Genealogy Books - Paradise of the Blind: A Novel

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Summary: A not often seen picture of Vietnam
Comment: This atmospheric novel offers a well-written story that is rich in detail. It portrays the intricacy
of Vietnamese culture in a way that makes one think and feel. We can learn (and as a result
understand) so much more about a culture from its literature than we can from what is printed in
newspapers. Unfortunately, most conclusions about Vietnam stem from what was reported during the
1960s and 1970s. This novel does much for increasing our understanding of a complicated country. />

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Summary: Brillant, but culturally challenging to grasp
Comment: It's a challenge to really get into the heart of this book. It is easy for critics to praise it as a
book that accurately portrays the effects of communism in Vietnam, however one must look far beyond
that. The book comments much more on the evolving modern world clashing with traditional customs, or
the struggle of family loyalty, then it is a political commentary on communism.

In
fact, much of Huong's novel could easily be placed in any other setting and still be able to offer
us the same thematic value. While I will not deny that here lies a book that gives us outsiders a
wonderful glimpse into Vietnamese culture, something tells me that this was not the intential
intention of Huong. The style of the book, and the portrayal of the narrator's mother and sister are
all much to realistic for me to believe that this book is souly a commentary on the changing
Vietnamese, and I look to all the readers to ask themselves if they cannot identify with the basic
human nature portrayed ever so beautifully in this novel. Though it made be hard for the readers to
relate, we can at least acknowledge that there is soul in this piece of literature,.
/>The story itself is quite a complex one. The book seems to take place in the past, the further
past, and the even further past, and lets all of the stories grow and mature until in the end when
they weave their way into one.

The book is completely worth reading and the insight
gained from it will be well worth every minute you spend on it. However, the book is slightly
distant and not quite so easy to connect to. I'll assume this has to do with the cultural
differences between myself and the author and the result of the book being translated to English.
However, the book is a must read. It will leave you with a hunger and thirst for life and an
appreciation for living.

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Summary: Vietnam under communist rule.
Comment: This book gives a good picture of the atmosphere in the country: dictatorial power of corrupt party
bosses, no free speech, hunger, inflation, collective suspicion, spying.
It is well constructed:
a mixture of flashbacks and actual facts.
But I feel that the main characters are not integrated
in the country's political and social system. There is a gap between the comments on the political
and social environment and the experiences of the protagonists.
To the bargain, the novel is full
of family reunions with enumerations of long lists of dishes, what makes the reading sometimes
boring.
I prefer by far the work of Truong Nhu Tang 'A Vietcong Memoir'.

Customer Rating:

Summary: It's not Easy to See the Meaning in Paradise of the Blind
Comment: It's not Easy to See the Meaning in Paradise of the Blind
Paradise of the Blind is a novel about
a young girl, Hang, and her family relations with her mother, uncle, and aunts. Hang grows up in
Vietnam with her mother because her father left when she was young. Throughout the novel, Hang has
flashbacks to her earlier years and how she interacted with her mother and her feelings towards
life. Her mother recollected stories about her life and about Hang's father. Those images are all
Hang has to live by to create a sense of a father. Hang turns to her uncle and two aunts for
emotional support that she is unable to find through her close-minded mother. But when her uncle
breaks that trust, she is forced to find love and strength in the mother she thought could never
provide her with those emotions.
This novel was detailed, yet progressed very slowly. The
flashbacks were written in the present tense, just as the novel, so it was hard to know Hang was
remembering an event until it was over. But the details were strong and very deep in thought. See
if you can find the color motif and what it represents! The main character was forced to fend for
herself against her own will. Thus, creating conflict through opinions about typical Vietnamese
women. The issues were not easily understood and were very real, something not confronted in the
author's country of Vietnam.
This novel is recommended for high school students in honor
classes. The issues are not for junior high students or younger because of adult relations and
conflicts. If one reads this novel, they should be interested in other cultures and should
understand that this is a different society than America and may be of an earlier era's thought

Customer Rating:

Summary: Reviewing Paradise of the Blind
Comment: Reviewing Paradise of the Blind
The first novel, banned in its own country, from a Vietnamese
woman published in the United States. Paradise of the Blind is a very insightful novel. This novel
shows how much honor a woman can have and the difficulties a family could have. The woman who wrote
this book, Duong Thu Huong, lived and experienced it. This woman, Hang, was raised without a father
because he was forced to leave. Her mother was both mother and father to her.
Hang's life was
a struggle. Her mother never talked about her father to her because it brought her a lot of painful
memories and she would always end up in tears when Hang asked her about her father. The first time
that her mother talked to her about her father was when she was twelve years old. She was the first
in the family to graduate from high school and go to college. One of her aunts spoiled her for
this. Her mother always thought about her and treated her the best she could. Hang goes to visit
her only uncle, who is very sick, still alive that she knows about. Uncle Chinh is a very political
man who lives in the city. Yet, she is barely recovering from an illness herself. She travels via
train and meets a kind gentleman. On this train she is harassed by two men who insult her for being
Vietnamese. Hang and her mother struggle to get past life because of the lack of money. Her mother
was always working even after suffering a tragic accident with a car. This book teaches you a lot
of things that the Vietnamese had to go through. Communism shattered many peoples dreams; Hang had
to live through all of this, struggling throughout her live.
This novel will both entertain you
and inform you about the life of a young Vietnamese woman. This book is recommended for people
sixteen or older because it is very insightful and we would like you to catch and understand every
word that you hear. The novel goes back and forth very often. It is difficult to stay with the
time frame.

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