Gb tran is a young vietnamese american artist who grew up distant from and largely indifferent to his family s history. The book follows members of the levy family, descendants of a printer named saadi. While researching my familys history, i discovered that, as hard as he had tried to hide it, my grandfathers surname was actually page and not palmer. The art work was fantastic and gb tran was really able to illustrate the emotions that went into his own familys story. The old book table, 2006, helped me learn more about my cousin alfred goldsmith and his famous bookstore, at the sign of the sparrow. Robert kolker, who has a new book on the family, says.
This is a collection of family lore, some that has been passed. A mesmerizing debut novel, once upon a mulberry field tells a heartrending tale of american and south vietnamese love at a time when both countries were torn apart by war. A familys journey, tran uses the colors, wording, and lines in his drawings to make the reader see the story from his point of view. My dad and i are still working on our hager family genealogy. Giabao tran ought to be a more major creator in the world of comics, and with vietnamerica, lets hope hes moved into that group. The girl from purple mountain presents the intimacies and secrets of the chai family set against the broad canvas that is china in the twentieth century. Over the years, six of the galvins 12 children were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Born and raised in south carolina as a son of immigrants, he knew that his parents had fled vietnam during the fall of saigon.
Graphic artist giabao gb trans graphic memoir vietnamerica tells the story of his familys escape and survival during the vietnam war, and their struggle as refugees in the united states. Their drawings depict emotion by choice of colors, use of wording, and type of sketching. A dramatic and carefully detailed account of one familys journey through the maze of. A family s journey, by gb tran published by purdue epubs, 2014. Named one of the best books of the year by harpers bazaar in this candid memoir, featuring a foreword by barbra streisand, renowned designer donna karan. If youve been reading my website, you know that im a genealogy buff. A past colorlines contributing artist, gb recounts his familys story as he travels back to vietnam to attend his grandparents funerals. The hemenways the story of one familys journey through.
In trans memoir, theme, narrative, and art work together to create a deeply compelling graphic novel. Vietnamerica isnt just one of the best comics ive ever read. In telling his familys story, gb finds his own place in this saga of hardship and heroism. Hoang online in a facebook group and ordered his new book. It was an opportunity to revisit the part of my life when i was deeply involved in the antiwar movement. Copy link he was a generals son, she a beauty queen. Bookdragon books for the diverse reader vietnamerica. Visit the northern part of vietnam, aka vietnam ties litenorth. Every family has a story of how they arrived in america, whether it was a few months, years, decades, or centuries ago. This unique picture book was inspired by the stone artwork of syrian artist.
Tran, is a personal narrative in the form of a graphic novel that follows tran, a second generation american from vietnam, as he decides to delve into the history of vietnam after he visits the country for the first time to attend his grandparents funeral, and realizes how little he knows about his familys history throughout the text tran goes back three. A familys journey, by gb giabao tran, published by villard in 2011, is the first vietnamese american graphicmemoir. I compiled much of what i learned during my journey and put it into this section. Tran meditates on war, loss, and memory, but the overriding theme is the complexity, hardship, and reward of family life, a theme that finds full life in the authors multilayered narrative. Best books for kids adopted from vietnam creating a family. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the usa, and how they made the journey from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure. This is an amazing story of survival and endurance, fierce love and bitter resentments, and the failures and triumphs of the human heart. Books for kids adopted from vietnam through moon and stars and night skies by ann turner let me tell the story this time, momma, says a 4 year old asian boy. Early elementary lgbtq familyfriendly books family equality.
Esherick berkeley, university of california press, 2011 374 pp. A family s journey from the worlds largest community of readers. Tran meditates on war, loss, and memory, but the overriding theme is the complexity, hardship, and reward of family life, a theme that. Vietnam ties flagship and vietnam ties litesouth participants. In fact, one of the main reasons that i decided to quit my job in portland in 2001 was to travel around america so i could research my familys roots. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. Its a remarkable telling of an immigrant experience. A baby book for adoptive families gjr by zoe francesca isbn. The story of a familys ordeal and sacrifice during the vietnam years stockdale, jim and stockdale, sybil isbn 10.
Hoang was born in south vietnam and lived there with his family during the vietnam war. Gather for an orientation meeting, a chance to connect with the other families and discuss the journey ahead. Tran, is a personal narrative in the form of a graphic novel that follows tran, a second generation american from vietnam, as he decides to delve into the history of vietnam after he visits. There are 642 immigration records available for the last name zungu. The ties program vietnam adoption family homeland travel. A familys journey by gb tran both the inside and outside covers here are exactly the same. Missas family journey my journey through my familys. An american story celebrates the vastness and variety of immigration tales in america, featuring seventytwo essays, recounting families histories about their arrival and experience in this country.
Jo whips them into shape but when a child ends up in the hospital and another gets devastating news, will jo be enough. These breaks help situate the narrative in time, and create some breathing room. Create a personalized storybook based on your unique family journey with. He also gave me permission to use some of the images from.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading vietnamerica. The mead family is in complete chaos, with constant screaming and yelling. A familys stories turn into a novel of love and vietnam. A familys journey from the worlds largest community of readers. I am a genealogist, librarian, educator, and former computer engineer. Vietnamerica has been compared to maus, and while thats to be expected, it would be unfortunate if people ignored it because they thought it was a copy of that august work. Book trailer for gb trans graphic memoir vietnamerica published by random house film by joe tomcho music by garth stevenson. Once i was a picture you held in your hand, he begins, and tells how he flew through night and moon and stars to his new home. An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one. The quinndavises are a blended family divided against itself. I research, organize, and write about family history.
Younger people read about vietnam in history class but for many of my generation the country and the war shaped our lives during our young adulthood, and profoundly. Gb tran is a young vietnamese american artist who grew up distant from and largely indifferent to his familys history. Missas family journey my journey through my familys history. Vietnamerica is an incredible true story of loss, hope, by reading about the story of one vietnamese family, it is easy to understand that their story is. In hidden valley road, a familys journey helps shift the science. An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one familys journey from wartorn vietnam. The kids are acting out and the parents are on the cusp of divorce. Its one of the best stories ive ever experienced through any medium in my entire life.