Play Book Tag discussion

Seems obvious to say The Sympathizer is an amazing read when it won a Pulitzer prize. At that literary level of achievement Viet Thanh Nguyen certainly doesn't need my blessing to gain new readers. But for those who follow my reviews, those who tend to trend in line with my reading I can attest this is a must read. It is, of course, smart writing, but also compelling, relatable, at times thrilling, often meditative and perhaps the only own voices perspective I've read dealing with the Vietnam War. The Sympathizer is a man who straddles two worlds always. As a bastard child he was both Vietnamese and not Vietnamese, later he is both communist and, as a spy, anticommunist. Nguyen helps the reader too understand the complicated duality of our narrator regardless of your own background which is a testament to being a great writer.

I was drawn to this book after reading Nguyen's review / analysis of Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/mo...

He hit on all the elements that made this an attractive film for an American, and surprising for me exposed that this was continuing a legacy in Hollywood Vietnam War films that historically was casting the Vietnamese as background characters in their own stories. It seems so obvious, it's right there in the text but I needed his words to point it out to me. And in that understanding I wanted to see what the antithesis of an American focused Vietnam War story looked like.

What better place to start than his own book.
The Sympathizer is less about the Vietnam War specifically and more about the aftermath, but also about our conflicted narrator and what it means to be Vietnamese.
There are so many great quotes that are critical of colonialism, American culture, and the American (colonial?) obsession with representing non-white people and a belief we are the experts to represent non-white people (in this case the Vietnamese).

It will make you think, make you feel, and make you reflect on Hollywood representation of the Vietnam War in a much different way.

What is more successful in literature than being able to do that!?

Highly recommend this book and also recommend following Viet Thanh Nguyen on all social media. He is a Pulitzer prize winning author so of course he is smart, but he is able to present complicated topics in ways that resonate in a deep and immediate way.

Awesome review. I've had this on my list for years. I might read it next month even if I don't go to Vietnam for skies.

Your comments highlight why "own voices" literature is so important, for both personal stories and historical stories. It reminds me of the film Battle of Algiers. It focused on the point of view of the rebels, and it was very powerful. Rebel vs terrorist, it depends on your point of view. I'm reminded of it often when I hear about people who are trying to get U.S. soldiers out of their country.

NancyJ wrote: "Your comments highlight why "own voices" literature is so important, for both personal stories and historical stories.."

I agree, and I am finding this especially true in historical fiction. I feel like I get as much out of fiction as non-fiction from an #ownvoices perspective.

I hope you read it and get as much out of it as I did. It was not a quick read for me though, so may want to carve out some time.

Ahh, you finished and I still haven't reviewed. Work and life have gotten out of hand. I have to say that reading the linked article really enhanced my read of this book. It was thoughtful reading through that #ownvoices.

The duality of bridging the two cultures, two political views and living two lands were so powerful. I still don't know what to make of the ending though. I didn't expect it but understood who the commander was immediately once they got there. I'm not sure I loved it but I also don't know how it could have ended differently. Definitely a book that stays with you.

Will you read the follow on, The Committed?

Jen K wrote: "Ahh, you finished and I still haven't reviewed. Work and life have gotten out of hand. I have to say that reading the linked article really enhanced my read of this book. It was thoughtful reading ..."

Oh wow, you knew who the commander was!? That was a big twist for me. I was a little confused at first about what was happening to the narrator and why, but I talked it through with a coworker who also read the book and that helped. I think there was no other direction for the end to go because he was straddling 2 worlds which left him vulnerable to being "converted" to the other side. So from the perspective of the communists there was no choice but to assume that was the case..? It was still painful to read and kinda confusing, as I am sure it was for our narrator, but effective. That whole end sequence was totally disorienting and I think it was intentional. To show the maddening affect of his dual lives.

I will definitely read The Committed, but I will wait for the paperback I think since my copy of The Sympathizer is a paperback copy. 🤓

Yes! As soon as he landed in the camp and there was a mysterious commander, I knew but it was confusing as to why. I still don't quite understand the need to have the sympathizer go through all of that trauma to reach the big break through of understanding. Definitely disorienting but you are right that it was very effective.

I'm so intrigued as to what he will accomplish with The Committed. His writing and point of view are so strong in a good way.

My coworker who also read the book speculated that maybe that final breakthrough will lead to him flipping in the next book, but I guess I will have to read to see.

The more we talk about this the more I wanna read The Committed. But I also want the paperback so it matches my copy of The Sympathizer 🤣

Maybe I will borrow The Committed from the library.

Meli wrote: "My coworker who also read the book speculated that maybe that final breakthrough will lead to him flipping in the next book, but I guess I will have to read to see.

The more we talk about this th..."

Me too! Interesting to get your coworker's thoughts. How does one move on from that experience? And committed to what or whom? Will be interesting to read.

I was a little frustrated by the ending, mainly because it all seemed so illogical to me. But I feel that way about communism in general. The utopian ideas are attractive, but the reality is just totally whack. (Not a word I usually use, but I'll go with it.)

(view spoiler)[ First of all, it didn't make any sense to me that he and his friend decided to go back. I felt that the general was raising money to line his own pockets, with no hope that they could actually get enough people to really make a difference. They were all sacrificed for nothing. I felt the same way when Trump asked his supporters for donations to fund a court battle to overturn the election.

The re-education process made no sense to me. What was the purpose? They weren't living by their own principles. They certainly weren't changing hearts and minds.

I was reminded of a quote from the classic comedy Ninotchka, about all the people killed in communist Russia. " The last mass trials were a great success. There are going to be fewer but better Russians." (hide spoiler)]

I was curious about what happened to Vietnam after the war. They are apparently communist "light". By the mid 1980's they had turned back to capitalism because people were starving. They now have a rich elite and a lot of people living in poverty.

I'm not planning to read The Committed just yet. Instead I'm sampling short stories in two collections about the Vietnamese people.

In regards to the points in your spoiler:
(view spoiler)[The re-education process is essentially brain-washing. This definitely checks with the history of what happened after the US pulled out of Vietnam. I was initially confused why they did this to a fellow communist, but he came back for his friend who was anti-communist so I think from the communist standpoint there was no way to trust that he wasn't converted or de-communized at this point. I think it was less re-education and more a torture process to ensure he was still on the "right" side. I don't think that will make it make any more sense to you, but if you are in cult, which I look at this (and Trumpism) as a cult then it makes sense to them 😂 and from that insane perspective (hide spoiler)]

I picked up The Committed from the library and I hope to read it in June.

Which short story collections are you reading?

Glad to see you liked this one as much as I did - great review!

It's full on thrown me into a reading slump :(
Maybe not fair to blame The Sympathizer, but I have struggled to enjoy my reading as much since.

Didn't make it through The Committed BTW.
Too many other book commitments so I had to abandon ship.