The other day I attended an author talk at our wonderful library featuring news correspondent Vicky Nguyen speaking about Boat Baby, her new memoir, now a NYT bestseller. “Boat people” escaped South Vietnam after the takeover of the communist party after the Vietnam War. (April marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon). They were refugees undertaking a dangerous journey by sea, in whatever boats that would take them, to escape a war-torn country, surveillance, and persecution, and they landed (if they were lucky) in nearby Asian countries. Many perished from overloaded boats, storms, or pirates. This reminds me of all the refugees desperately crossing the Mediterranean in more recent years. Of other migrants risking their lives, carrying almost nothing, to escape wars and terrible conditions in their own countries.

Many of the boat people came out of the refugee camps due to being sponsored by American families who opened their hearts to help them adapt to the US. Open minds, open hearts make the world a better place, and helped Nguyen realize a successful life here. She stressed the value of community, when people supported each other as she felt supported. This seems to be missing these days as people have become insular and closed to anyone not like themselves.

Nguyen said that as an investigative reporter who has to do a lot of research, she focuses on listening to people and not judging; she wants to hear their stories, to know why they think and behave as they do. She sees the humanity in others who may look and think very differently than she does, and she offers this as a way for all of us to see each other—not as enemies but fellow humans. So difficult in these extremely divisive times. Reading memoirs, though is a way to hear the experiences of others and hopefully build empathy and understanding.

While working on her memoir, Nguyen discovered stories of her parents she had never heard before. Listening to their fascinating stories was a beautiful experience. “We can reflect and learn from the past,” and we can even realize things about ourselves, why we are the way we are. In the US, especially, most families have immigrant stories, other family stories of sacrifice and hardship for a better life for their children. Get those stories if and while you can.

(I didn’t actually know who Vicky Nguyen was since I only watch local TV news, but I do know our well-loved local news anchor-reporter Michelle Li of the Very Asian Foundation who facilitated the discussion with Ms. Nguyen. Between the two of them, they attracted a very large audience!)

Other Vietnamese refugee memoirs:

Of Monkey Bridges and Banh Mi Sandwiches: From Saigon to Texas by Oanh Ngo Usadi

The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui