Do not post about other topics until you read the faq. I wasam very much interested in not only the vietnam war and its related issues but also in politics, aesthetics. Jul 08, 2016 last week, andrew carnegie medalwinners viet thanh nguyen and sally mann accepted their awards at the ala annual conference in orlando, florida. A guide for book clubs the reading room book group notes as want to read. In dialogue with but diametrically opposed to the narratives of the vietnam war that have preceded it, this novel offers an important and unfamiliar new perspective on the. March 3, 2017 tom lutz chose the sympathizer for the larb book club in june 2015, long before anything like the pulitzer prize was on the horizon. Broken for you by stephanie kallos book club discussion. The sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, a book club discussion.
Ncg book club discussion of the sympathizer by viet thanh. Tom lutz chose the sympathizer for the larb book club in june 2015, long before anything like the pulitzer prize was on the horizon. It is a pageturner with a definitively literary sensibility, a spy novel that doubles as a. Who do you think the author wants the reader to sympathize with. Take our free the sympathizer quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Hosting means preparing a treat for club members to eat and conducting the discussion on the months book.
The sympathizer, by viet thanh nguyen, is the story of a communist spy who is conflicted about where he stands within his political beliefs and in the world itself. Theoretically, the vietnam war ended in 1973 with the. Apr 02, 2015 the sympathizer is a long book that could have been about one hundred and fifty pages shorter. If anything, the novel understated the brutality the author shielded the sympathizer. The sympathizer ebook epubpdfprcmobiazw3 download by. Though this is a novel and in some ways historical fiction because the author is himself a vietnamese refugee, this is not considered a non fiction book. The sympathizer, by viet thanh nguyen, is the story of a communist spy who is conflicted about where he. This 52page guide for the sympathizer by viet thanh nyguen includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 23 chapters, as well as several more indepth. The sympathizer is a pulitzer prizewinning novel by viet thanh nguyen about a man who is living among leaders of the south vietnamese army while spying for the viet cong. The sympathizer is a novel of literary, historical, and political importance. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Pulitzer prize winner and i dont always agree, and such is the case here.
The sympathizer examines the legacy of the vietnam war through the eyes of one man who has conflicting beliefs and loyalties. A profound, startling, and beautifully crafted debut novel, the sympathizer is the story of a man of two minds, someone whose political beliefs clash with his individual loyalties. A startling debut novel from a powerful new voice featuring one of the most remarkable narrators of recent fiction. If anything, the novel understated the brutality the author shielded the sympathizer from the. Perception and representation on pages 2512 of the paperback version, the sympathizer comments on dr. Maxine hong kingston, author of the fifth book of peace it is a strong, strange and liberating joy to read this book, feeling with each page that a broken world is being knitted back together, once again whole and. What are the different ways throughout the book that the author demonstrates sympathetic characters and situations.
This study guide consists of approximately 100 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the sympathizer. Viet thanh nguyens powerful novel dramatizes the doublemindedness of a sleeper agent navigating both a divided, wartorn vietnam and a polarized america. Sep 27, 2016 this edition of the book club features the astounding pulitzer prize winning novel, the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen. Viet thanh nguyens the sympathizer brilliantly draws you in with the opening line. The sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen is simply superb. Here are a few things we discussed during the meeting. It is only fitting that the fall of saigon, which observed its 40th anniversary last year see beyond the book, serves not as bookend, but as the opening act for viet thanh nguyens spellbinding debut, the sympathizer. The orphan masters son by adam johnson and the white tiger by. Hedds of the country club book and how he perceives the vietnamese. Discussion questions well include publisher questions if theyre made available. At his villa, a general of the south vietnamese army is drinking whiskey and, with the help of his trusted captain, drawing up a list. Winner of the pulitzer prize a profound, startling, and beautifully crafted debut novel, the sympathizer is the story of a man of two minds, someone whose political beliefs clash with his individual loyalties. It is only fitting that the fall of saigon, which observed its 40th anniversary last year see beyond the book, serves not as bookend, but as the opening act for viet.
Currently reading the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen. Excerpt from the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, plus. Discuss the relevance of the title, the sympathizer. Mar 17, 2017 the murder in the afternoon book club meets to discuss viet thanh nguyens the sympathizer on monday, march 20th, at 1 pm. The sympathizer is a remarkable and brilliant book. Vietnam and the memory of war, which is the critical bookend to a creative project whose fictional bookend is the sympathizer 2015. The narrator recalls the fall of saigon on april 30, 1975. In the meantime, use these litlovers talking points to kick start a discussion for the sympathizer. Its a book of contradictions, such as the lets read a book about having sex with a dead squid.
The sympathizer examines the legacy of the vietnam war through the eyes of one man who has conflicting beliefs and loyalties winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction. A gripping spy novel, an astute exploration of extreme politics, and a moving love story. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Most activity is for books selected by vote for the current month, but you can post about any previous selection anytime.
It is a bestselling novel and recipient of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction. You can find copies of the sympathizer on our shelves and via. Apr 14, 2015 taking the form of a confession to a commandant about whom we know nothing until novels end, the sympathizer begins with the fall of saigon, as south vietnamese loyalists, whom the united states have encouraged for years to fight the northern communists at all cost, must beg for admittance to american evacuation transports. The sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and america, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship.
The sympathizer ebook epubpdfprcmobiazw3 download by viet. How does this statement reverberate throughout the book. And even the people who didnt love the novel, still saw value in the story and style. For my interview with viet thanh nguyen, click here, and for my interview with sally mann, click here. The sympathizer, by viet thanh nguyen the new york times. Recommended to book clubs by 9 of 14 members the winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, as well as seven other awards, the sympathizer is the breakthrough novel of the year. This way anyone who couldnt be there, can still join in with the fun. It is a pageturner with a definitively literary sensibility, a. The racist suppositions of the empires of old helped shape a culture of subterfuge. Viet thanh nguyens astonishing novel takes us inside the mind of this double agent.
The sympathizer viet thanh nguyen, 2015 grove atlantic 384 pp. Today well recommend some other books you might want to read after the sympathizer and at the end well leave some discussion questions to use for your own book club. The sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, a book club discussion guide this month i was hostess for book club. The narrator describes himself to the commandant, who has imprisoned him at a detention camp in north vietnam, as a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces. A comprehensive guide to viet thanh nguyens pulitzer prizewinning the sympathizer, this discussion aid includes a wealth of. The sympathizer quotes viet thanh nguyen this study guide consists of approximately 100 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the sympathizer. A very worthy book, a book with so many truisms, such as this one booted hard by the irony of how revolution fought for independence and freedom could make those things worth less than nothing. The sympathizer we the people book club 2 this we the people book club selection explores the sympathizer grove press by viet thanh nguyen, a novel that is significant for a number of reasons. The june botm discussion will be the pulitzer prize for fiction 2016 winner the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen. Apr 23, 2015 the sympathizer is a novel of literary, historical, and political importance.
April 30, 2015 marked the fortieth anniversary of the fall of saigon. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a man of two minds, whom we meet through a confession that we know to be some time after the fall of saigon. This week, we present you with reading group discussion guides for each book, put together by members of the carnegie committee. The sympathizer summary and study guide supersummary. Our discussion about the book was great, as there is so much to talk about in this book. Until now, its been largely a onesided conversationor at least thats how it seems in american popular culturewhere weve heard about the vietnam war mostly from the point of view of american soldiers, american politicians and american.
The novel does allude to the radicalization of young southeast asians in the metropole, and the sequel to the sympathizer is set in paris and deals with the longterm consequences of that history. Our book selection was the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen. The third dimension of the novel is added by the narrators dual nature and ability to see both sides of every conflict. His efforts to survive in two worlds at once lead him to make mistakes that end in his capture and torture at the hands of one of the people he most trusts. The sympathizer ebook by viet thanh nguyen 9780802191694. Maxine hong kingston, author of the fifth book of peace it is a strong, strange and liberating joy to read this book, feeling with each page that a broken world is being knitted back together, once again whole and complete. The sympathizer is a long book that could have been about one hundred and fifty pages shorter. I wanted to start the summary with books you may enjoy if you did like the sympathizer.
I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces. Ncg book club members meet approximately five times a year for a facilitated discussion and the opportunity to engage with one another through a shared love of literature. Sympathizer definition of sympathizer by the free dictionary. Book club kit discussion guide the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen author. A guide for book clubs the reading room book group notes. What does the narrator mean when he tells us, i am a man of two minds. The narrator is both a captain in the south vietnamese army and a spy for the north vietnamese, acting under the instruction of man, one of his blood brothers. Viet thanh nguyens the sympathizer has left me stunned. Viet thanh nguyens debut the sympathizer vividly describes the fall of saigon now ho chi minh city in the opening chapters as the narrator is transported out of the city along with a host of fellow citizens who have served the american cause in some way. Ncg book club discussion of the sympathizer by viet.
Apr 07, 2015 the racist suppositions of the empires of old helped shape a culture of subterfuge. The sympathizer book intro slider viet thanh nguyen. Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. The sympathizer summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature.
Nelly he has realised that while first meaning independence and freedom are the most important values nothing is more important than independence andmore he has realised that while first meaning independence and freedom are the most important values nothing is more important than independence and freedom that there. Perhaps not surprisingly, i am also a man of two minds. Apr 05, 2015 the sympathizer, by viet thanh nguyen. The sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, which was our april book club selection, is a novel that satirizes the aftermath of the vietnam war, but it also is a serious examination of identity from the point of view of someone who is a subversive and a mole within the south vietnamese military at the time of the war.
He came to the united states as a refugee in 1975 with his family and was initially settled in fort indiantown gap, pennsylvania, one of four such camps for vietnamese refugees. This hybrid spynovelcumliterarysatire won the edgar award in 2015 which is how. Oct 02, 2016 the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen, a book club discussion guide this month i was hostess for book club. I am not some misunderstood mutant from a comic book or a horror movie, although some have treated me as such. He who is nameless is americaneducated and ends up going to america after the fall of saigon. He came to the united states as a refugee in 1975 with his family and was initially settled in fort indiantown gap, pennsylvania, one of. Written with an unflinching eye and great humor, it is a brilliant and chilling look into the hearts and minds of men and the cruelty we inflict upon each other. In dialogue with but diametrically opposed to the narratives of the vietnam war that have preceded it, this novel offers an important and unfamiliar new perspective on the war. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. This 52page guide for the sympathizer by viet thanh nyguen includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 23 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. His book fills a void in the literature, giving voice to the previously voiceless while.
This asset contains classroom discussion questions about this book. With the pace and suspense of a thriller and prose that has been compared to graham greene and saul bellow, the sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love. Transcription by kate atkinson is a historical fiction novel full of spies, deception, conflict and wit. By turns harrowing, and cut through by shards of unexpected and telling humor, this novel gives us the conflict in vietnam, and its aftermath, in a way that is deeply truthful, and vitally important.
The sympathizer is a very witty novel narrated by a francovietnamese communist spy in the south vietnamese intelligence department. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Viet thanh nguyens the sympathizer explores the conflicting loyalties of a captain in the south vietnamese. The sympathizer ebook by viet thanh nguyen rakuten kobo. On monday, february 6th, the booked for the day book group met to discuss, the sympathizer by viet thanh nguyen. The sympathizer is the 2015 debut novel by vietnamese american professor viet thanh nguyen.
490 956 722 542 830 1094 161 552 125 1075 238 330 146 619 503 723 562 29 484 1135 336 1364 548 1068 818 1532 792 428 480 337 797 651 785 861 1279 151 1342 111 1008 1099 902 690 595 1283 743 59 1083 1265 994 967