"The Sympathizer" 2016 Pulitz Prize for Lit by Viet Than Nguyen

This year's Pulitz Prize for Lit has been awarded to Viet Nguyen (b. Viet Nam 1971) for his brilliant historical/philosophical novel “The Sympathizer.   In addition, Nguyen received an Edgar Award for best 1^st novel.  Despite this being a major coup, these honors are duly bestowed for such powerful & creative writing.  Nguyen examines the Vietnamese war from a ½ Vietnamese, Capt/interpreter.  The protagonist is an illegitimate child born of a Vietnamese mother & a French priest.  He is of two worlds, of 2 faces, of 2 mindsets. He is a spy for the Viet Cong airlifted out of Saigon on the last day of evacuations. The novel presents duplicitous, provocative & disturbing insights from American viewpoints & a Vietnamese’s perspective vicariously straddling both worlds. This erudite & challenging novel demands a great deal of its reader but victors to those tenacious & courageous enough to endure this rigorous read.  It begins with the downfall of S Viet Nam during the chaotic & terrifying airlifts.  The anti-war sentiment harshly depicts an inhumane & obscene involvement by America in the Vietnamese Conflict from multiple, startling accounts.  This heroic novel is an anti-war & Viet Nam Conflict condemnation but to classify “The Sympathizer” as merely that would sell this brilliant story short by a land mine.  The graphic depiction of battle, torture, barbaric behavior & the capitalization on human suffering is rampant & atrocious.  Nguyen's writing also poses numerous philosophical conundrums.  “Should not the things that count, like ideology & political belief matter more than the unripe ideals & illusions of youth.” Revolutions are born by people willing to fight when fearing nothing to lose.  The author  provides a palatable comprehension of communism as a response to total anarchy & the righteous outcome of a society that takes for granted that "...NOTHING IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN INDEPENCE AND FREEDOM."  The dogma of this belief is emblazoned on the communist red party banner.  This novel bears comparison to another Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Orphan Master’s Son” (’13.)  Both deservedly won their accolades for their gifted writing as well as their meaningful & provocative content.  “The Sympathizer” is a profound, esoteric novel that evokes strong emotional responses and coerces the reader to consider unconventional & varying thinking.  Nguyen tells us, “…we haven’t eradicated all elements of anti-revolutionary thinking and we must not forgive antirevolutionary faults.  We must be vigilant, even of each other, but mostly ourselves.”  Be wary of untruths as all sorts of situations “…exist when one tells lies in order to reach an acceptable truth.” 

Melinda's Top 10 Recommend Reads for the Year

The following list of my favorite books I've read so far this year are listed below in alphabetical order by title.  This is an international mix of award winning writers of both fiction & non-fiction:


1.  "A Man Without a Country" Kurt Vonnegut's by memoir.

2.   "Deafening" by Canadian author Frances Itani - short listed for the Int'l Dublin Award.  She is
       Member of the Order of Canada.

3.   "Doors" by Hungarian author Magda Szabo - French Prix Femina Etranger Literary Award ('03.)

4.  "Everything I Never Told You" by Celeste Ng - Goodreads Choice Award Best Debut Novel ('14.)

5.   "Family Life"autobiographical novel by Indian author Akhil Sharna - Folio Prize "'15.)

6.   "Life Only Better" by French author Anna Gavalda winner of the Grand Prix for short stories ('00.)

7.   "The Fisherman" by Nigerian author Chigozie Obioma - nominated for Man Booker ('15.)

8.   "The Other Wes Moore" An autobiography by Wes Moore & biography of another Wes Moore.

9.   "The Moor's Account by Morocan author Laila Lalami - Pulitzer Prize nom. ('15.)

10.  "Thirteen Ways of Looking" by Irish author Colum McCann - received a Nat'l Bk Award ('09.)

Currently I am reading "The Sympathizer" by Vietnamese author Viet Thanh Nguyen which won the Putlizer Prize for Fiction this year.  This will be added to my best picks for 2016.

"The Girl with all the Gifts" by Brit writer M R Carey-Copies Copiously from Others

British writer (b. 1959) M R Carey's novel is touted as "The most original thriller you'll read this year." But, this gore & adore lore is an appropriation of ideas galore.  Mainly it features zombie creatures called "the hungries" that comb the not too distant, dystopian world.  I discovered in this sci-fi monstrous mix Ray Bradbury's  "All Summer in a Day," &  Margaret Atwood's "Oryx & Crake."  The heart of the novel is ripped from Raold Dahl's "Matilda."  Melanie (our young heroine) is held captive. i She is harnessed, muzzled and rarely released from her cell except to attend class with other students.  These students are also restrained in their wheelchairs in cuffs and neck restraints.  The days are dismal and isolating.  The only ray of sunshine is when Helen Justineau teaches.  Sgt. Parks is the commander  of this menacing & nebulous facility. (Note:  Justineau - Parks, names with a Jurasic Park intonation.)  Sgt Parks routinely "keeps his gun pointing at her {Melanie} while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair."  What is this world coming to where a seemingly innocent & intelligent young girl, along with other youngsters are so severely treated?  Exactly - a world that has come apart at the seams.  It seems these children are "hungries" and are fodder for dissection & inspection.  Melanie, oblivious to her infectious nature of cannibalism, develops a strong affection for Miss Justineau; the only one whose shown her compassion.  Justineau is devoted & protective of Melanie.  The world as we knew it comes crashing down.  The walking dead "hungries" are on a mission to consume anything & everything with  a heartbeat.  The fortunate few (for now) include, Melanie, Justineau, Parks, pvt. Gallagher and the mad scientist Dr Caldwell who manage a harrowing & hasty escape. With a sociopathic Dr called Caldwell, you know little will end well.  Carey is a writer of novels, screenplays & comics.  He attempts a nature v. nurture theory & pays historic homage to British scientist & Greek myths.  "The Girl with all the Gifts" is nothing special. Warning: it's a Pandora's box.  Once you open the book, you're hooked.  

Indian Author Akhil Sharma's Semi-Autobiographical Novel FAMILY LIFE

FAMILY LIFE is as an endearing coming of age story of a young immigrant boy from India.  It is also  a heart wrenching tale of family tragedy.  Akhil Sharma (b. India 1971) immigrated to the US with his family at 8.  The author writes mainly in the voice of Ajay, the younger brother of the Mishra family who move from Delhi to the US in the late 1970's.  This story mirrors Sharma's life.  Sharma embraces earnest plights concerning immigration/assimilation, family tragedy/dysfunction and loneliness & alienation.  Ajay's candor & innocence provide the reader a lightheartedness with which to bear the family's overwhelming hardships.  I developed a fondness for Ajay.  Originally, Ajay believes his family fortunate for the opportunity to live in an affluent, modern country.  But, his expectations for an elevated lifestyle are drastically diminished. His epiphany of his permanency in America, severing his origins is both tender & melancholy. "The realization disturbed me.  I saw that one day I would be nothing like who I was."  Sharma's eloquent writing is filled with emotional truths that resonate throughout this stirring novel.  All hopes & attentions were placed on Ajay's older brother Bijru, to succeed.  Disaster strikes.  Bijru becomes brain dead from a near drowning. From now on he requires full care. The envy Ajay had felt towards Bijru was natural as his grief. "I sobbed relentlessly and was amazed at how much I loved my brother.  I had not known he mattered so much to me."  The family is faced with finding happiness amidst the most unbearable situation. Ajay has feelings of guilt, "No part of me could deny how much luckier I was than my brother."  His parents struggles are insufferable.  The father turns to drink and the couple quarrel relentlessly. "My parents fought so much that the walls would vibrate."  FAMILY LIFE earned the Pen/Hemmingway & Whiting Award.  Ajay discovers  Hemmingway's novels as an escape & source of inspiration.  To battle loneliness, he tosses love notes into girls' hair.  I wholeheartedly recommend this touchingly somber literary work.

John Williams' "Stoner" (1965) is Reissued to Fanfare-Beware

Amer novelist John Williams (b. 1922-94) received the Nat'l Book Award for "Augustus" (1972.)  His novel "Stoner" is about a lackluster professor of literature.  It has been reissued with acclaim from numerous contemporary authors.  Tim Kreiden in the  NEW YORKER ('13) declared "Stoner" "The greatest novel you've never heard of" and compares Williams work to that of James Salter & Richard Yates.  Yikes!  The title "Stoner" refers to William Stoner & is ironic because the novel reads under a fugue of passivity.  Since its reprinting in 2006, the novel has been declared an American classic - although not by me.  Besides faulting the author with misogynistic attitudes, the novel is a bore.  Granted, there is something to be said for Williams skill as a writer.  Williams was an English Prof & editor.  Stoner becomes a lifelong teacher of Lit. at a small Missouri Univ having found a passion for prose after leaving the family farm for the world of academia.  I fault the novel for the imbecilic integrity of its hero.  He fails to summon the courage to live a life with meaning & passion.  Stoner's sole purpose was imbuing his student's with knowledge.  Still, he allows his insane, shrew of a wife, Edith, to emasculate him & constrain him from interacting with their daughter.  His only revolt is against an incredulous  nemesis, a fellow professor and brief affair with an undergrad.  Stoner lives out his days numbing himself against the nothingness his life become; a "slow death of the heart, the bitter attrition of feeling and care."  "He could see nothing before him that he wished to enjoy and little behind him that he cared to remember."  I give the author an F on his novel and don't understand the resurgence of interest in his novel which bears none.