Customer Reviews

A Phoenix Rising: Impressions of Vietnam

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

A painless way to become acquainted with Vietnam. Through the author's travels we learn about key aspects of Vietnamese history and culture. However, the reader who is looking for deep insights may be disappointed, as the book is the account of a short trip in which there is little contact with Vietnamese people outside the touristic context. References to historical events are interesting, since they're usually explained in relation to current phenomena that are observable on the landscape. She left me with some unanswered questions about the customs and behavior of her hosts, especially how to interpret her many encounters with those who seemed dishonest and economically opportunistic. Her response to these difficult situations is an interesting study in intercultural relations: she doesn't hold back in describing her frustration, anger, and cynicism, yet she makes tremendous efforts to transcend her gut reactions. Maybe there is no cultural explanation for their behavior and she's being gracious by not calling it harassment and greed. To the degree that it is possible for a short-term visitor unfamiliar with the language to explain a foreign country, Schramm-Evans is successful.

I thought this would be an interesting read since I've visited Vietnam, not long as the author did. What I got was a bit-by-bit description of every tedious detail of everything she did on what was a typical tourist trip to Vietnam. Yikes! The pages turned veeerrry slowly. The only thing that kept me reading was my own curiousity about her reflections of the same places I'd been. If I hadn't, I would have given up.
I absolutely loved the country and had a great time. Yeah, sometimes I was hit-up to buy things and a major target for beggers but hello! that happens in most 3rd world countries. The food was so amazing, I was suprised she didn't talk about that much. I did manage to take the train she mentioned and it wasn't the luxury trip she had heard. The Reunification express was an adventure though! Vung Tau was great too. She really missed out by leaving right away.
I'm just afraid this book might put people off going. There are sharp contrasts between the experiences of those who have been only a few months apart. Vietnam changes so fast that this book is already dated. The history, the culture, the beauty and the warm friendly people, I could just list the reasons to go, plus, you wont have a bad meal your entire trip.
Buy a plane ticket, not this book.

I read this book several years ago and was so annoyed with the manner in which the country was portrayed by the author, that I occasionally read the recent reviews by readers just to see if anyone else found it as intensely ugly as I did. I assume that the writer was suffering from some sort of terminal disease when she travelled, which, when combined with her outraged Western feminism, I am sure contributed to the whingeing and sour nature of the book. I have lived in Vietnam for 11 years now, I have travelled to all the places the Author deigned to visit, and I can honestly say that I have not experienced the levels of hostility or dishonesty she portrays at all. Vietnam is however a poor country especially in the rural areas, and the people are survivors.They (rightly)assume that all foreigners are better off than them and will try to get some sort of charity and resent foreigners who are "tight" with their money. We have a restaurant in Saigon, and have noticed that the Vietnamese are the most generous tippers; most foreigners on the other hand, although used to tipping a minimum of 15% at home, leave practically nothing when they are in Vietnam. Perhaps the author was of the stingy variety, she certainly seems to be highly critical of everyone apart from herself. Don't bother with this book!