Dear Da-Lê: A Father’s Memoir of the Vietnam War and the Iranian Revolution

by Anh Duong, Ashley Da-Lê Duong (foreword)

In an intensely revealing memoir written for his Canadian daughter, a man breaks a lifetime of silence about the traumas of his childhood in war-torn Vietnam and his years as a refugee in revolutionary Iran.

Spanning decades and generations, this heartfelt memoir began as a series of letters from a worried father. Anh Duong had witnessed terrible things as a child during the Vietnam War, and later as a refugee in Iran during the revolution of the late 1970s. But like many in the Vietnamese diaspora, he had remained silent about his experiences, believing that trauma was better left unspoken. However, when his daughter became involved in student protests, Duong felt compelled to speak about his own experience of uprisings.


In precise prose, Dear Da-Lê moves along a taut narrative thread that begins with Duong’s birth in 1953 and ends with his arrival, frayed and broke, in Canada in 1980. With surprising moments of hope and tenderness amid brutal divisions, the author creates a coming-of-age story intertwined with the human costs of war and exile. Its revelations are sure to resonate not only with the generation born to refugees of the Vietnam War, but with anyone seeking to understand the lasting, often hidden torments of violent conflict and the healing that can take place in the act of telling.

Genres: Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2024

Reviews

[Patsey]

The back cover says “In precise prose,…”. That is the writing so while his story is rather amazing, I felt detached. The last pages are “A Chronology of Events”. Just read that. One thing for sure though. Canada is lucky to have received Mr. Duong and millions of other refugees fleeing terrible wars. We are a better country with their contributions. Thank you.

[Elaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional book. A truly fascinating and moving read, it allowed me to see the world through many different lenses that I wouldn't otherwise ever have access to; e.g. through the eyes of a small child in a village in the jungle of Vietnam in the 1950s/60s, and then a university student in Iran.

The foreword by the daughter of the author highlights the relevance to today and the importance of this book both in their family and on a broader macro level. I learned a lot from this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It would also make a great read for a book club, senior high school or university English course, or other group setting. A great starting place for interesting discussions.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult book to read about the horrors of the Vietnamese war. It is a memoir by a man who lived through the conflict in a village in South Vietnamese only to find himself in Iran during the revolution there. He finally came to Canada.
The author describes how the war affected his family and neighbours and how it shaped his childhood and teenage years with an authentic voice.

[Mike Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, very good, but not my favourite ever.
I found the second half of the book kept my attention much better than the first half.
I am not going to spend a lot of time on this one, the description tells you what it is about, and it is a good book.

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

I quit this memoir about 1/3 of the way in.It is full of Vietnamese names & expressions, & references to the war theatres in a geography I found hard to follow, & written in a style which didn't appeal to me

[Enid Wray]

Perfect for the reader of Landbridge: life in fragments by Y-Dang Troeung (https://49thshelf.com/Books/L/Landbridge)