Comments for diacritics.org http://diacritics.org vietnamese and diasporic arts, culture, politics Thu, 10 May 2012 17:30:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on A Review of Nguyễn Quí Đức’s ‘Where the Ashes Are: The Odyssey of a Vietnamese Family’ by viet nguyen http://diacritics.org/2012/a-review-of-nguy%e1%bb%85n-qui-d%e1%bb%a9cs-where-the-ashes-are-the-odyssey-of-a-vietnamese-family#comment-13277 viet nguyen Thu, 10 May 2012 17:30:10 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=10544#comment-13277 Duc's book was published about fifteen years earlier. and Duc isn't a 1.5 but a 1st generation refugee, given how he grew up through his teen years in Vietnam. Duc’s book was published about fifteen years earlier. and Duc isn’t a 1.5 but a 1st generation refugee, given how he grew up through his teen years in Vietnam.

]]> Comment on Nhi T. Lieu: Authenticity is not ever reachable by Oddznns http://diacritics.org/2012/nhi-t-lieu-authenticity-is-not-ever-reachable#comment-13255 Oddznns Thu, 10 May 2012 01:34:58 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=11354#comment-13255 I am immediately caught by Prof. Nhi's comment that markers of diasporic Vietnamese-ness are "against" the Vietnamese in Vietnam. This of course leads naturally to her conclusion that "authenticity is not ever reachable". It is... but only in two ways... in the acceptance of diasporic Vietnamese being who they are (inescapably hybrided creations sown in foreign soil) or in the acceptance that authentic Vietnameseness must be sprouted from the ground of that lost homeland! A question that the interview did not answer, but which I'm deeply interested in -- how does the American Vietnamese experience compare with that of the French Vietnamese experience and the Australian one. My sense is that both of these may be less grounded in anti-communism and the war than the US community, which is heavily influenced by S. Vietnamese armed forces. Moreover, what about the influence of the "new" Communist princeling migrants sent to study abroad? I am immediately caught by Prof. Nhi’s comment that markers of diasporic Vietnamese-ness are “against” the Vietnamese in Vietnam. This of course leads naturally to her conclusion that “authenticity is not ever reachable”. It is… but only in two ways… in the acceptance of diasporic Vietnamese being who they are (inescapably hybrided creations sown in foreign soil) or in the acceptance that authentic Vietnameseness must be sprouted from the ground of that lost homeland!

A question that the interview did not answer, but which I’m deeply interested in — how does the American Vietnamese experience compare with that of the French Vietnamese experience and the Australian one. My sense is that both of these may be less grounded in anti-communism and the war than the US community, which is heavily influenced by S. Vietnamese armed forces. Moreover, what about the influence of the “new” Communist princeling migrants sent to study abroad?

]]> Comment on Con Rồng Cháu Tiên by Minh Le http://diacritics.org/2011/con-r%e1%bb%93ng-chau-tien#comment-13172 Minh Le Tue, 08 May 2012 01:47:41 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=4972#comment-13172 Haven't heard this story for more than ten years. Thank you for telling the story again so that kids and foreigners have a chance to learn about it too. Haven’t heard this story for more than ten years.
Thank you for telling the story again so that kids and foreigners have a chance to learn about it too.

]]> Comment on A Winning Debut: Thanhha Lai’s ‘Inside Out & Back Again’ by Oddznns http://diacritics.org/2012/a-winning-debut-thanhha-lais-inside-out-back-again#comment-13120 Oddznns Mon, 07 May 2012 08:39:48 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=11228#comment-13120 Thank you for this review. I really enjoyed Thanh Ha Lai's book and it's going to be the obligatory stocking stuffer for our gang of expat-Viet descended teenages living in Singapore! Thank you for this review. I really enjoyed Thanh Ha Lai’s book and it’s going to be the obligatory stocking stuffer for our gang of expat-Viet descended teenages living in Singapore!

]]> Comment on A Review of Nguyễn Quí Đức’s ‘Where the Ashes Are: The Odyssey of a Vietnamese Family’ by Oddznns http://diacritics.org/2012/a-review-of-nguy%e1%bb%85n-qui-d%e1%bb%a9cs-where-the-ashes-are-the-odyssey-of-a-vietnamese-family#comment-13119 Oddznns Mon, 07 May 2012 08:37:31 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=10544#comment-13119 Thanks for this review. I was wondering how this book might be different from Andrew Pham's "The Eaves of Heaven"? Much of the books I've read on Vietnamese acculturation into the US are from the 1.5 generation. I don't know if you are aware of the group of 50-65 year old Vietnamese expatriates who spend their lives on assignment as top execs in multi-national companies in Asia and return frequently to Vietnam, often retirin there. In many ways, I find their stories of life after 1975 , in particular their accomodation with the current government, more compelling than those who stayed and settled in the west. Their rootless "international" children who have only their Vietnamese roots to anchor them in their globalized lives, are also interesting story subjects. Thanks for this review. I was wondering how this book might be different from Andrew Pham’s “The Eaves of Heaven”? Much of the books I’ve read on Vietnamese acculturation into the US are from the 1.5 generation. I don’t know if you are aware of the group of 50-65 year old Vietnamese expatriates who spend their lives on assignment as top execs in multi-national companies in Asia and return frequently to Vietnam, often retirin there. In many ways, I find their stories of life after 1975 , in particular their accomodation with the current government, more compelling than those who stayed and settled in the west. Their rootless “international” children who have only their Vietnamese roots to anchor them in their globalized lives, are also interesting story subjects.

]]> Comment on Subscriber Drive! Win Prizes for New Readers by Oddznns http://diacritics.org/2011/subscriber-drive-win-prizes-for-subscribing-or-referring-new-readers#comment-13071 Oddznns Sat, 05 May 2012 14:20:18 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=3406#comment-13071 Love what you guys are doing here with Vietnamese culture. Would love to receive your comments on my work-in-progress of 60 years of a conflicted Viet Life from 1948-2008. Love what you guys are doing here with Vietnamese culture.
Would love to receive your comments on my work-in-progress of 60 years of a conflicted Viet Life from 1948-2008.

]]> Comment on #FREEVIETKHANG: Singer Viet Khang Protests the Vietnamese Government by Alexander Freiheit http://diacritics.org/2012/freevietkhang-singer-viet-khang-protests-the-vietnamese-government#comment-12918 Alexander Freiheit Wed, 02 May 2012 15:04:42 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=11001#comment-12918 Thank you, Mr. Buchanan for the wonderful post! Thank you, Mr. Buchanan for the wonderful post!

]]> Comment on Carina Hoang’s ‘Boat People’: Short Stories, Long Memories by Heidi A. Blake http://diacritics.org/2011/a-book-launch-in-australia-%e2%80%94-carina-hoangs-boat-people#comment-12283 Heidi A. Blake Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:35:14 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=6191#comment-12283 This article was concise but very fascinating! I will look for the book in my local library. There's another wonderful article about a Vietnamese refugee in the October 22, 1985 issue of Awake! magazine, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Here is their address if you'd like to write them: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW 1890. This article was concise but very fascinating! I will look for the book in my local library. There’s another wonderful article about a Vietnamese refugee in the October 22, 1985 issue of Awake! magazine, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Here is their address if you’d like to write them: PO Box 280, Ingleburn, NSW 1890.

]]> Comment on Obituary: Dr. Boitran Huynh-Beattie (1957-2012) by Heidi A. Blake http://diacritics.org/2012/obituary-dr-boitran-huynh-beattie-1957-2012#comment-12282 Heidi A. Blake Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:18:30 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=10541#comment-12282 I am sorry about the loss of Dr. Huynh-Beattie. I came across this posting because I was looking for Vietnamese obituaries online. I have been pleased to share a brief message of comfort in Vietnamese for those who have lost loved ones. The Vietnamese version is at http://www.watchtower.org/vt/bh/article_07.htm and the English version is at http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_07.htm. May you find comfort in the loss of your friends, and please share this with others who you know may be encouraged by it. I am sorry about the loss of Dr. Huynh-Beattie. I came across this posting because I was looking for Vietnamese obituaries online. I have been pleased to share a brief message of comfort in Vietnamese for those who have lost loved ones. The Vietnamese version is at http://www.watchtower.org/vt/bh/article_07.htm and the English version is at http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_07.htm. May you find comfort in the loss of your friends, and please share this with others who you know may be encouraged by it.

]]> Comment on #FREEVIETKHANG: Singer Viet Khang Protests the Vietnamese Government by Thai A. Nguyen-Khoa http://diacritics.org/2012/freevietkhang-singer-viet-khang-protests-the-vietnamese-government#comment-12183 Thai A. Nguyen-Khoa Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:45:02 +0000 http://diacritics.org/?p=11001#comment-12183 I'm a bit surprised (tickled pink) that Diacritics would gone over (its literary) board to publish this call to free singer Việt Khang, although the White House Stop Expanding Trade with VN petition is over since March 5, 2102 with close to 150, 000 signatures gathered to break the record of the highest numbers of any signed petitions in one month time. My thanks to Anh Vu Buchanan and Diacritics editors for raising consciousness with readers who might not have been aware of the on-going problems and issues in VN. I know for Vietnamese sometimes it is a respite to seek escape from Vietnamese heavily laden news in places like Diacritics. I’m a bit surprised (tickled pink) that Diacritics would gone over (its literary) board to publish this call to free singer Việt Khang, although the White House Stop Expanding Trade with VN petition is over since March 5, 2102 with close to 150, 000 signatures gathered to break the record of the highest numbers of any signed petitions in one month time. My thanks to Anh Vu Buchanan and Diacritics editors for raising consciousness with readers who might not have been aware of the on-going problems and issues in VN. I know for Vietnamese sometimes it is a respite to seek escape from Vietnamese heavily laden news in places like Diacritics.

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