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All the Rivers Flow into the Sea & Other Stories
From Vietnam to America, this story collection, jewel-like, evocative, and layered, brings to readers a unique sense of love and passion alongside tragedy and darker themes of peril. The titular story features a love affair between an unlikely duo pushing against barely surmountable cultural barriers. In “The Yin-Yang Market,” magical realism and the beauty of innocence abounds in deep dark places, teeming with life and danger. “A Mute Girl’s Yarn” tells a magical coming-of-age story like sketches in a child’s fairy book.
Bringing together the damned, the unfit, the brave who succumb to the call of fate, All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea is a great journey where redemption and human goodness arise out of violence and beauty to become part of an essential mercy.
All the Rivers Flow into the Sea was selected as a winner of the 2021 EastOver Prize for Fiction and has received much advanced praise.
Bringing together the damned, the unfit, the brave who succumb to the call of fate, All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea is a great journey where redemption and human goodness arise out of violence and beauty to become part of an essential mercy.
All the Rivers Flow into the Sea was selected as a winner of the 2021 EastOver Prize for Fiction and has received much advanced praise.
208 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 2022
About the author
Khanh Ha
15 books58 followersAward winning author Khanh Ha is a ten-time Pushcart nominee. He is the recipient of the Sand Hills Prize for Best Fiction, The Robert Watson Literary Prize, The Orison Anthology Award, The James Knudsen Prize, The C&R Press Fiction Prize, The EastOver Fiction Prize, The Blackwater Press Fiction Prize, The Gival Press Novel Award, The Red Hen Press Fiction Award, The Unleash Creatives Fiction Prize, and The Next Generation INDIE Book Award.
Visit author’s website at: https://authorkhanhha.jigsy.com/
Visit author’s website at: https://authorkhanhha.jigsy.com/
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 22, 2022
Since the inception of human history, war has always been part and parcel. It is also a common fact that it has left a strong imprint on the imagination of the greatest writers and authors of all time. One such marvellous and loose-knit collection of outstanding stories which, tell the mess and also the mistake that the Vietnam conflict was is Khan Ha's 'All the rivers flow into the sea and other stories'.
Unlike other war books especially those written after the First and Second wars, there is no clear-cut good versus evil for this one. It happens to be a good blend of the damned, the unfit and also the brave who are ready to fight for what they love despite the cultural barriers. Some of the memorable stories include that of an American who helps a Vietnamese father and his daughter, an international student who falls in love with a hotel maid and also, that of a golden-hearted nun who runs an orphanage. The book also exposes us to the atrocities of war including rape while bringing out the barbaric actions of humans, especially during conflict.
For me I highly enjoyed the author's prose, the intimacy put forward when writing is as if the reader is watching everything that happened as it was unfolded by the author's pen. Rather than just a piece of fiction, I would consider this book as reality at its best. A truly magnificent piece of work with a deserving five-stars!
July 26, 2022
A spellbinding short story collection from author, Khanh Ha, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' is at times, poignant, beautiful, funny, sad and all of the other things that make up a truly moving book.
Centering in and around Vietnam during the years of the Vietnam war, this collection tells the stories of both Vietnamese and American characters with an exceedingly intimate flair. Each story is a little window in the lives of every day people and their extraordinary circumstances, and each story leaves an impact on the reader that cannot be denied.
Amongst the eleven short stories in this collection is 'The Woman-Child,' the story of a Vietnamese/American student who left Vietnam when he was seven and has now returned to write his thesis on the country's environmental degradation caused by shrimp aquaculture. Adjusting to the cultural differences, the student, Minh befriends a young girl named Cam. Cam lives in poverty with her fisherman father, and Minh struggles to resign himself to the fact that he must leave her in her difficult life to return to America.
The titular story of the collection, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' centers around a Vietnamese woman and an American man who fall in love during the war. When the woman's father becomes sick with cancer, the American man offers to help fund his medical treatment. But the world soon intrudes into the young lovers relationship when the Viet Cong comes to their doorstep.
This collection has both a stunning amount of variety and an overall theme that make the stories cohesive and links them all together. Khanh Ha's writing is breathtaking, and his grasp of metaphor and plot are masterful. Although these stories are dark at times, there is, just like in life, an overall notion of joy that bring it into the light.
Centering in and around Vietnam during the years of the Vietnam war, this collection tells the stories of both Vietnamese and American characters with an exceedingly intimate flair. Each story is a little window in the lives of every day people and their extraordinary circumstances, and each story leaves an impact on the reader that cannot be denied.
Amongst the eleven short stories in this collection is 'The Woman-Child,' the story of a Vietnamese/American student who left Vietnam when he was seven and has now returned to write his thesis on the country's environmental degradation caused by shrimp aquaculture. Adjusting to the cultural differences, the student, Minh befriends a young girl named Cam. Cam lives in poverty with her fisherman father, and Minh struggles to resign himself to the fact that he must leave her in her difficult life to return to America.
The titular story of the collection, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' centers around a Vietnamese woman and an American man who fall in love during the war. When the woman's father becomes sick with cancer, the American man offers to help fund his medical treatment. But the world soon intrudes into the young lovers relationship when the Viet Cong comes to their doorstep.
This collection has both a stunning amount of variety and an overall theme that make the stories cohesive and links them all together. Khanh Ha's writing is breathtaking, and his grasp of metaphor and plot are masterful. Although these stories are dark at times, there is, just like in life, an overall notion of joy that bring it into the light.
August 10, 2022
In his new collection of short stories Khanh Ha evokes a multilayer Vietnam. His descriptions of the lush land with it's exotic plants and animals and even the simple food seduce the reader. Throughout the stories, there is the hint of the mystical and supernatural, lending a surreal atmosphere to this landscape. In "The Yin-Yang Market" this is especially so.
Then we are brought back to reality, with the horrors of war, poverty, death and disease, always there. We see a young man trapped by debris on a bridge, while the enemy is bombing. The compassion of a young stranger, without thinking of her own safety, who tries to comfort him until help arrives. There's the arrogant Americans, who think they know how to help the country, but instead really know nothing about the situation and the people at all. Good and bad are not decided by geography. There are good and bad people on both sides of the border. The North is not always the bad. We see American soldiers tossing chocolate to young children first, then boobytraps as they laugh.
Next there is love. The theme of love run through most, but it's unrequited love, love lost, violent rape. We see the drunken old men, who take advantage of the poor, vulnerable young girls. In contrast is the compassion and empathy of total strangers, who give help where it is needed. I particularly liked the story of the nun in the orphanage and "A Scent of Long-Ago Love".
This is the second book, that I have read by the author and it definitely won't be the last.
If you would like to win a win for yourself, follow the link: https://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmo...
Then we are brought back to reality, with the horrors of war, poverty, death and disease, always there. We see a young man trapped by debris on a bridge, while the enemy is bombing. The compassion of a young stranger, without thinking of her own safety, who tries to comfort him until help arrives. There's the arrogant Americans, who think they know how to help the country, but instead really know nothing about the situation and the people at all. Good and bad are not decided by geography. There are good and bad people on both sides of the border. The North is not always the bad. We see American soldiers tossing chocolate to young children first, then boobytraps as they laugh.
Next there is love. The theme of love run through most, but it's unrequited love, love lost, violent rape. We see the drunken old men, who take advantage of the poor, vulnerable young girls. In contrast is the compassion and empathy of total strangers, who give help where it is needed. I particularly liked the story of the nun in the orphanage and "A Scent of Long-Ago Love".
This is the second book, that I have read by the author and it definitely won't be the last.
If you would like to win a win for yourself, follow the link: https://theteddyrosebookreviewsplusmo...
August 8, 2022
Secrets are kept and lives are forever changed in this book of short stories by Khanh Ha. The title, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' perfectly represents the ephemeral nature of the stories within. All of the stories in this book center around Vietnamese people, whether they take place in the country or not. Eleven stories are shared by Ha in this volume and each story is more captivating and bewitching than the last.
The story titled, 'The Devil's Mask,' revolves around a rich household where not everything is as rosy as it seems. The only son of the family, a boy they call 'The Young Master,' suffers from severe mental handicaps. Unloved by his father, the boy struggles to communicate with the outside world and the household staff—as well as the father's new wife-- can only look on in pity.
'Night, This River,' tells the story of a young man who is hired by a married couple to help them continue their fishing business after the husband is struck ill. The young man does not like the argumentative and abrasive husband, but continues to work with him until he is well again. During this time, however, the man begins to get suspicious that the young man is having an affair with his wife, and accuses him of this.
A fascinating look at what makes human beings tick, 'All the River's Flow Into the sea,' is the best new book I've read this year! Ha's writing is not only deeply compelling but brings you into the world that he has created as if you were born into it. Darkness, hope, sexuality, confession, all of these themes and more are present in this exceptional work of fiction that has to be read to be believed.
The story titled, 'The Devil's Mask,' revolves around a rich household where not everything is as rosy as it seems. The only son of the family, a boy they call 'The Young Master,' suffers from severe mental handicaps. Unloved by his father, the boy struggles to communicate with the outside world and the household staff—as well as the father's new wife-- can only look on in pity.
'Night, This River,' tells the story of a young man who is hired by a married couple to help them continue their fishing business after the husband is struck ill. The young man does not like the argumentative and abrasive husband, but continues to work with him until he is well again. During this time, however, the man begins to get suspicious that the young man is having an affair with his wife, and accuses him of this.
A fascinating look at what makes human beings tick, 'All the River's Flow Into the sea,' is the best new book I've read this year! Ha's writing is not only deeply compelling but brings you into the world that he has created as if you were born into it. Darkness, hope, sexuality, confession, all of these themes and more are present in this exceptional work of fiction that has to be read to be believed.
August 8, 2022
“In the ash-blue twilight beyond the clearing where bushes grew wild, she saw humps of graves plagued by needle grass and false daisy. The white, small flowers glimmered.” – 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' by Khanh Ha.
I greatly enjoyed this collection of short stories from start to finish. Set mostly in Vietnam, 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' is a book of short stories by the very talented, award-winning author, Khanh Ha.
These stories build as you read through them, ending in the title story about a young couple from different worlds who fight the odds to be together. Picturesque and poignant, these short stories have everything that a reader could want. You will find yourself not only tearing up at times but also bursting into laughter and maybe even fits of anger as you read through this one-of-a-kind book.
One of my favorite stories of the bunch, 'The Yin-Yang Market.' It is about a young woman who returns to Vietnam years after being adopted and sent to America. The young woman tells a story about what she remembers from the Vietnam of her early childhood, during the war. Just before being adopted at five years old, she is taken to a night time market by a nun and talked about the people who come from the Yin world to our Yang world to buy provisions. This story was so textured and brilliant that when I closed my eyes, I could see the Yin Yang Market as if I was really there.
Every story in this collection is lovely and each one begs to be thought about for a long time to come. I know I won't be forgetting this book any time soon and will read it again and again. I recommend this inspiring collection to any and all lovers of reading!
I greatly enjoyed this collection of short stories from start to finish. Set mostly in Vietnam, 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' is a book of short stories by the very talented, award-winning author, Khanh Ha.
These stories build as you read through them, ending in the title story about a young couple from different worlds who fight the odds to be together. Picturesque and poignant, these short stories have everything that a reader could want. You will find yourself not only tearing up at times but also bursting into laughter and maybe even fits of anger as you read through this one-of-a-kind book.
One of my favorite stories of the bunch, 'The Yin-Yang Market.' It is about a young woman who returns to Vietnam years after being adopted and sent to America. The young woman tells a story about what she remembers from the Vietnam of her early childhood, during the war. Just before being adopted at five years old, she is taken to a night time market by a nun and talked about the people who come from the Yin world to our Yang world to buy provisions. This story was so textured and brilliant that when I closed my eyes, I could see the Yin Yang Market as if I was really there.
Every story in this collection is lovely and each one begs to be thought about for a long time to come. I know I won't be forgetting this book any time soon and will read it again and again. I recommend this inspiring collection to any and all lovers of reading!
July 30, 2022
If you love short story collections with a passionate, atmospheric vibe, 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' should be added to your TBR list immediately. This collection has something for everyone, and things that I have never seen in a book like this before. Eleven stories are assembled in this volume, all written by author Khanh Ha and all centering around the Vietnam war, whether they are set in Vietnam or concerning Vietnamese characters in the U.S.
One of my favorite stories was the titular story, 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' which revolves around a young couple. The couple, an American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, are intent on returning to the woman's home and her father. They are meant to take a train, but when the Viet Cong seize a town that they are meant to go through, the train is turned back and the couple cannot catch it. The couple must continue to their destination on foot, and eventually by boat, where the American must hide under a pallet of bananas while the Viet Cong searches their boat. Eventually, however, they manage to make it back to the woman's father, but further tragedy strikes when they discover that the woman's father has cancer.
This was a very touching story and one that I will be thinking about for a long while to come, but, of course, every story in this book impacted me in a different way. I loved the characters, the lush and atmospheric settings and the metaphors that really made me stop and think.
So much pain existed in Vietnam during the war, but this collection shows that there was a lot of love and happiness, too. I loved Ha's writing in this, and would love to read more from him in the future!
One of my favorite stories was the titular story, 'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' which revolves around a young couple. The couple, an American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, are intent on returning to the woman's home and her father. They are meant to take a train, but when the Viet Cong seize a town that they are meant to go through, the train is turned back and the couple cannot catch it. The couple must continue to their destination on foot, and eventually by boat, where the American must hide under a pallet of bananas while the Viet Cong searches their boat. Eventually, however, they manage to make it back to the woman's father, but further tragedy strikes when they discover that the woman's father has cancer.
This was a very touching story and one that I will be thinking about for a long while to come, but, of course, every story in this book impacted me in a different way. I loved the characters, the lush and atmospheric settings and the metaphors that really made me stop and think.
So much pain existed in Vietnam during the war, but this collection shows that there was a lot of love and happiness, too. I loved Ha's writing in this, and would love to read more from him in the future!
August 25, 2022
Khanh Ha has released a new collection of short stories. When Ha puts out a new novel or short story collection, it goes to the top of my list. He has never disappointed and so is the case with this short story collection, ‘All Rivers Flow Into the Sea’!
Not all authors can write a good short story, it is a true art form an Ha has it. I don’t give out 5-star reviews like candy however, every novel and short story collection of his had earned 5 stars, including this collection.
The stories are all about the people of Vietnam or the American soldiers who fought there. They are all heart felt stories. These are not stories that one ploughs through fast, they are to savor and contemplate. I like to read one, put the book down and think. Many of these stories left me with my heart pounding with anxiety, like the story about ‘The Woman-Child’. Cam live in a poor fishing village with her father. Besides cooking for him, she has many other responsibilities like repairing his fishing nets every night. This is pain staking work but also becomes dangerous when a neighborhood drunk man appears and tries to rape her. We learn this is not the first time.
She has a new friend, a young Vietnamese-American man who is there working on his thesis about the environmental impact of shrimp farming. This is a big problem in the country, much like Salmon farming is in North America. He witnesses the attempted rape and asks Cam if she has told her father about it. Her father basically shrugs it off and tells her to fight him off. Eventually the young man has to go back to the United States and hates leaving her.
I was delighted to hear the name Rossi again, that popped up in one of the stories about a U.S. man, Mr. Rossi, working as a diplomat towards the beginning of the Vietnam war. He was taking Vietnamese language lessons so he could better do his job. Ha wrote an entire novel about Mrs. Rossi searching for the remains of her son, whom was an American solder fighting in the war.
I don’t want to giveaway to much from each story, you will have to read this collection for yourself. Be prepared for some sleepless nights contemplating some of these stories. Also have some tissues available. I am not trying to scare you off, ‘All Rivers Flow Into the Sea’ is a must read for literary fans!
Ha’s writing is mesmerizing and captivating. I completely forget my surroundings when I read his poetic prose. I am transported to the places and people of whom he writes. It is the closest thing to time travel one can experience. Highly recommended!
Not all authors can write a good short story, it is a true art form an Ha has it. I don’t give out 5-star reviews like candy however, every novel and short story collection of his had earned 5 stars, including this collection.
The stories are all about the people of Vietnam or the American soldiers who fought there. They are all heart felt stories. These are not stories that one ploughs through fast, they are to savor and contemplate. I like to read one, put the book down and think. Many of these stories left me with my heart pounding with anxiety, like the story about ‘The Woman-Child’. Cam live in a poor fishing village with her father. Besides cooking for him, she has many other responsibilities like repairing his fishing nets every night. This is pain staking work but also becomes dangerous when a neighborhood drunk man appears and tries to rape her. We learn this is not the first time.
She has a new friend, a young Vietnamese-American man who is there working on his thesis about the environmental impact of shrimp farming. This is a big problem in the country, much like Salmon farming is in North America. He witnesses the attempted rape and asks Cam if she has told her father about it. Her father basically shrugs it off and tells her to fight him off. Eventually the young man has to go back to the United States and hates leaving her.
I was delighted to hear the name Rossi again, that popped up in one of the stories about a U.S. man, Mr. Rossi, working as a diplomat towards the beginning of the Vietnam war. He was taking Vietnamese language lessons so he could better do his job. Ha wrote an entire novel about Mrs. Rossi searching for the remains of her son, whom was an American solder fighting in the war.
I don’t want to giveaway to much from each story, you will have to read this collection for yourself. Be prepared for some sleepless nights contemplating some of these stories. Also have some tissues available. I am not trying to scare you off, ‘All Rivers Flow Into the Sea’ is a must read for literary fans!
Ha’s writing is mesmerizing and captivating. I completely forget my surroundings when I read his poetic prose. I am transported to the places and people of whom he writes. It is the closest thing to time travel one can experience. Highly recommended!
August 1, 2022
'All The Rives Flow Into The Sea,' took me by surprise. I was not expecting to be so compelled by a book about a subject that I don't often hear about. Khanh Ha is a spectacular writer! Throughout this collection of short stories, I found myself laughing, crying, and feeling heartsick for the characters—sometimes all three at once!
Every story is different, but each one revolves around the Vietnam war in some way. From a story about a young Vietnamese/American man who returns to the country he was born in to write his thesis, to the story of a young couple from different worlds who only want to be together—this collection is bound to have a story or two for everyone.
My personal favorite, 'The Girl On The Bridge,' is about a young man in North Vietnam who is traveling home with his friend when the bridge that they are on is bombed by American jets. The young man gets pinned under a top brace from the bridge and, although people are nearby to help, they must send for equipment to rescue him. The man sends his friend home, for fear that it isn't safe to stand around, and prepares to wait while experiencing extreme pain. The only thing to distract him from his pain is a young woman who is volunteering as a nurse. She talks to him about his childhood and her own life as she keeps him company.
These types of looks into life in Vietnam during extraordinary circumstances are what make this collection really powerful. The normalcy of everyday life having to continue while American's were attacking the country reads as harrowing in this book as it must have been in real life.
'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' is well worth the read for any literature lover! Khanh Ha really is an master artist in short story writing!
Every story is different, but each one revolves around the Vietnam war in some way. From a story about a young Vietnamese/American man who returns to the country he was born in to write his thesis, to the story of a young couple from different worlds who only want to be together—this collection is bound to have a story or two for everyone.
My personal favorite, 'The Girl On The Bridge,' is about a young man in North Vietnam who is traveling home with his friend when the bridge that they are on is bombed by American jets. The young man gets pinned under a top brace from the bridge and, although people are nearby to help, they must send for equipment to rescue him. The man sends his friend home, for fear that it isn't safe to stand around, and prepares to wait while experiencing extreme pain. The only thing to distract him from his pain is a young woman who is volunteering as a nurse. She talks to him about his childhood and her own life as she keeps him company.
These types of looks into life in Vietnam during extraordinary circumstances are what make this collection really powerful. The normalcy of everyday life having to continue while American's were attacking the country reads as harrowing in this book as it must have been in real life.
'All The Rivers Flow Into The Sea,' is well worth the read for any literature lover! Khanh Ha really is an master artist in short story writing!
August 4, 2022
‘All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,’ is not just a collection of short stories, but a look into the lives of average Vietnamese people during a very turbulent time.
Vietnam is a beautiful country, filled with hardworking and generous people, and no one is better at representing that in story form than author Khanh Ha. Between the beautiful, lush landscape of the country and the wonderful people, this book show Vietnam in a different light than many Americans are used to.
In the story, ‘All the Pretty Horses,’ the narrator talks about the relationship between their father and young Vietnamese language teacher, both of them living in Washington D.C. Although the father is married to the narrator’s mother, it seems like things maybe developing romantically between the teacher and the father, that is until a devastating turn of events changes things forever.
In the title story, ‘All the Rivers Flow into the Sea,’ two young people, a Vietnamese woman and an American solider, fall in love during the war. Although circumstances persist in trying to keep them apart, the young couple faces these trials together, always certain that their love can conquer all. Though a long journey on foot back to the woman’s home and a tense boat ride where they are in danger of being found by the Viet Cong, the couple stays together. But will they be able to find happiness? You’ll have to read the story yourself to find out.
Ha’s writing is absolutely remarkable. The atmosphere of this book is pure magic and I felt myself being wrapped up in it as I read along. As a reader, I felt as though I was there with the young couple on the dark river, or in the car with the father and the teacher in Washington.
Vietnam is a beautiful country, filled with hardworking and generous people, and no one is better at representing that in story form than author Khanh Ha. Between the beautiful, lush landscape of the country and the wonderful people, this book show Vietnam in a different light than many Americans are used to.
In the story, ‘All the Pretty Horses,’ the narrator talks about the relationship between their father and young Vietnamese language teacher, both of them living in Washington D.C. Although the father is married to the narrator’s mother, it seems like things maybe developing romantically between the teacher and the father, that is until a devastating turn of events changes things forever.
In the title story, ‘All the Rivers Flow into the Sea,’ two young people, a Vietnamese woman and an American solider, fall in love during the war. Although circumstances persist in trying to keep them apart, the young couple faces these trials together, always certain that their love can conquer all. Though a long journey on foot back to the woman’s home and a tense boat ride where they are in danger of being found by the Viet Cong, the couple stays together. But will they be able to find happiness? You’ll have to read the story yourself to find out.
Ha’s writing is absolutely remarkable. The atmosphere of this book is pure magic and I felt myself being wrapped up in it as I read along. As a reader, I felt as though I was there with the young couple on the dark river, or in the car with the father and the teacher in Washington.
August 8, 2022
“Poling oars at rest crisscrossed one another, soaring from the water in pale blue ripples as blue as cooking smoke, thinly drifting, that palled the river.”
A whirlwind of a book that will leave you breathless, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' by Khanh Ha is the kind of collection that short story lovers dream about. Having read some of Khanh Ha's other works, I was prepared to enjoy this collection, but not prepared by just how emotional I would get reading it. This is an absolutely beautiful piece of literature that should be thought of as a modern classic.
So many different emotions are represented and evoked in the telling of these eleven stories that it almost makes the book seem like magic. The stories in this group are all about Vietnam, whether they take place there or are centered around Vietnamese people in in the U.S.A., each story represents the people of the country in some way.
From a story about a college student who meets a young girl on his return to Vietnam and wishes that he could help her, to a story about a man who is wounded during an American air raid, and comforted by a young nurse while he waits to be rescued from the destruction of a bridge, these tales captivate and astound the reader.
'The Children of Icarus,' tells the story of a young couple who are discussing future marital plans when the young woman is attacked by a friend and raped. The young man reacts badly when she tells him and must apologize to her the next morning. This story of a young Vietnamese man coming to terms with his own views on love and purity culture was incredibly poignant, especially in today's world.
There are so many stories in here that are bound to touch any readers heart and soul. I'm giving this one as many stars as I can!
A whirlwind of a book that will leave you breathless, 'All the Rivers Flow Into the Sea,' by Khanh Ha is the kind of collection that short story lovers dream about. Having read some of Khanh Ha's other works, I was prepared to enjoy this collection, but not prepared by just how emotional I would get reading it. This is an absolutely beautiful piece of literature that should be thought of as a modern classic.
So many different emotions are represented and evoked in the telling of these eleven stories that it almost makes the book seem like magic. The stories in this group are all about Vietnam, whether they take place there or are centered around Vietnamese people in in the U.S.A., each story represents the people of the country in some way.
From a story about a college student who meets a young girl on his return to Vietnam and wishes that he could help her, to a story about a man who is wounded during an American air raid, and comforted by a young nurse while he waits to be rescued from the destruction of a bridge, these tales captivate and astound the reader.
'The Children of Icarus,' tells the story of a young couple who are discussing future marital plans when the young woman is attacked by a friend and raped. The young man reacts badly when she tells him and must apologize to her the next morning. This story of a young Vietnamese man coming to terms with his own views on love and purity culture was incredibly poignant, especially in today's world.
There are so many stories in here that are bound to touch any readers heart and soul. I'm giving this one as many stars as I can!
August 12, 2022
While reading this outstanding collection of stories, I couldn't help being overcome by the mysteries of contrast. Dark versus light, rich versus poor, East versus West, life versus death, heartbreaking sorrow against breathtaking beauty. No two stories are the same and yet the human condition is universal. In the minutiae of life can be found the most profound sadness and the most buoyant life.
Such are the writings of this author. Having read his other story collections, I know I'm going to run the gamut of every emotion of the human condition it is possible to feel. That's what makes him such an astounding writer. You can only stand in awe of such masterful prose.
***I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***
Such are the writings of this author. Having read his other story collections, I know I'm going to run the gamut of every emotion of the human condition it is possible to feel. That's what makes him such an astounding writer. You can only stand in awe of such masterful prose.
***I received a copy of this book from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***
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