![]() ![]() With the exception of a hilarious stint in the Philippines as an ‘authenticity advisor’ to a Hollywood produced Vietnam War film (a barely disguised Apocalypse Now) and a pitiful coup attempt from the Thai jungle, this is where the main part of the novel takes place. Nguyen describes it with chilling effect.Īs part of the General’s staff, our protagonist is one of the lucky ones to be airlifted out of Saigon and on to California. ![]() We’ve all seen the horrific images, people climbing the walls of the American embassy, clambering into helicopters. As the book starts, Saigon is about to fall to the Viet Cong and Westerners and Vietnamese are fleeing. Our narrator, the ‘bastard’ result of a love affair between a Vietnamese teenager and a Catholic priest, is a military officer and the assistant to a high-ranking Vietnamese General. The Sympathizer (the author’s first!) is not a novel without flaws but Nguyen’s excellent writing, original angle and biting satire make up for the shortcomings. Rarely have American double standards, displacement, issues of identity and cultural imperialism made me laugh so much. Viet Thanh Nguyen doesn’t shy away from the big issues in this Pulitzer Prize winning book about the aftermath of the Vietnam War. ![]()
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