Other Moons: Vietnamese Short Stories of the American War and Its Aftermath

by Quan Manh Ha (translator), Joseph Babcock (Translator)

In this anthology, Vietnamese writers describe their experience of what they call the American War and its lasting legacy through the lens of their own vital artistic visions. A North Vietnamese soldier forms a bond with an abandoned puppy. Cousins find their lives upended by the revelation that their fathers fought on opposite sides of the war. Two lonely veterans in Hanoi meet years after the war has ended through a newspaper dating service. A psychic assists the search for the body of a long-vanished soldier. The father of a girl suffering from dioxin poisoning struggles with corrupt local officials.The twenty short stories collected in Other Moons range from the intensely personal to narratives that deal with larger questions of remembrance, trauma, and healing. By a diverse set of authors, including many veterans, they span styles from social realism to tales of the fantastic. Yet whether describing the effects of Agent Orange exposure or telling ghost stories, all speak to the unresolved legacy of a conflict that still haunts Vietnam. Among the most widely anthologized and popular pieces of short fiction about the war in Vietnam, these works appear here for the first time in English. Other Moons offers Anglophone audiences an unparalleled opportunity to experience how the Vietnamese think and write about the conflict that consumed their country from 1954 to 1975—a perspective still largely missing from American narratives.

Genres: Short Stories, War, Historical Fiction, Asia

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2020

Reviews

[Smriti · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant collection of short stories. Not only did it educate me about the situation in Vietnam (in the past and the present) but it gave me beautiful prose to read.

20 short stories by various Vietnamese authors are translated and compiled into this anthology of the American War and its aftermath. 20 diverse and distinct voices. Each story had a preamble by the translator that gave us an understanding of who the author is and what they’re trying to convey through this story.

From stories about a dog who helped fight the war to a fantastical story where the author used cannibalism to symbolize getting eaten up by war to stories of love and mirth, the stories show the trials and tribulations that the people of the region went through during the war and even after.

The introduction to the anthology was surprisingly one of my favourites - it was in depth and informative but also not too lengthy. I appreciated that it was explained that they really did try to get as many diverse voices as possible be it in terms of gender to age to where they were from.

My favourite short stories were ‘Unsung Hero’ (which made me bawl), ‘Birds in Formation’, ‘The Most Beautiful Girl In The Village’, ‘The Storm’, ‘Love and War’, ‘Out of the Laughing Woods’ and ‘A Moral Murderer’.

Thanks to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the epitome of Other Moons' intended audience - a military veteran obsessed with the American War in Vietnam, but yearning for stories about those who were most affected by it, and least heard from (Vietnamese foot soldiers, women, children, villagers torn between both sides of the conflict). This book did not disappoint. I found the stories openhearted, honest, moving, and insightful. In a melancholy way, I loved the ghosts and the unrequited sorrow of characters throughout. They seemed to speak - never maudlin, though - as lingering effects of the conflict. I was introduced to writers I would not otherwise have met (Bao Ninh was the only name I recognized) and I am so glad for it. This is a tremendously important anthology, and I appreciate the chance to read and review (and recommend) Other Moons ahead of its wider distribution.

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this, I wanted to make a good effort in the writing of the review because of the gravity of the content. I also found out a lot about America's war in Vietnam, most of which were news to me. There is so much nuance to America's role in the country, both during and after the war(s). Who better to tell it to the ignorant(like me) than people who were part of it or bear the brunt of it in some way.
Before we get to the stories, the editor has provided an in-depth explanation to give us the context of what we are about to read. Each short story is, in turn, preceded by an individual summary of the author and their background. Some stories were deeper than others, some I did not 'get' as easily as others. I wanted to individually describe the titles but realised that it was a futile exercise. The editor already does that in the introduction, and my iteration of it in the review would be superfluous.
I found my way through a completely different time and culture, with all the different shades that that entails. It was a fascinating experience. The reference to the moon itself was more prominent in some and not as much in others.
Overall, I would highly recommend this for a mixed bag of varying stories written by Vietnamese authors, translated well enough to give the reader an authentic feel for the narration.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience

[Amy | shelf-explanatory · Rating 4 out of 5]

OTHER MOONS is a collection of 20 Vietnamese short stories, all of which have been translated to English for the first time in this anthology.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed the foreward and introduction, which are essential to read as they provide valuable context to the stories. On the same vein, each story is also prefaced by a brief introduction of the author and their work. All of the stories are related to the American War (what the Vietnam War is called in Vietnam), and it was interesting to see all the different perspectives - no matter who you were, the impact of the war was inescapable.

There were some stories I liked more than others, which is to be expected when there is such a diverse array of authors, writing styles, and topics. I appreciated getting a better understanding of female soldiers as well as the after effects of Agent Orange, subjects that have piqued my interest lately but are rarely, if ever, talked about in mainstream Western narratives.

My favorite story in the collection was LOVE AND WAR by Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, a surrealist story about a man who experiences both love and denial as his lover literally devours him. Everyday he wakes up to find that new parts of his body have gone missing, and readily rationalizes the loss by telling himself that appendage was always missing, and the war is to blame - all to avoid upsetting her with accusations. I read it as a satirical commentary on the cost of peace and reunification at the expense of free thought and individualism. The individual undergoes this transition as they become more devoted to, and brainwashed by, the Communist party and its ideals. Surrealism isn't usually my cup of tea, but boy I do love me some satire. This story was excellent. 👌

There were several recurring themes around trauma, loss, and sacrifice in these stories. Seeing them come together as a collective whole was instrumental in helping me understand the perspective and sentiment in Vietnam in regards to the war. Here are a couple that I jotted down as I read these stories:

• Women were often depicted as idealized and tragic figures, often willingly sacrificing their own happiness for a man's - this was more common in the stories written by men but I noticed it in some of the stories written by female authors as well.
• The impact of the war on a male veteran emphasizes his mental struggle; for female veterans, the emphasis is on their loss of youth, beauty, and eligibility for marriage.
• The characters forego simply communication and instead sacrifice themselves for the happiness of their romantic partner, though in many cases the couple could have come to a happy resolution if they had communicated properly. This trope frustrated me, but I have noticed that Vietnamese people don't like to talk about feelings so it didn't seem entirely unrealistic either? Disclaimer: I'm making this observation through my admittedly narrow lens as a Việt Kiều - Vietnamese diaspora.

Thank you to NetGalley and Columbia University Press for providing this eARC. OTHER MOONS is available now.

[Çağla · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you @netgalley & @columbiauniversitypress for this e-arc!

Other Moons is an anthology of Vietnamese works by different authors, all describing the American War (more commonly known as the Vietnam War) and its lasting effects. some are classic stories, others are more contemporary. some describe ordinary life for civilians during the war, others describe the horrors of war itself, yet others describe the intergenerational trauma of war.

for someone who doesn’t know a lot about this specific war, or at least nothing that doesn’t come from the American perspective, I think this is a great place to start to learn more or even just a great place to start reading Vietnamese literature because it’s an anthology of works by different authors. I really liked a lot of the stories because, although they were all set in or around the same time period, they were all vastly different. I especially liked those stories that discussed life post-war for veterans, particularly for women who had fought in the war but were treated as second-class citizens afterwards, expected to once again adjust to society’s expectations of women. I enjoyed learning about common themes in Vietnamese literature, such as the moon, recurring throughout many of these stories although they were all written by different authors. I cannot judge on how well the translation was done of course, but it never felt jarring in any way. I also really appreciate the notes at the beginning of the anthology, explaining a bit about the history of the war itself as well as of the literature surrounding the war, and the notes on the authors and their works at the beginning of each story.

however, the reason that this got 3 stars from me is simply because I realized that short story collections just aren’t for me. I much prefer novels because they impact me more and stick with me for longer, whereas I just tend to forget about short stories I’ve read. that is absolutely no critique on this collection though, but as I give star ratings based on my enjoyment of a book I did want to mention why I gave this 3 stars even though it was objectively a good anthology.

read this if:
- you’re interested in reading marginalized voices, perspectives on this war which have so far been underrepresented;
- you’re looking for a place to start with Vietnamese literature.

[Nuha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Columbia University Press & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy.

Available August 4th 2020

Set in the aftermath of the American War in Vietnam, "Other Moons" is one of the first English translations of Vietnamese writers. While the editors do discuss the impact of the current geopolitical atmosphere in Vietnam and their limitations on content, this was a diverse collection that is well worth the time.. Romantic stories are not what you would expect from a collection of war stories, but they fit nonetheless. The best part of the collection is the way it catches the pervasiveness of war time trauma. Even for those who are not on the battlefield, the women and children, feel the effects of violence. I applaud the editors for centering these voices & painting a poignant image of postwar Vietnam, one that outsiders rarely get to see.

[Megha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read about the America-Vietnam war during High School history, I was acquainted with some facts like the Agent Orange poisoning and the toll of the war, but that didn't prepare me for these stories of life during and after the war. These stories don't portray any combat or battle. Except for the occasional flashback of a traumatized veteran, the actual fighting stays off the page. Rather, they portray the cost of war which has been passed on as a generational legacy be it in the form of biological effects of exposure to Agent Orange, or the fissures in a family caused due to two sons fighting on opposite sides, or the problems female veterans faced adjusting to a patriarchal society which expected them to fulfill traditional roles after returning from the battlefield.

The foreword titled, 'Writing about War is Writing about Peace' by Bao Ninh, author of The Sorrow of War, gives a context to the collection by charting out a concise history of Vietnamese literature arguing that the humanist values which are slowly being introduced in Vietnamese literature represent a return to these values which were already present several years ago. This foreword is an illuminating read in itself and paired with the Introduction by the editors provides valuable context to readers like me who are unfamiliar with Vietnamese literature.

The thematic and stylistic variety of the stories provides this collection a depth and nuance which makes for a very satisfying experience. The story which stood out for me is Nguyen Ngoc Thuan's Love and War, which is not only stylistically different from the other stories in its surrealism, but it is also shockingly thought-provoking. It portrays a man who is in love with a cannibalistic woman and keeps returning to her despite losing his limbs every time he is with her. He returns in part due to his love and in part due to her manipulation which prompts him to blame everyone other than her for his loss, even doubting his own memory thinking he may have lost his limbs in war and forgotten because the war was so long ago.

Even though they deal with war, many of these stories are not dark, but rather optimistic like 'An American Service Hamlet' , by Nguyen Thi Thu Tran, whose narrator Bach holds the belief, "that in difficult situations people were still able of showing some kind of natural kindness toward one another. "

Thanks to Netgalley and Columbia University Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

[Mishy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of 20 short stories is a first of its kind to be translated from Vietnamese by a diverse range of authors. Each story is based around the American War and how it impacted them, giving us a new perspective/side to the story that’s often overlooked. How the Vietnamese people aren’t just the enemy, they were victims too, and both sides had their fair share of death.

I liked how the moon was a recurring symbol, often associated with romance and unrequited love. One story included wondering spirits and their ability to move on, another blurred the lines between reality and a dreamlike state with a hint of cannibalism.

The men that enlisted were really boys that had never been in love, but there were women willing to make these boys ‘men’ before they died in battle. The difficult decision of moving on when your spouse died in battle (but then they came back). The empty promises of the revolution when the war ended, and the people who survived having to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives again.

Each story was unique and a preface of the author was included at the beginning, to give a little insight into their background & what message they intended to convey in their story. Even tho the war ended in 1975, for some it never really ended at all.

Thank you Netgalley and Colombia University Press for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful anthology of stories set during the Vietnam War, I really enjoyed this one. Like all anthologies and collection, there were some stories that I loved and some I snoozed over.

Perhaps it's the fact that I don't read war stories often but this one covered so many aspects of the war from those directly affected by the war with PTSD, bodily injuries and health risks, to those indirectly affected by the war, like mothers and wives and inhabitants of towns that the war will go through.

My favourite story has to be the first one in the collection, "Unsung Hero", about a dog who soldiers encounter during deployment and who subsequently keeps the soldiers company, grounded and human. I also really enjoyed "Love and War", one of the shortest in the collection with essences of magical realism and fantasy about a man who thinks he lives with a cannibal because he keeps waking up losing body parts. On a deeper level, this is, of course, about bodily injuries from the war.

I also often don't read works in translation but I know for a fact that this anthology is special because, for the first time, wars from the Vietnam war will finally be accessible to Anglophone readers! I found the translated version so beautiful, melancholy and lyrical.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read short story anthologies very often but I was extremely intrigued by Other Moons because of the subject material. The Vietnam War is taught to us in the US very different than it’s taught in Vietnam. The impacts of the Vietnam War/The American War are widespread and not discussed very often. This war, like so many others, has been sensationalized as the US “saving” another country when really it’s impetus is capitalism, racism and imperialism.

Other Moons is an anthology of short stories written by Vietnamese authors about the war - both before, during and after and the far reaching impacts on Vietnamese and American people. My two favorite stories were “Ms. Thoai” and “The Sorrow Wasn’t Only Ours” but many of them were beautiful and heartbreaking. If you’ve never read any books or stories from Vietnamese authors about the American War I’d highly recommend this one.

“The older I get, the more I realize that the most precious thing in life is the ability to forgive.”

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for my honest review***

It is rare that we of the United States hear the perspective of those who were once considered enemies, and this collection of stories gives us exactly that. The stories take place after the American War in Vietnam and explore the legacies of trauma and healing from the North Vietnamese viewpoint. They vary in tone and focus, but have a connecting thread that creates a steady rhythm throughout. It is significant that this is the first time these stories have been made available in English, and I hope that others can take away an increased awareness of the tragedies of war, as well a feeling of interconnectedness.

[Mallory]

I appreciate the existence of this collection— it’s so important for Americans to read outside of our own self-obsessed histories. That being said, none of the stories really captured my attention; they were all kind of just okay. A lot of the “wartime” thematic elements were superficial and bland, and the authors would often tell you what the metaphor means rather than trust that the reader would understand. This seems strange since the book is made up of twenty different authors, so maybe it’s an issue with the translation? Not sure, really.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories written by Vietnamese authors is an important addition to Asian literature in English. Most of the stories are about--in one way or another--the American War, and the writers interrogate the legacies of the war in psychological and physical ways, writing about the effects of dioxin poisoning, the need for families to find the bodies of those who died and give them proper burials, the shattered and dysfunctional relationships caused by wartime service and social mores, the brutality and difficulties of village life during and after the war, and the complicated emotions that soldiering created. Each of the stories opened up entirely new understandings of Vietnam for me, shifting my thinking in important ways. I hope that these stories are taught in classrooms all over the English-speaking world, and that the collection gets the attention it deserves.

[Helen | readwithneleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

OTHER MOONS is a collection of short stories from various Vietnamese authors about the American War. (Yes, the American War, just like how we call it the Vietnam War here.) First of its kind to be translated into English, these stories depict narratives from the perspective of the Vietnamese communists that won the war. The authors of these twenty short stories all range in background and style, but they all share the same speech and publishing restrictions that were placed on them by the Vietnamese government, making this an impactful yet diverse anthology.

I am not an own voices reviewer of this book. I am Asian-American, but I am Korean and not Vietnamese (yes, we are different). And all the literature I’ve read on the Vietnam war has been mostly written by white men and all from the perspective sympathetic to Americans. And because of my lack of personal experience, I found tremendous value in these stories.

While these stories are all about the traumas of war, the diverse narratives from the obvious victims, like the soldiers, to the not-so-obvious, like the women and children left behind, are what makes this really special. My favorite ones were UNSUNG HERO, THE CHAU RIVER PIER, AN AMERICAN SERVICE HAMLET, THEY BECAME MEN and LOVE AND WAR. I found the foreword to be extremely informative and the brief introduction of each story by the translator was also key in providing context for the story.

I couldn’t find any other reviews on this on bookstagram but I’d love to read any #ownvoices reviews by Vietnamese bookstagrammers on this. If you’ve read this or planning to read, please let me know because I am so interested in your thoughts.

Thank you Columbia University Press for bringing these beautiful works to outsiders like me.


I was given a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Robert Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed the stories in this book. Good to read short stories set in Vietnam, concerning the American War, that are not American views. The stories are not literary greats, most are rather forgettable. But they do offer an insiders-view of life and the effects of the conflict (during and after).

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad. Interesting to see this war from another perspective. I liked the info before each story that gave a little history of the author and the meaning behind the story.

[Jenna hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with any collection of shorts, some are better than others.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully curated. A little bit of everything to learn about Vietnamese history and culture. Like Vietnam, it's a beautiful balance of old and new.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

....the ex who named his daughter after her
& idk why Goodreads has this under nonfiction, when its fiction

[Ralph Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speechless.

[Nuha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Columbia University Press & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy.

Available August 4th 2020

Set in the aftermath of the American War in Vietnam, "Other Moons" is one of the first English translations of Vietnamese writers. While the editors do discuss the impact of the current geopolitical atmosphere in Vietnam and their limitations on content, this was a diverse collection that is well worth the time.. Romantic stories are not what you would expect from a collection of war stories, but they fit nonetheless. The best part of the collection is the way it catches the pervasiveness of war time trauma. Even for those who are not on the battlefield, the women and children, feel the effects of violence. I applaud the editors for centering these voices & painting a poignant image of postwar Vietnam, one that outsiders rarely get to see.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful group of short stories about war and its aftermath, by a wonderful group of Vietnamese writers. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I do not want to single out any on story because they are all insightful and gi a very interesting perspective of a war that was, in a way, the culmination of a long battle against colonialism and the re-unification of a country.

[Roberto Iacobacci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Columbia University Press for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. A well curated book of touching stories on the consequences of war on the human condition. The overarching style is socialist realism and the stories contain lots of symbolism and are often allegorical. All the stories are from a Vietnamese perspective and provide the reader with an appreciation of the human toll the so-called enemy absorbed. It’s the first time I read any work by a Vietnamese author and I appreciate how each author’s simple and direct style is used to craft poignant stories. #OtherMoons #NetGalley

[Barbara Tsipouras · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is an interesting insight in the Vietnamese writings about the aftermath of the War. Impressing is the general absence of the enemy. War in itself is the issue, not what the enemy did to the country. The collection doesn't openly take sides for the North or South. The only Americans mentioned aren't hostile but very friendly and helping.