now, mainly as he was a regular for the Canberran comedy competition for a few years, would come to our local comedy club every now and then, and then he and a few other comedians from other ethnic backgrounds started touring around together doing shows on growing up in Australia as an immigrant or from an immigrant family.
This book tells his experiences of growing up in Australia as a poor, Vietnamese refugee and the ridiculous things that happened to him and his family. He also details how his family escaped Vietnam in a boat dodging communists and pirates, sometimes not very successfully.
It's eye opening. Even as someone who spends a fair amount of time reading or listening about these issues. The reality is I'm always going to experience Australia as a white, middle class, educated Australian. There are parts I will never fully understand as it's not my experience of this country. I've always known of Vinnie's stores (St Vincent de Paul, a charity/thrift/op shop). They are nothing special. But if you have only owned one pair of clothes and then you walk into a store full of clothes going for $1 each, I can appreciate that this is almost magical. But it will never be an experience I will fully get I am sure.
The book is reasonably well written. It's written like a collection of comedy sketches, with a vague chronological order throughout the book. Because of this, it's really easy to read. I knocked it out in a couple of days. But the last part of the book was a little resume-y. A little too "look at at all the awesome things I have done". Which is great. For a kid who nearly didn't make it to Aus, and turned his life into a success story, that's fantastic! But when it's "then I was on this successful tv show, and then on this famous tv show, and then this one" I was sitting there thinking, "I know mate, I can look up your IMDB profile".
It's a good book. I recommend it highly, especially if you need to experience the world outside of your own world view like me. I would love to beat our general population and politicians over the head with it, pointing out that this is how we humanely deal with and settle refugees. How refugees spend so much time working so hard trying to "earn" the opportunities they have been given by being given a safe place to live.
It's an important book. And it's hilarious.
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
December 2, 2016
Anh Do's story reminds us of the journey of refugees arriving in Australia. It is a story of tragedy, family seperation, resilience and survival from a man who has become a household name in Australia for both his writing, art, comedy and for generally being an Australian of Vietnamese heritage who many of us think of as not only talented, but overall 'just a nice fella'. It's great to read the story from the perspective of someone who arrived so young and to learn of the impacts on his parents moving so far away from everything they knew. It's no wonder this inspirational book has become reading material in High Schools throughout Australia. A book that changes the way you think about what you have, what others don't have and what families endure to find freedom and opportunities.
December 13, 2012
Possibly the most exceptional memoir I've ever experienced. I struggled to put it down and ached with joy when I picked it back up. I wanted to keep turning the pages forever. And yes, word on the street has it that it's truly life-changing.
As I fervently turned each page, Anh had me both laughing and crying. Not just mere chuckles here and there, but more like a deluge of roaringly deep belly laughs. The way he tells a story is just magical. Anh Do is a born storyteller. His nostalgia is infectious and the endearing way he describes major events in his life is effortless and unpretentious.
And then there are the penetratingly raw moments that extract every gram of empathy from your bones. There were moments in Anh's life that had me sniffling, then sobbing. Then I'd read the next sentence and unleash a loud crack of laughter. My husband just assumed I'd suddenly become bipolar.
Anh's story shook me to the core. If you ever read this book, and remember its message, I guarantee that you may never take anything in your life for granted again. I was in awe of his family's brutal determination, humbled by their genuine gratitude and uplifted by their profound levels of love for one another. THIS is what a family is all about. THIS is the exemplification of humility and love.
'The Happiest Refugee' is undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read. I look forward to that very happy day when I teach it to Year 11.
So much so that I recently passed it on to my Mum and cried, "YOU. MUST. READ. THIS."
Hubby is next in line.
And if you struggle with the whole refugee issue, wield negative opinions, or are indifferent to it, then this will be like one big welcoming slap across the face.
Thank you, Anh.
As I fervently turned each page, Anh had me both laughing and crying. Not just mere chuckles here and there, but more like a deluge of roaringly deep belly laughs. The way he tells a story is just magical. Anh Do is a born storyteller. His nostalgia is infectious and the endearing way he describes major events in his life is effortless and unpretentious.
And then there are the penetratingly raw moments that extract every gram of empathy from your bones. There were moments in Anh's life that had me sniffling, then sobbing. Then I'd read the next sentence and unleash a loud crack of laughter. My husband just assumed I'd suddenly become bipolar.
Anh's story shook me to the core. If you ever read this book, and remember its message, I guarantee that you may never take anything in your life for granted again. I was in awe of his family's brutal determination, humbled by their genuine gratitude and uplifted by their profound levels of love for one another. THIS is what a family is all about. THIS is the exemplification of humility and love.
'The Happiest Refugee' is undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read. I look forward to that very happy day when I teach it to Year 11.
So much so that I recently passed it on to my Mum and cried, "YOU. MUST. READ. THIS."
Hubby is next in line.
And if you struggle with the whole refugee issue, wield negative opinions, or are indifferent to it, then this will be like one big welcoming slap across the face.
Thank you, Anh.
October 11, 2015
I'd wanted to read this memoir for AGES but I kept putting it off due to the price and well...book space..lol..THEN I got a kindle and forgot the books until last month where I saw Anh's named mentioned and it jogged my memory about wanting to read all about his life!
I had a few laugh out loud moments while reading and enjoying this memoir..It's writen in a style that is pretty basic but very easy to pick up and enjoy while he making fun of his life from a little one to who he is today.
His family escaped Vietnam for greener pastures..Who knew they couldn't be taken aboard a rescue boat until they destroyed their own!! He is super lucky to be alive considering the pirates raids and how dodgy the boat was.
This book focuses on his life growing up - how important family are, being granted to live in another country, take education seriously, work hard, give back to the community, dress your baby brother in girls clothes, how even though family is important not everything is that sweet but you can still work your way through it, to finding love, to not giving up and finally being able to reward his mother who put herself forward so much for her family.
I had a few laugh out loud moments while reading and enjoying this memoir..It's writen in a style that is pretty basic but very easy to pick up and enjoy while he making fun of his life from a little one to who he is today.
His family escaped Vietnam for greener pastures..Who knew they couldn't be taken aboard a rescue boat until they destroyed their own!! He is super lucky to be alive considering the pirates raids and how dodgy the boat was.
This book focuses on his life growing up - how important family are, being granted to live in another country, take education seriously, work hard, give back to the community, dress your baby brother in girls clothes, how even though family is important not everything is that sweet but you can still work your way through it, to finding love, to not giving up and finally being able to reward his mother who put herself forward so much for her family.
July 4, 2012
“There are only two times. Now and too late.”
With humour, warmth and spirit, Anh Do shares his journey from a refugee boat fleeing Vietnam to a successful and well known comedian in Australia. The Happiest Refugee won multiple Australian book awards in 2011 and captured the heart of the nation.
When Anh was a small child, his family gambled everything in their desire to escape the crippling poverty in Vietnam on a barely seaworthy boat crowded with 40 others. Twice attacked by pirates and on the verge of starvation and dehydration, he and his family were rescued from the middle of the ocean, and via Malaysia, were granted refugee status in Australia. Ahn's family were delighted with their new country, grateful for its kindness and undreamed of opportunities. In a series of anecdotes that are both funny and sad, Anh shares his family's triumphs and failures as they make Australia their home. It is impossible not to admire their willingness to work hard, their love for family and respect for education. Today, the issue of 'boat people' is a political hot potato in Australia, Ahn's story puts a face on those nameless desperate souls who risk everything to cross the vast ocean.
I was surprised to discover the Anh qualified as a lawyer before taking a chance on a career in comedy, though it is startlingly common amongst male comedians in this country (i.e. Charlie Pickering, Shaun Micallef. Tony Wilson, Steve Vizard). This memoir supports Anh's image as a decent, down to earth man who adores his family and believes in being his best, for himself and others.
The Happiest Refuge is an extraordinary story of hope, resilience and triumph in an ordinary man's life. I was thoroughly entertained, fought back a tear or two and sighed happily as I turned the final page, though Anh has a lot of life yet to live.
With humour, warmth and spirit, Anh Do shares his journey from a refugee boat fleeing Vietnam to a successful and well known comedian in Australia. The Happiest Refugee won multiple Australian book awards in 2011 and captured the heart of the nation.
When Anh was a small child, his family gambled everything in their desire to escape the crippling poverty in Vietnam on a barely seaworthy boat crowded with 40 others. Twice attacked by pirates and on the verge of starvation and dehydration, he and his family were rescued from the middle of the ocean, and via Malaysia, were granted refugee status in Australia. Ahn's family were delighted with their new country, grateful for its kindness and undreamed of opportunities. In a series of anecdotes that are both funny and sad, Anh shares his family's triumphs and failures as they make Australia their home. It is impossible not to admire their willingness to work hard, their love for family and respect for education. Today, the issue of 'boat people' is a political hot potato in Australia, Ahn's story puts a face on those nameless desperate souls who risk everything to cross the vast ocean.
I was surprised to discover the Anh qualified as a lawyer before taking a chance on a career in comedy, though it is startlingly common amongst male comedians in this country (i.e. Charlie Pickering, Shaun Micallef. Tony Wilson, Steve Vizard). This memoir supports Anh's image as a decent, down to earth man who adores his family and believes in being his best, for himself and others.
The Happiest Refuge is an extraordinary story of hope, resilience and triumph in an ordinary man's life. I was thoroughly entertained, fought back a tear or two and sighed happily as I turned the final page, though Anh has a lot of life yet to live.
August 4, 2017
Loved this! So inspirational! So funny! Extremely moving! :) :D
July 31, 2015
This was a nice, pleasant read. The Happiest Refugee details Anh Do's journey from a poverty-stricken child in Vietnam to a man considered one of Australia's friendliest comedians. The main players in this book are his family who are integral in his escape from a third-world situation to abundancy on Australian shores. Anh's mother was always a hard working and fierce heroine, his father, plagued by early memories, was tormented for many years and figuratively spilled ink into the relationship with his wife and kids.
Anh details the healing that came about and the tragedies occurring still in his extended family. He speaks of his own wife and kids and of his rise to stardom. Do is a likeable person and, as such, the book is just that: likeable. I personally could have done without descriptions of his experiences on reality T.V. but overall, Anh invokes in his reader a sense of gratitude for the rich life we have.
Anh details the healing that came about and the tragedies occurring still in his extended family. He speaks of his own wife and kids and of his rise to stardom. Do is a likeable person and, as such, the book is just that: likeable. I personally could have done without descriptions of his experiences on reality T.V. but overall, Anh invokes in his reader a sense of gratitude for the rich life we have.
September 12, 2013
This autobiography of Australian Comedian and Actor Anh Do is a pleasure to read. It is funny, touching and inspiring. Anh relates how his family escaped from post-war Vietnam in a boat and were welcomed into Australia as refugees. He relates his own story and that of his extended family with great humour and warmth. The Happiest Refugee puts a face on those seeking safety and a new life on Australian shores - I only hope it helps Australians to re-find the generosity and spirit of welcome towards refugees and immigrants who have enriched this country.
June 20, 2019
This is a lovely story, a memoir of a well known Australian.
It all starts in Vietnam under the communists, when Anh Do's extended family decide to buy a boat and try and escape the regime. This is the more important since two of his uncles had recently been sprung out of prison (where they were for having fought with the allies), but all the others were desperate for a better chance of life. Their escape in a tiny overcrowded boat and encounters with pirates are fasicnating, but are not the main slant of the story. I suspect and hope that anyone reading it might have a softening toward boat people, but that is neither here nor there.
Most of the story happens in Australia where Anh Do's family work hard and make a life. The sense of family, the importance of those bonds and connections is an ongoing theme of the memoir, but the real beauty of it is the effervescent humour and goodwill of the writer. The trials and errors of living in Australia, going to a posh school as a refugee are told straightforwardly and are a lot of fun to read. The small experiences of growing up in an extended family, the small joys of childhood and family life are without exception enchanting.
Latter on, going to university to study law because 'that is what is done' if you want to make money, we hear how Anh Do takes a chance on becoming a comedian rather than going for the safe, sure job as a lawyer. This last part of the book is enchanting.
Full of humour, enchanting and easy to read, I very much enjoyed this book.
It all starts in Vietnam under the communists, when Anh Do's extended family decide to buy a boat and try and escape the regime. This is the more important since two of his uncles had recently been sprung out of prison (where they were for having fought with the allies), but all the others were desperate for a better chance of life. Their escape in a tiny overcrowded boat and encounters with pirates are fasicnating, but are not the main slant of the story. I suspect and hope that anyone reading it might have a softening toward boat people, but that is neither here nor there.
Most of the story happens in Australia where Anh Do's family work hard and make a life. The sense of family, the importance of those bonds and connections is an ongoing theme of the memoir, but the real beauty of it is the effervescent humour and goodwill of the writer. The trials and errors of living in Australia, going to a posh school as a refugee are told straightforwardly and are a lot of fun to read. The small experiences of growing up in an extended family, the small joys of childhood and family life are without exception enchanting.
Latter on, going to university to study law because 'that is what is done' if you want to make money, we hear how Anh Do takes a chance on becoming a comedian rather than going for the safe, sure job as a lawyer. This last part of the book is enchanting.
Full of humour, enchanting and easy to read, I very much enjoyed this book.
September 4, 2019
What a sweet and glorious memoir!
Anh Do is just so adorable!
His mum and his family… beautiful people.
Inspirational. Heart-warming. A joy to read.
*Book #9 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge
*Book #24/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
Anh Do is just so adorable!
His mum and his family… beautiful people.
Inspirational. Heart-warming. A joy to read.
*Book #9 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge
*Book #24/72 of my coffee table to-read pile challenge
September 29, 2013
No real story, badly written. Nice anecdotes, but when Anh Do says racism in Australia is very rare, I think he probably needs a good sociological definition of racism.
September 18, 2024
An inspiring story from a wonderful human being that is incredibly honest & filled with stories that will make you laugh, cry & everything in between. This is definitely a story worth reading.
April 16, 2016
3rd read for #genrethon
2.5
First off, I get it. I completely understand why this book is so well loved and highly praised. Anh has a really captivating voice and he's clearly a great anecdotal writer. It's funny, heartwarming and super engaging. I laughed out loud and I teared up. The pacing's great. But that doesn't negate all the problems I had with it.
At the start, Anh retraces his family's journey to Australia from Vietnam via boat. It's very compelling with amazing descriptions that really set the scene and I felt completely immersed in it all, I felt like I was there but that's just it - how could Anh recall all these details when he was only two at the time?!?!?! Obviously I'm sure his family members helped him out but there was no acknowledgement of that at all. I'm not saying that I thought any of it was made up, just that I wish there was some more transparency there and I don't think that was the best way to tell that story. I feel like historians reading it would be very very uneasy and I'm really surprised that more people haven't commented on it.
Anh's outlook on life is also very admirable and positive. Another Goodreads reviewer made the comment that they expected and wanted Anh to be angrier at the people and the circumstances that he dealt with in his life and to be honest, I'd have to agree. Obviously, I'm projecting a little here and I can't dictate how other people live their lives but he seemed to have a very neutral stance on quite a few things which just came off sounding forced. His views on racism in Australia, were strange to say the least. He kept making sure to assert the fact that they were rare occurrences and he also kept perpetuating weird gender stereotypes. I don't know if this was supposed to make it more appealing to a wider audience but all in all, it really bothered me. However, I do also want to acknowledge that I understand that writing this book was probably also a really tough and strenuous journey for him so I can sort of justify why he wouldn't go deeper into some aspects.
In the end, I felt very confused. On the one hand, it definitely met all the expectations I had in my head about it but it was also a huge letdown in other aspects.
2.5
First off, I get it. I completely understand why this book is so well loved and highly praised. Anh has a really captivating voice and he's clearly a great anecdotal writer. It's funny, heartwarming and super engaging. I laughed out loud and I teared up. The pacing's great. But that doesn't negate all the problems I had with it.
At the start, Anh retraces his family's journey to Australia from Vietnam via boat. It's very compelling with amazing descriptions that really set the scene and I felt completely immersed in it all, I felt like I was there but that's just it - how could Anh recall all these details when he was only two at the time?!?!?! Obviously I'm sure his family members helped him out but there was no acknowledgement of that at all. I'm not saying that I thought any of it was made up, just that I wish there was some more transparency there and I don't think that was the best way to tell that story. I feel like historians reading it would be very very uneasy and I'm really surprised that more people haven't commented on it.
Anh's outlook on life is also very admirable and positive. Another Goodreads reviewer made the comment that they expected and wanted Anh to be angrier at the people and the circumstances that he dealt with in his life and to be honest, I'd have to agree. Obviously, I'm projecting a little here and I can't dictate how other people live their lives but he seemed to have a very neutral stance on quite a few things which just came off sounding forced. His views on racism in Australia, were strange to say the least. He kept making sure to assert the fact that they were rare occurrences and he also kept perpetuating weird gender stereotypes. I don't know if this was supposed to make it more appealing to a wider audience but all in all, it really bothered me. However, I do also want to acknowledge that I understand that writing this book was probably also a really tough and strenuous journey for him so I can sort of justify why he wouldn't go deeper into some aspects.
In the end, I felt very confused. On the one hand, it definitely met all the expectations I had in my head about it but it was also a huge letdown in other aspects.
November 17, 2012
I found this book very disappointing.
I never really felt that I was privvy to Ahn's real feelings about anything that he found problematic.
He seemed to place the same importance on his mother's dog going missing for a day as he did on attending a private school in a home made uniform.
He almost opened up at one stage but the sincerity vanished as quickly as it arrived.
I really liked his positive, grateful attitude towards becoming Australian, and as much as I admire that, I still felt quite short changed in that that's all he was prepared to share with us.
Still an entertaining read if you want to know all about the things he likes in life.
May 28, 2016
I have love Anh Do as a comedian since watching him in "Thank God You're Here" and this book has been sitting on my shelf for a while.
This book tells Anh's story from leaving Vietnam as a 2 year old with his family on a small fishing boat, to growing up in Sydney and life as a comedian. It's written in lots of short snippets of life, making it an easy book to read when you have short bursts of time to read it. He shares stories and lessons learned in a fun and easy to read way. It was a great way to get to know more about one of my favourite comedian's.
I really enjoyed this book and it often had me laughing and the kids asking what was so funny!
This book tells Anh's story from leaving Vietnam as a 2 year old with his family on a small fishing boat, to growing up in Sydney and life as a comedian. It's written in lots of short snippets of life, making it an easy book to read when you have short bursts of time to read it. He shares stories and lessons learned in a fun and easy to read way. It was a great way to get to know more about one of my favourite comedian's.
I really enjoyed this book and it often had me laughing and the kids asking what was so funny!
May 18, 2021
I don't often give 5 stars.
I never do reviews.
I never say you must read this book.
But I very strongly suggest you do.
I never do reviews.
I never say you must read this book.
But I very strongly suggest you do.
July 19, 2021
Don't let the cheesy cover put you off!
November 7, 2022
Started this last night and couldn’t put it down. Anh’s story resonated with me through its familiarity. His anecdotes of growing up in a large Vietnamese immigrant household in Australia are stories that overlapped with my own experience. This book makes me feel heard and not alone and ever so proud of what Anh has achieved. His parents advice to ‘give back to the country that has given us everything’ is exactly what my parents have taught me and my sisters. The way Anh sets out this biography of his achievements and how he came to be is written in a voice that is humble and made made me reflect in awe of the obstacles Vietnamese refugees like my parents, aunties and uncles overcame to create a better life for their children.
July 17, 2020
I am sitting in awe, having just finished the book about 10 minutes ago...
During my senior years in high school, I engaged in activism in support of asylum seeker/refugees rights. My support came from a place of supporting the general premise that safety was a fundamental human right. I learnt at the age of 16 how political of an issue this was, and I remember feeling shocked and almost angry that there were people who were unwilling to support basic human rights for others. I started arguing with countless family members who disagreed with me. I hated that they were using political arguments that seemed to de-humanise the experience that these people went through.
I was under the assumption that reading this book would perhaps rekindle some of that fire that I felt all those years ago, but the picture Anh paints has shifted my perspective.
As Anh recounts all of the tragic events that were normal for families to experience during the time of the Vietnam War, I was under the impression that the families impacted might be the most angry of them all, more so than me. Perhaps angry at the communist government, the American soldiers that killed many innocents or even more generally, the world.
Instead, Anh's immediate and extended family show the greatest amount of appreciation, love and unconditional gratitude for those around them. They work tirelessly and give so much of what they have to others around them and remain eternally grateful that above all they have safety, security and each other.
The way that Anh tells the story really drives home the concept of resilience and the human spirit. If you read this book, I guarantee there will be times where your heart sinks and other times when you endlessly giggle (at least I did).
What will stick with me the most will be the steadiness and virtuous nature of Anh's family. I am a firm believer that your behaviour in difficult times is when your character is truly shown. It is easy to be a good person towards kind and supporting people that you like. But when you are in a situation where all of that is challenged, who you are and what you stand for will be revealed.
I've grown up in a family who loves Anh Do. I have fond memories watching 'Thank God You're Here' with my family at dinner time and laughing hysterically. Reading about his journey and how it has shaped him to be the man that he is today has made my respect for him increase ten fold.
I am grateful that Anh and his family have been able to share their story with the world to inspire millions, including myself
During my senior years in high school, I engaged in activism in support of asylum seeker/refugees rights. My support came from a place of supporting the general premise that safety was a fundamental human right. I learnt at the age of 16 how political of an issue this was, and I remember feeling shocked and almost angry that there were people who were unwilling to support basic human rights for others. I started arguing with countless family members who disagreed with me. I hated that they were using political arguments that seemed to de-humanise the experience that these people went through.
I was under the assumption that reading this book would perhaps rekindle some of that fire that I felt all those years ago, but the picture Anh paints has shifted my perspective.
As Anh recounts all of the tragic events that were normal for families to experience during the time of the Vietnam War, I was under the impression that the families impacted might be the most angry of them all, more so than me. Perhaps angry at the communist government, the American soldiers that killed many innocents or even more generally, the world.
Instead, Anh's immediate and extended family show the greatest amount of appreciation, love and unconditional gratitude for those around them. They work tirelessly and give so much of what they have to others around them and remain eternally grateful that above all they have safety, security and each other.
The way that Anh tells the story really drives home the concept of resilience and the human spirit. If you read this book, I guarantee there will be times where your heart sinks and other times when you endlessly giggle (at least I did).
What will stick with me the most will be the steadiness and virtuous nature of Anh's family. I am a firm believer that your behaviour in difficult times is when your character is truly shown. It is easy to be a good person towards kind and supporting people that you like. But when you are in a situation where all of that is challenged, who you are and what you stand for will be revealed.
I've grown up in a family who loves Anh Do. I have fond memories watching 'Thank God You're Here' with my family at dinner time and laughing hysterically. Reading about his journey and how it has shaped him to be the man that he is today has made my respect for him increase ten fold.
I am grateful that Anh and his family have been able to share their story with the world to inspire millions, including myself
July 9, 2019
You can read my full review of The Happiest Refugee on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
You’d be forgiven for picking The Happiest Refugee thinking you’re going to get a light-hearty folksy anecdote from one of Australia’s most cheerful comedians. Indeed, there are plenty of chuckles to be had, but Anh Do’s life hasn’t all been smooth sailing. I grew up watching Do in televised comedy festival galas and on TV shows like Thank God You’re Here, but I had very little idea about his background before I read his book. So, strap in, folks: this is one heck of a story.
Do’s message seems to be this: work your behind off, and smile, and everything will turn out okay. Powered by elbow-grease alone, he made it through school and university (Business/Law at UTS), forged a decent career as a comedian and actor, pivoted into art (he’s been twice-nominated for the Archibald Prize) and writing, and he’s now raising a happy family with his wonderful wife, a million miles away from the life of poverty and peril that surely awaited him in post-war Vietnam.
It’s hardly a literary coup (he’s a comedian, not a creative writing grad), but it’s a cracking yarn nonetheless. The Happiest Refugee is one to read when you need a little optimism in your life. I feel like I’ve just met Do in a bar, and had an incredible chat about his incredible life over a few beers.
You’d be forgiven for picking The Happiest Refugee thinking you’re going to get a light-hearty folksy anecdote from one of Australia’s most cheerful comedians. Indeed, there are plenty of chuckles to be had, but Anh Do’s life hasn’t all been smooth sailing. I grew up watching Do in televised comedy festival galas and on TV shows like Thank God You’re Here, but I had very little idea about his background before I read his book. So, strap in, folks: this is one heck of a story.
Do’s message seems to be this: work your behind off, and smile, and everything will turn out okay. Powered by elbow-grease alone, he made it through school and university (Business/Law at UTS), forged a decent career as a comedian and actor, pivoted into art (he’s been twice-nominated for the Archibald Prize) and writing, and he’s now raising a happy family with his wonderful wife, a million miles away from the life of poverty and peril that surely awaited him in post-war Vietnam.
It’s hardly a literary coup (he’s a comedian, not a creative writing grad), but it’s a cracking yarn nonetheless. The Happiest Refugee is one to read when you need a little optimism in your life. I feel like I’ve just met Do in a bar, and had an incredible chat about his incredible life over a few beers.
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