Seeking Quan Am: A Dual Memoir of War and Vietnam

by Susan R. Dixon, Mark M. Smith

"Seeking Quan Am will take you back, break your heart, and make you laugh and cry. I recommend it highly, especially for veterans and civilians who continue to suffer from the physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds of war."This book is about memory, time, war, coming of age and coming of age again. It is a rare collaboration of a veteran and a civilian."Seeking Quan Am opens passageways between different worlds. It connects the lives of war veterans and civilians, Americans and Vietnamese, past and present."Mark Smith and Susan Dixon were high school classmates but took different roads after graduation. Mark served two tours in Vietnam in the First Air Cavalry. Susan learned about the war by watching the evening news on television. Decades later they learned to listen to one another's story and to return to the memories and to the country that had shaped their lives.

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2019

Reviews

[Sharon K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is original in its attempt to bridge the gap between Vietnam vets and anti-war protesters from that era. It does this by collaboration, by two people who were on opposite ends of the political spectrum reaching out to each other, discussing a war that is too often ignored as a past horror that many people are still hesitant to discuss.

But today our country is stuck again in a political dichotomy, and we are mostly unable to listen and talk to each other without angry gut reactions kicking in. This book shows how two people were able to do this without either side being demonized or trivialized. The strength and respect both Susan Dixon and Mark Smith bring to this dilemma are inspiring.

My father loved to read about the Vietnam War, and would have found a lot in this book to appeal to his upbringing which taught that war is exciting and important. But it would have also helped him to think about the realities of what war does to both sides, whether it's the deadly results of using Agent Orange, or the way Vietnamese people had their homes and villages destroyed but have developed a sense of forgiveness towards our country despite the war.

A deep gratitude to both these authors for taking the time and effort to make this book possible. It's very readable, hard to put down, in fact. Highly recommended.

[Christine Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeking Quan Am is a deeply moving and beautifully written dual memoir that bridges the worlds of war and peace, memory and healing. Through the intertwined voices of a Vietnam veteran and a civilian, the book offers rare honesty, compassion, and emotional depth. It captures the lasting impact of war while honoring resilience, friendship, and the courage to listen across differences. The return to Vietnam is especially poignant, transforming pain into understanding and renewal. This memoir breaks your heart, restores your hope, and stays with you long after the last page. A powerful and unforgettable read for veterans and civilians alike.

[Al MOORE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeking Quan Am is an exceptional memoir that should be read by veterans and non-veterans alike. It provides insights into the soldiers' experiences that are seldom seen in a war memoir.

Thoroughly researched, including post-war trips to Vietnam, the collaboration between a two-tour frontline combat soldier and a former anti-war activist yields a remarkable product.

As a combat veteran myself, I highly recommend it.

[Audiobook Accomplice (Gillian) · Rating 1 out of 5]

… I Want My Hours Back … Where on gosh’s green earth did Susan R. Dixon leave her Soul…?!?
My Full Review →

[Margaret Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those coming of age in the Vietnam Era, this book facilitates the process of taking the unfathomable black and white TV images of that day and saturates the events with the color of realism. It evokes grief, sadness, comprehension and compassion, and provides a better understanding of the destruction this war, and any war, has as it assaults and invades our human souls, the souls of soldiers on both sides, and on the living land on which the battles occur. It indeed invites you to participate fully and courageously in Elderhood by tasting, digesting and bringing into balance the bitterness of war.

[B.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I worked with co-author Mark in the 1970s. We were both big readers and he turned me on to some good authors. He always talked about writing something about his tours in Vietnam. I'm so glad he got around to it before he passed.