Of monkey bridges and bánh mì sandwiches : from Sài Gòn to Texas
(Book)

"A quietly affecting and laugh-out-loud funny immigrant memoir tells the story of a girl and her family as they flee Việt Nam to America in the 1980s. In vivid, lyrical prose, the author transports us across different landscapes, from middle-class life in Sài Gòn to a remote rice-farming village in the aftermath of the Vietnam war, to refugee camps in Malaysia and the Philippines after their harrowing escape, and finally to a small Texas town, where they build their American dream from a sandwich shack, one bánh mì at a time. Part travelogue, this memoir invites us to experience the sights and flavors of Việt Nam and offers a fresh look at small-town America through the eyes of a young girl. You will run from bees in the countryside of Việt Nam, reach into the trees to pluck pink water apples and hairy red rambutans, taste M&Ms for the first time, and decipher the English in a landlord’s almost incomprehensible Texas drawl. This classic American immigrant story is also a coming-of-age tale as the author forges new friendships and strengthens bonds with her family in her journey to become an American."--Cover.

Local author.