My Vietnam Your Vietnam will be published in April 2024

My Vietnam Your Vietnam chronicles the divergent journeys of a father, who fled post-war Vietnam on a small boat to find refuge in the United States, and his American-born daughter, who ventures to Vietnam as an adult, capturing the stark contrast between their perspectives as they strive to heal the long-term wounds of war.

In this dual memoir, Christina Vo and her father, Nghia M. Vo, delve into themes of identity and heritage, with intertwined stories that present a multifaceted portrayal of Vietnam and its profound influence on shaping both familial bonds and individual identities across time.

Nghia left Vietnam in April 1975 with only the clothes on his back, following the US withdrawal of troops and the fall of Saigon. After a harrowing two month journey, he found himself in a refugee camp outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he began the painful process of reconnecting with his family and rebuilding his life as a medical doctor. He never spoke about Vietnam with his daughter, Christina, who grew up in the US, As a restless young adult, she felt a longing to discover her heritage and soon moved to Hanoi, to experience a Vietnam that had changed dramatically since the war, yet retained some of the ancient traits she experienced in her own father.

Captivating in its fluid movement and evocative depictions of place, My Vietnam Your Vietnam offers readers a rich, multilayered exploration of Vietnam through two very distinct voices and perspectives. The memoir aims to deepen readers' understanding and appreciation of Vietnam and its culture by showcasing these two contrasting viewpoints.

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about christina

 

Christina Vo's debut memoir, The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home, was published in April 2023. Her second dual perspective memoir, My Vietnam Your Vietnam, co-written with her father, will be published in April 2024. Christina writes to explore her family history, her deeper purpose, and her place in the world.

Christina has lived and worked in Hanoi, Vietnam for international organizations including UNDP, UNICEF, and Solidardad. She was also a community manager for the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland and ran a floral design business in San Francisco. Her experiences abroad also inform and influence her writing. Christina holds an MSc in social and public communication from the London School of Economics, and currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Christina holds a BS in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill and an MSc in Social and Public Communications from the London School of Economics. She currently resides in New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment.

 

The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home

Deeply reflective and ultimately joyful, Vo’s memoir takes us on a journey between two worlds—the physical and the spiritual—that eventually brings her to a newfound understanding of how to deepen connections with others, as well as to a place of peace and home within herself.
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 podcasts

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