Official Review: Momentous Years in Vietnam: A Memoir

[fmd1821]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Momentous Years in Vietnam: A Memoir" by Hương Trầm.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Momentous Years in Vietnam: A Memoir is a self-explanatory title. The book tells the story of the author, Hương Trầm, and the history of her country, Vietnam, focusing on the most troubled years of the 20th century. Trầm was born in 1952 and had many difficult times while she was growing up. Her father was a literary man, and her mother descended from a family of the mandarin aristocracy. However, they could not avoid poverty and suspicion. While the country went through the land reform and then the Vietnam War, Trầm’s family lived its own tragedies. After the arrest and imprisonment of her father, the author became the daughter of a political prisoner, and she had limited opportunities. Eventually, she found her path, and now she recalls her brave and painful choices in her memoir.

Momentous Years in Vietnam seems an easy read, but the truth is that Trầm tackles many topics. She interweaves the story of Vietnam with that of her family, and gracefully mentions her relationship with a foreign reporter, an unnamed “He.” Overall, this book is an excellent source to discover Vietnam, its recent history, and its culture. Trầm’s knowledge of her country seems inexhaustible and allows her to depict a wide picture that comprises everything, including the characteristics of her people. The cultural value of forgiveness and sentimentalism are those she highlights better.

Trầm explains her culture with clarity, especially women’s conditions and the prejudice some men (including her father) have towards them. Other considerations are equally enlightening, as when she points out that Vietnam has many excellent writers, but they are largely unknown abroad. This point, and other remarks that are now critical, now sentimental, offers a good starting point to reflect on a country that is unknown beyond its borders.

I have a consideration to make about the author’s style. Momentous Years in Vietnam presents many painful events related to poverty and war. There is also room for some sharp remarks, like the ones about foreign writers that give a wrong impression of Vietnam abroad. However, the tone of these pages can be harsh but never rude. I especially like the royal love stories Trầm tells at the beginning because of their delicate representation of legends and history. You always feel it is an intelligent and sensitive author who writes these accounts.

Typographical errors are the major – maybe the only – downside of the book. You can read Momentous Years in Vietnam without too much trouble, but the use of punctuation is awkward. Moreover, missing words and other typing errors slow down your reading. Anyway, another round of corrections will be enough to improve this aspect.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, but without the errors, my rating would have been a straight 4. I recommend Momentous Years in Vietnam to all readers who like memoirs and want to read a first-hand account of Vietnam in the most significant decades of the last century. Trầm’s valuable words represent a reliable source to discover a country that still many people do not know well.

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Momentous Years in Vietnam: A Memoir
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[MsH2k]

“readers who ... want to read a first-hand account of Vietnam in the most significant decades of the last century.

That would be me. This sounds like a gem. Thank you for your review.

[DonnaKay]

I love memoirs and the aspect of Vietnam is intriguing. I would love to read this book. Great review.

[Mrunal Tikekar]

I like historic reads. Learning about a war-torn country from someone how has suffered the horrors first hand is always an enriching experience. Nice review!