From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…

Kim Thúy,

Sheila Fischman (Translation)

Start date: July 15, 2020

Finish date: September 15, 2020

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

Why we're reading this: July 2020 Migration theme selection.
[close] July 2020 Migration theme selection.

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Group Reads Discussions

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By Diane , Armchair Tour Guide · 3 posts · 1370 views

last updated Jan 18, 2013 07:12PM

I've Been Waiting
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last updated Sep 16, 2025 07:57PM

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What Members Thought

Feb 12, 2021 Lisa of Hopewell rated it liked it · review of another edition

My Interest

For once I honestly cannot recall how I learned of this book. I suppose in trolling for prize winners (it won Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Award) or for books in my Reading The World project. Regardless of how I found it, I’m glad I read it.

The Story

“From my father I inherited the permanent feeling of satisfaction….Very early, my father learned how to live far away from his parents, to leave places, to love the present tense, to let go any attachment to the past.”

(p. 64)

Ngu My Interest

For once I honestly cannot recall how I learned of this book. I suppose in trolling for prize winners (it won Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s Award) or for books in my Reading The World project. Regardless of how I found it, I’m glad I read it.

The Story

“From my father I inherited the permanent feeling of satisfaction….Very early, my father learned how to live far away from his parents, to leave places, to love the present tense, to let go any attachment to the past.”

(p. 64)

Nguyen An Tịnh, the fictionalized version of the author, tells her story in vignettes. Her birth in Vietnam, the harrowing trip out by boat. The years of waiting. Arrival in Quebec, which she confusingly calls her ‘American Dream’ which I supposed is more understandable than simply “my North American dream,” her life is told in episodes that sometimes run a few pages, sometimes barely cover an entire paragraph. The family’s immigrant experience is familiar–well off, well educated parents who speak fluent French had to earn a living cleaning toilets. Their daughter takes Quebec life in stride.

The writing was so captivating, the emotions right on the surface, that I had to remind myself again and again that this was a novel. Like many children whose childhoods are marred by trauma, she is always ready to go–she packs light, taking only books (p,100). Her memories in the story circle in and around present-day and everywhere in between.

“As a child, I thought that war and peace were opposites. Yet I lived in in peace when Vietnam was in flames and I didn’t experience war until Vietnam had laid down its weapons. I believe that war and peace are actually friends, who mock us.”

(p. 12)
My Thoughts

While there was one scene I felt must have been added to meet that seemingly mandated list of must-haves in the very p,c, world of publishing (well, it seems that way), this book is exactly enough of her story. Even one more page would have sent it over the edge and into “ordinary.” It is just short of extraordinary–exactly where it needs to be. I do not always agree when books have a long list of awards, but this one definitely earned them.
4 Stars

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Sep 28, 2015 Jenny rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, fiction, around-the-world-80-books, female-authors

I love 'coming to America' type stories....Well, I guess in this case it was more of a 'coming to Canada' type story, but either way the character often talked about the American Dream. This is a really quick read. It covers a range of emotions, and even includes some short history lessons. Parts of it were more like reading poetry, and while I don't always love poetry, I didn't mind this poetry so much. That being said it did jump around a but too much, I don't always mind that, but it kind of ...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Sylvie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: quebecois

On en avait dit beaucoup de bien.
Plusieurs entrevues avec l'auteur.
Pour une raison X je n'y croyais pas.
Lorsque j'ai vu le livre chez une amie, je me suis empressée de lui emprunter.
Je n'ai pas été déçu pas tant pour l'histoire que l'histoire de vie.

Je ne pense pas que ce soit "si" mémorable dans le sens non-unique, mais pour le maillage des histoires d'hier et d'aujourd'hui. Comment aujourd'hui est important et combien nous avons appris d'hier pour mieux vivre demain.

Je recommande: oui car c'es ...more

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Dec 16, 2022 Vicky rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: asian-plus, own-pre-konmari, français, quebecois, vietnamese

It took me 1 year and 4 months but tonight I finally finished "extensively reading" this book en français. I started and stopped so frequently, though the structure of this book suits that a bit, with how it's written one page at a time. My vocabulary is very, very dusty. It feels like I'm walking away remembering only a few lines or images, which is unfortunately influencing how I feel about this book. It's not Kim Thúy, it's me. ...more

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