Bidong: A Memoir of an Absentminded Exile

by Paul Phong Duong

In 1989, two brothers leave Vietnam in search for a better future. Together they brave the unforgiving sea, endure hunger in a refugee camp and finally land in a place where they can start a new life. Their brotherly bond, strong during the hardship of the journey, is later torn apart by the values and culture of western society. The older brother clings to the traditional values and ideas of his homeland while struggling in a world that is not his own. The younger brother eagerly embraces his new land until forced to answer the ultimate question - who am I?

226 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2012

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story written by a talented young author. I really liked the development of the plot around the relationship between the two brothers and the early description of life in rural Vietnam. The scenes in Pulau Bidong refugee camp were very strong.