Thi Nguyễn in Food Culture
Chè, Bánh, Chả, Nem: The Curious Lives of Vietnam’s Regional Food Names
Realizing the word that one is using refers to an entirely different object in another region is a situation many can relate to. The last time this happened to me, it almost cost me a bowl of Hanoi’s ...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
These 5 Vietnamese Poems Pay Homage to the Complexities of Local Fruits
Fruit and poetry: the two things I love most.
Linh Phạm in Trích or Triết
The Life, Death and Legacy of 7 Pillars of Vietnam's Quốc Ngữ Literary Wealth
When I first started as a writer, I noticed that I couldn’t write in Vietnamese very well, despite the fact that I was born here. Most of my English vocabulary comes from books, so in order to improve...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
At Bùi Chát's Painting Exhibition, a Freedom to Feel Without Preconceptions
Contemporary art can intimidate viewers. People often think they need familiarity with certain histories, theories, philosophies and biographies to appreciate a painting. I have friends who do not hav...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Our Toxic Relationship With Saigon Traffic: A Diagnosis
There is no way to describe Saigon traffic literally and have it understood by someone who has not experienced it.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Khải Đơn's Poetry Debut Won't Shy Away From the Mekong Delta's Untold Complexities
Environmental devastation, irresponsible development, economic imperilment, social ills, war legacies and the abandonment of cultural traditions and connections: these multifaceted, interconnected rea...
Ocean Vuong Brings Vietnamese Text, Original Photos to Helmut Lang Collection
Peter Do, the recently named Creative Director of the storied fashion brand Helmut Lang, enlisted writer Ocean Vuong to provide text and photos for his debut collection.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Huế, an Interdisciplinary Exhibition Opens Literal and Metaphorical Doors
“I cannot stop opening doors,” Phan Lê Hà said in regard to the physical objects that reappear throughout her creative works.
Linh Phạm in Trích or Triết
In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously
“Tenderly, fondly, Xuân Diệu held on to my wrist, caressing it up and down. Our eyes locked in affection…Xuân Diệu loved me.”
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Art Exhibition 'Ngẫu Biến' Invites Viewers to Find Their Own Meaning
“When you write, you go inside yourself, when you paint, you go outside,” said poet and painter ng. anhan.
Paul Christiansen in In Plain Sight
An Ode to Saigon’s Chò Nâu Trees
It’s too cold for chò nâu to grow where I’m from, but we still gave it an English name: dipterocarp.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
Vignette: Letters to Hàn Mặc Tử
Quy Nhơn residents mentioned Hàn Mặc Tử with great pride and reverence whenever I mentioned enjoying reading and writing poems.
Khôi Phạm in Quãng 8
Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears
A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain ...
Linh Phạm in In Plain Sight
Hanoi's Literature Museum Is Not Neglected, but It's Not Thriving Either
From the side road of Âu Cơ Street, I turned into ngõ 275.
Q&A: Nguyễn Quí Đức on Tadioto, Zone 9, and How He Fell for Hanoi's Charms
Countless are the number of hours Hanoi creatives have spent sipping whisky and contemplating the world at the famous drinking hole that is Tadioto.
Đợi Kiều: A New Creative Project Examines 'Truyện Kiều' With Fresh Eyes
In an effort to facilitate new discussion and appreciation of Vietnam’s national epic poem The Tale of Kiều, this September, the team behind YUME - Art Project is launching a series of events titled “...
Guilt, Mortality, and Hope in 'Khát Vọng Cho Con' by Poet Du Tử Lê
“We are like fruits forcefully ripened, a generation of premature adults, a generation of misery.”— Du Tử Lê.
'My Father’s Bàng Tree': A Poem by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
This poem is featured in Volume 1 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese artists and...
Read Saigoneer's Literary Zine, Featuring 20 Works by Vietnamese Writers and Artists
In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn is a collection of work from twenty Vietnamese writers and artists released as part of the Miami Book Fair, one of ...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Ocean Vuong Asks Questions in 'Time Is a Mother'
Fame and poetry rarely go together.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Instruction Manual of Phillips H92X Offers Something for Everyone
Engaging plot or strong characters? Fantastic escapism or insightful depictions of the real world? A sweeping epic across generations and nations, or a deep examination of a brief moment in time? What...
Heartfelt, Queer and Wickedly Witty: How Poetry Collection 'Come Clean' Sparks Joy
Joshua Nguyen lists himself as many things on his Instagram bio — a writer, a PhD student, a boba snob. He received his MFA from the University of Mississippi, where he is currently studying for ...
Literary Journal Áo Trắng Ceases Operations Today After 31 Years
Once a home for aspiring young writers to take their very first steps on their journey towards literary finesse, Áo Trắng will now close its doors for good.
An Illustration Project Brings Life to the Pages of 16th-Century Literature
Find yourself immersed in the world of mythical fiction through these enchanting illustrations from the art project Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục.
Thơughtful: Chữ(a) Là(nh), a New Poetry Series to Raise Fund for Those in Need
“Chữ_là để chữa_lành,” or “words are for healing," is Bay Library’s motto for their poetry series. Amidst these difficult times, words have never abandoned people; they are here to heal, share, and sy...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: 'A Thousand Times You Lose Your Treasure' Speaks Many Voices
When I first met Hoa Nguyen several years ago in Hanoi, it was her first trip back to Vietnam since she left as a child.
18-Year-Old Alexandra Huynh Named US' Next National Youth Poet Laureate
The second-generation Vietnamese-American 18-year-old who considers poetry a matter of self-expression and social justice will help spread and advocate for poetry in America.
Nguyễn Huy Thiệp, One of Vietnam's Most Celebrated Writers, Passes Away
Nguyễn Huy Thiệp, one of Vietnam's most talented and influential post-war authors, passed away on March 20 at the age of 71.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
How DiaCritics Creates a Platform for Diverse Vietnamese Voices From Abroad
“Vietnamese communities can sometimes/often demand conformity and tradition of people in order to feel a part of things; I have always seen diaCRITICS as an opportunity to trouble the definitions, pus...
Hẻm Gems: Cù Rú, an Old Saigon Bar That Took Root in Da Lat
Editor's note: Cù Rú Bar, the artists' solace, was born in Saigon by a tightknit group of friends and lovers, fueling creative souls with delectable homemade rượu cocktails, the group relocated to Da ...
'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong Is Being Adapted Into a Movie
A prominent work of contemporary Vietnamese-American fiction is being adapted for the big screen.
On Deep Reading the Poetic Works of Vietnamese Writer Nhã Thuyên
Reflections on Nhã Thuyên’s poem 'Traces of nothing' and other writings.
Saigoneer Bookshelf: In Poetry Collection 'OM,' Đặng Thân Embraces Human Turmoil
At the heart of Đặng Thân's poetry collection, OM [Other Moments], is the poetics of dichotomy: beauty and brutality, light and darkness, hope and despair, nihilism and existentialism.
'Blind Man' by Mimi Nguyen
The blind man knows the direction of destiny.
'Con Ăn Cơm Chưa? | Have You Eaten Yet?' by Jessica Nguyen
it took me till my college years when saying “I love you” became a normal thing
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, Eccentric Poet and Pillar of Southern Literature, Passes Away at 83
On the morning of June 11, poet Nguyễn Đức Sơn, pseudonym Sao Trên Rừng (Star Over The Forest), passed away at the age of 83.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Saigoneer's Guide to What to Read While Social Distancing
“In good times arts are magical, and in tough times they are essential. That’s when you need them the most. Art makes you human.”
[Video] This New Animated Adaptation of 'Truyen Kieu' Will Brighten up Your Day
What would a millennial take on Truyen Kieu, or The Tale of Kieu in English, look like? The answer is adorable characters, cartoonish effects and facetious narration by veteran comedian Quang Thang.
Two Vietnam Poems by Hoa Nguyen, Inspired by Saigon Ghost Stories
Vietnam Ghost Story: High School Clock Tower and Vietnam Ghost Story: Towers of District 5
Saigoneer Podcast: Tet Food Improvements and Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai
The latest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Saigon Independent Art Space San Art Launches Fundraising Exhibition This Month
Founded in 2007 by four artists including Dinh Q. Le, Tiffany Chung, Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Ha Thuc Phu Nam, the space is one of Saigon’s pioneer independent, non-profit and artist-initiated art platf...
3 Vietnamese Authors Honored With Southeast Asian Writers Awards
Nguyen The Quang, Tran Hung and Le Minh Khue were each honored for their work at the Southeast Asian Writers Awards in Bangkok.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 16: Rainstorm Inspiration
While the rainy season's flooded streets, soaked satchels and delayed appointments can make one curse its arrival, sometimes when the torrent hits the neon storefronts just so, it becomes a source of ...
'Your Shirt Button' and 'I Wander Alone' by Nguyen Quang Than
"You told me not to look at you, it’s silly / Yet I want to gnaw you the way I gnaw bread ... the pack of ravenous dogs looked at me with night sea eyes / I wish they could gnaw me piece by piece."
Paul Christiansen in Literature
A Radio Program Puts Vietnamese Poetry in the Limelight With Bilingual Readings
"Lanterns Hanging on the Wind" features 18 poems read in Vietnamese and translated into English that span themes, styles, time periods and locations to give listeners a broad introduction to the natio...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Multitudes Contained in 'Red Thread' by Teresa Mei Chuc
Seeking, sucking, tonguing for each scrap of contained marrow: should a book of poetry labor over a single topic the way a mouth savors a soup bone? Or should it be akin to a buffet plate atop which t...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Writer Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai Brings Vietnamese-English, North-South Closer
“You writers have blood on your hands,” a Vietnamese man once told Nguyen Phan Que Mai in reference to the ability of poetry, stories and songs to have inspired young men and women into wars that clai...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
A Vietnamese-American Poet's First Return to Vietnam After Half a Century
The barking of a nearby dog forced Hoa Nguyen to pause mid-stanza. It was as if the canine was attempting to collaborate with her poem, a fitting start to the Year of the Dog. This young year saw the ...
Michael Tatarski in Literature
How Mekong Review Aims to Connect Southeast Asia Through Literature
First published in late 2015, The Mekong Review has quickly garnered a sterling reputation in a region short on quality print publications. Minh Bui Jones, its founder and editor, talks to Saigoneer a...
Khoi Pham in Saigon
Street Cred: Ho Xuan Huong, a Woman Ahead of Her Time
Despite being one of Vietnam’s most prominent classical poets, Ho Xuan Huong’s existence remains an enigma to this day.
