Travel Tips - Vietnam - What to Read
Some great books, music and movies to shed some light on an amazing country, its history, people and get you up-to-speed with this nation on the move.
Reading
- Catfish and Mandala, by Andrew X. Pham - A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam (1999). Catfish and Mandala was the winner of the 1999 Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize. This is an eye-opening, often hilarious view of Vietnam through the eyes of a Vietnamese-American who returned to his homeland 20 years after emigrating to the USA.
- The Quiet American, by Graham Greene - The classic novel of a British journalist and his relationship with a Vietnamese woman and the turbulence in his life and the country.
- Perfect Spy, by Larry Berman - Chronicles the extraordinary life of one of the twentieth century's most fascinating spies. During the Vietnam War, Time reporter Pham Xuan An befriended everyone who was anyone in Saigon, not to mention the most influential members of the South Vietnamese government and army. None of them ever guessed that he was also providing strategic intelligence to Hanoi.
- The Girl in the Picture, by Denise Chong - The author's account of a napalm attack on her village that left her scared and how it impacted her life - incredible.
- Sparring with Charlie: Motorbiking down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, by Christopher Hunt - a look at modern Vietnam and some of its smaller villages.
- Vietnam: A Traveller's Literary Companion, edited by Nguyen Qui Doc - a collection of stories from Vietnam's top authors.
- Shadows and Wind, by Robert Templer - A journalists take on modern Vietnam its many side, from multiple viewpoints.
- Paradise of the Blind, by Duong Thu Huong - A look at the lives of three women in Hanoi over the span of 40 years.
Music
- Nhu Canh Vac Bay, by Hong Nhung - one of Vietnam's hottest female pop singers keeps the dance floor moving.
- TangoGoTango, by Khanh Ly - Vietnam's most popular female singer will get your feet tapping.
- Hay De Em Ra Di Vi Em Yeu Anh, by Phuong Trang - Pop goodness from one of Vietnam's top pop divas.
- Hue, by Quang Ling - The undisputed king of Vietnamese love songs at his finest does it again.
Film
- Cyclo (1995) - A thrilling look at the underbelly of Ho Chi Minh City and its dark underpinnings.
- The Scent of Green Papaya (1992) - The story of a young girl's life as a servant and life serving families, their relationships and inner-discovery.
- The Lover (1992) - Set in 1929 French-controlled Vietnam, the story of a Caucasian teen and her romance with a much older Chinese gentleman.
- Platoon (1986) - A new recruit struggles with his role in the war and also the infighting within his Platoon.
- Apocalypse Now (1979) - Perhaps the ultimate movie of the Vietnam War and its effect on those who fought it.
