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Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam

This book is a reflective travelogue that intertwines the author's experiences in Vietnam with his family history and personal growth. The author embarks on a motorcycle journey across Vietnam, using this physical journey as a metaphor for his emotional and spiritual quest. more

Author

Andrew X. Pham
Andrew X. Pham

Andrew X. Pham, born in 1967, is a renowned author whose works primarily focus on the lives of Vietnamese immigrants in the United States. His writing, characterized by deep insight and delicate prose, has earned widespread acclaim. more

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“Nobody gives way to anybody. Everyone just angles, points, dives directly toward his destination, pretending it is an all-or-nothing gamble. People glare at one another and fight for maneuvering space. All parties are equally determined to get the right-of-way--insist on it. They swerve away at the last possible moment, giving scant inches to spare. The victor goes forwards, no time for a victory grin, already engaging in another contest of will. Saigon traffic is Vietnamese life, a continuous charade of posturing, bluffing, fast moves, tenacity and surrenders.”

PeopleWayGivingMomentsLastsMovingFightingSpacePartyVictoryDeterminedSurrenderDestinationPretendingInchesTrafficSparesAngleContestsEngagingTenacityGambleVietnameseGlareCharadesSwerveSaigon
Book:Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam
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“Too many things have changed. Too much time has passed. I'm different now, a man with a pocketful of unconnected but terribly vivid memories. I was looking to dredge up what I'd long forgotten. Most of all, I am wishing for something to fasten all these gems, maybe something to hold them in a continuity that I can comprehend.”

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Book:Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam
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“At some point my friends and I began to ask, how can a country that produced hippies and such cool people also fight a war and kill people and act cruelly? You would see American GMC trucks go by and soldiers reaching down to whack a girl riding a bicycle. They would yank at her hat and she would get thrown and she would die. You would see Americans do this and feel like they can do anything in our country. But then you'd take an English class with an American soldier from Ohio who seemed just as nice as anyone, yet he was a soldier too.”

PeopleFeelsWarCountryDiesGirlFightingAsksCan DoClassNiceMy FriendsSoldierOur CountryReachingHatsThrownRidingTruckHippieBicycleOhioAmerican SoldierRiding A BicycleCool PeopleEnglish Class
Author:Nguyen Qui Duc
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“A strange thing happens when you interview a robot. You feel an urge to be profound: to ask profound questions. I suppose it’s an inter-species thing. Although if it is I wonder why I never try and be profound around my dog. ‘What does electricity taste like?’ I ask. ‘Like a planet around a star,’ Bina48 replies. Which is either extraordinary or meaningless - I’m not sure which”

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Author:Jon Ronson
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“It is slightly chilling to realize there are rational, functional people up there employed to spot, nurture, and exploit those down here among us who are irrational and can barely cope. If you want to know how stupid you’re perceived to be by the people up there, count the unsolicited junk mail you receive. If you get a lot, you’re perceived to be alluringly stupid.”

PeopleIfsKnowsWantRealizingKnow HowStupidRationalSpotsMailIrrationalNurtureEmployedChillExploitsJunkJunk Mail
Author:Jon Ronson
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