Paul Christiansen in Literature
5 Books by Vietnamese Authors Centered on Strong Female Protagonists
Literature, more than any other art form, allows people an intimate vantage point from which to witness the experiences, emotions, and thoughts of individuals drastically different from themselves. Books thus hold the unparalleled power to inspire, foster empathy, and expand one’s understanding of the human condition.
Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted
In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
The Multiverse Behind the 1990s Classic 'Người Tình Mùa Đông' by Như Quỳnh
There is a certain timelessness to the song ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ by Như Quỳnh, especially in the visuals of its very first performance. For generations of Vietnamese listeners, ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ is an icon in the hall of fame of Vietnamese music, but as I have come to discover, the melody that Vietnamese know as ‘Người Tình Mùa Đông’ has lived a life much richer and more transcendent than it might appear.
Vietnamese Creators Teach Kids to Appreciate Rice in 'Con Ăn Hết Rồi' Book Project
If one day, the grains of rice that you frequently put in your mouth suddenly start to move, talk, and give you a rundown on how they were created on the field, would you believe it? This seemingly absurd scenario is exactly what happened to Minh, a little boy who's the main character of Con ăn hết rồi!, a children's book by author Đỗ Nguyệt Hà and illustrator Lê Phương Quỳnh, also known as Buffy.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Hội An, Artist Nguyễn Quốc Dân Breathes New Life Into Scrap Materials
The several dozen family altars that formed a hodgepodge pile had each been abandoned in graveyards. For many, this would make them extremely inauspicious. But to artist Nguyễn Quốc Dân, they are perfect for making art.
Enlightening Misery Under French Rule Explored in 'Light Out and Modern Vietnamese Stories'
Light Out and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954 offers the contemporary reader an honest glimpse of a period in Vietnam history characterized by corruption, exploitation, dehumanization, poverty, and starvation. The Vietnamese texts, both a novella and accompanying short stories, not only delineate the immediate influence of French colonization on the sociopolitical functions of Vietnam, an enterprise solely designed for its economic potential, but also expose the extending impact on the quotidian lives of proletarians, particularly the peasantry.
What Shipwrecks Can Teach Us About Vietnam's Centuries-Old Maritime History
Deep beneath the ocean surface, colorful ceramic fragments have been scattered and stacked upon one another for centuries. Some remain whole, others broken, many still covered with corals and ocean dust. Once precious commodities, these pieces have become time capsules, carried into the Vietnamese waters by ships that never reached their destinations. What stories might these centuries-old ceramic artifacts hold about Vietnam’s connection with surrounding kingdoms?
Local Designers Create Entire Family of Mascots for Vietnam's 63 Provinces, Cities
If given the opportunity, what would each of Vietnam's provinces select as a mascot?
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Famous Japanese Rockers to Play Saigon
Looking to an alternative to the typical Saigon music scene? On Sunday, July 28th, the Onion Cellar will host a night of Japanese-dominated indie, progressive rock and electronic music ranging from si...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Video: What Traditional Vietnamese Music Would Sound Like in English
For many foreigners, Vietnamese is a tough language to master due to its many tones. As hard as it may be for them in daily conversation, understanding music lyrics is a herculean task. So what would...
Dutch Lady Versus Vinamilk - A Foreigner and a Local Battle it Out (But Not Really)
Humor doesn't require much knowledge of each other’s language, especially in Vietnam. On a recent sweltering day, I went to a minimart to buy a Coca-Cola just as the store was being supplied. They di...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Dekotora: Japan's Truckin' Subculture
The Japanese really know how to take shit to the next level. Next level brothel? Check! Next level hamburger? Check! Blinged-out transformer trucks? Double check! The pictures in the gallery below sho...
Latin Music With Soul
With many options available, it seems that a large number of Vietnamese youth are getting more and more into Latin music - Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia and Reggaeton. From Salsa clubs like La Salsa and Xsa...
A Vietnamese View of Photography: Artsy vs Trendy
Over the past four years, young Vietnamese have been paying more attention to photography. They’re not only keen on the qualitative aspects but are also eager to learn how to create these images by th...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Emerging Vietnamese Artists at Craig Thomas Gallery
In celebration of Craig Thomas Gallery’s 4th anniversary, the works of 15 young Vietnamese emerging artists will be displayed from June 29 – July 21. Among the artists are Ngo Van Sac, Bui Thanh Tam,...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Amazing Motorbike Choreography by the Rome Police (1953)
Think Saigon motorbike drivers are hardcore? You have no idea. Check out the video below of a 1953 performance of the Rome motorbike police. If Saigon’s traffic is organized chaos, then this is, well...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Vietnamese Artists Mix Electronic, Hip Hop and Traditional Music
There are complaints that Vietnamese pop music is bland and lacks variety and musical ingenuity. Pop ballads, usually indistinguishable from one another, dominate Vietnamese TV and radio. Fortunately...
Ode To Saigon
When Mark Batchelor found himself in an all-to-familiar power outage, he was left with no internet and decided to spontaneously pick up a pen a paper and whip together a poem/rhyme about his first imp...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Event: Green Drinks Returns on June 25
Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. With a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business, it's a great w...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Downed US Plane in Binh Phuoc
Earlier this year, Quinn Ryan Mattingly made his way through Binh Phuoc Province. Eventually reaching Phuoc Long, he stumbled upon some interesting history, a downed US plane, slowly decomposing in th...
Amazing Vietnamese Origami
This is the work of Hanoi-based artist Nguyen Hung Cuong who creates his beautiful pieces with paper called Do. Nguyen Hung Cuong has been making origami since the age of six when he received his fir...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Call for Submissions - Ho Chi Minh MEGA City
If you love Saigon, it’s time to grab your camera and take some shots of the city! The photo book, “TP. Ho Chi Minh MEGA City,” is currently being assembled and the authors are seeking submissions. C...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Saigon Graffiti - Part 1
Saigon has quite a bit of graffiti but not much of it is of particularly high quality. These refreshing pieces by local bombers such as Tom, KD, Ares, Mur, K Dee, YCP are a few years old but show a h...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Authorities to Crack Down on Showing Skin in Public
If the Ministry of Public Security has its way, there will be a lot less skin showing on Saigon’s streets. The ministry has introduced a draft decree that doubles fines for people appearing in "underg...
Brian Letwin in Culture
New Report on Vietnamese Online and Mobile Trends
The market research firm, Cimigo, just completed their most recent report on Vietnamese online and mobile trends. The numbers revealed that consumers are becoming increasingly engaged online. The stu...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Rolls-Royce Coming to Vietnam in 2014
Apparently Mercedes, BMWs and Bentleys aren’t enough for Vietnam’s growing upper class. But not to worry! Starting next year, British luxury carmaker, Rolls-Royce will set up shop in Vietnam. Rolls-R...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Nixon’s Plan to Nuke His Way out of Vietnam
B52 Stratofortress Taking Off. Source: US Government Remember that time Nixon gave orders to drop nukes on Moscow to end the war in Vietnam? No? Well neither did I until I came across this article wr...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Who Does Hoi An Exist For?
Ancient houses, beautiful beaches, great restaurants and plenty of places to take long strolls have given Hoi An a reputation for being one of Vietnam’s most charming destinations. But as the number o...
