Nguyen Khuyen's memoir of the start of Viet Nam News

Tue Jul 12 22:51:53 PDT 2016

Colleagues —

I’m delighted to announce the publication of Ship with Paper Sails, a memoir written by the editor who took Viet Nam News from its start in 1991 as a four page report on agricultural output and diplomatic visits hammered out on manual typewriters, through the sometimes rocky foreign partnership that computerized the newsroom, to becoming one of the founding partners of the Asian News Network.

As a memoir, the book tells not only the story of the paper, but also of the workings of chance in the life of a boy born to Catholic parents in Hai Phong. His childhood memories begin in the last days of French colonial rule, span the Japanese occupation, and the return and then defeat of the French. In school he fell in love with English, but when asked to stay on at the college to teach, knew he could never imagine himself in “the skin of a straight-laced pedagogue” – and so his professor provided a letter of introduction to the Vietnam News Agency, where in 1961 he began reading and translating wire reports for the World News section. From that vantage point he is witness to the American part of the wars. Later he travels abroad--to Cuba, Europe, Africa, and Asia-- is posted to Cambodia, and returns to help create Viet Nam News.

As he himself puts it, “this is a simple story, told artlessly, couched in the terse style of a wire report.” That “simple story” sketches not only Nguyen Khuyen’s life, but, with his reporter’s ability to evoke a scene or a time with a telling anecdote, that of the ordinary life of his generation in Hanoi — anecdotes that bring alive the resourcefulness it took to maintain life in those extraordinary times.

A simple story, not an academic study – but one that is likely to interest many on this list, and so I pass it along.

Diane

Diane Fox

Independent Scholar

(formerly Holy Cross)

Lisa Drummond drummond at yorku.ca

Wed Jul 13 07:16:49 PDT 2016

Thanks for this, Diane. Do you know where the book is being sold? I found this VNN story about the book, but it indicates that it is “not for sale”:

http://vietnamnews.vn/sunday/features/298221/ship-with-paper-sails.html

______________________________

Lisa Drummond

Associate Professor, Urban Studies

Dept of Social Science

York University

Ross S703, 4700 Keele St, Toronto, CANADA M3J 1P3

drummond at yorku.ca <mailto:drummond at yorku.ca>

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Nhu Miller trantnhu at gmail.com

Wed Jul 13 08:27:49 PDT 2016

Please let us know how to find this book.

T.T. Nhu

Diane Fox dnfox70 at gmail.com

Wed Jul 13 09:27:51 PDT 2016

Dear Lisa, Nhu, and VSG—

First, thanks, Lisa for this link to excerpts from the book.

I failed to mention in my earlier post that, in addition to the 110 pages of Nguyen Khuyen’s own memories, he has included 60 pages of memories culled from a dozen foreigners (Aussies, Brits, Scots, American, and Indian) who worked with the News during its formative years, memories that give a sense of the exuberance and difficulties of those early days.

I have a few extra copies of the book, which I would be willing to give or circulate or perhaps place in appropriate libraries, depending on the demand. It is true they are not (yet?) for sale. I was sent them because I wrote the foreword to the book.

Let me know if you would be interested in seeing a copy, and, depending on the response, we’ll take it from there.

Diane

Michael Gray maigray at yahoo.com

Wed Jul 13 22:50:05 PDT 2016

Hi Diane and all,I understand from Mr K that the book will not be for sale. Having said that, if any libraries were interested I'm sure he would make copies available.

You forgot Canadians, Diane -- I'm among the foreigners who supplied a comment at the end of the book. I remember you well from the newsroom in '96, not sure if you remember me? I was much quieter than the Aussies and Scots and Brits and Americans, haha.

Regards,Mike

From: Diane Fox <dnfox70 at gmail.com>

To: Lisa Drummond <drummond at yorku.ca>; Nhu Miller <trantnhu at gmail.com>

Cc: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg at u.washington.edu>

Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2016 12:27 AM

Subject: [Vsg] post script and copies of Nguyen Khuyen's memoir of the start of Viet Nam News

Dear Lisa, Nhu, and VSG—

First, thanks, Lisa for this link to excerpts from the book.

Let me know if you would be interested in seeing a copy, and, depending on the response, we’ll take it from there.

Diane

Diane Fox dnfox70 at gmail.com

Thu Jul 14 09:27:10 PDT 2016

When I wrote Mr. Khuyen to ask if there were more copies he could send, he asked if PDF’s would serve, since the hard copies are running low. My first thought is to save the 5 hard copies I have for libraries, and make the PDF’s available to single readers. How does that sound?

A prof who uses memoirs points out this will be a very welcome addition to her list — that there are almost no voices from Hanoi during the war available in English for her students to read. Can others on this list think of any? (She did name Ao Dai as the only other one.)

And Mike— O Canada!! (or should that be, oi! Canada!) Mea Culpa — I’m so sorry! Haste makes waste!! Of course I remember you—though unfortunately my strongest memory of a Canadian is the woman charged with converting the newsroom to computers… who I recall as being 8 feet tall and standing over us with a whip (both images metaphoric, need I add?) But that is no excuse for my omission!! I apologize—maybe Mr. K can correct that line in the Foreword for the PDF?

Diane

Neil Olsen olseneil at comcast.net

Fri Jul 15 15:26:18 PDT 2016

PDF's would be great!

Neil Olsen

Salt Lake City

Frank Proschan frank.proschan at yahoo.com

Thu Jul 14 09:59:43 PDT 2016

Diane’s messages recall my first interview with Viet Nam News in 1990 (I believe), when I expressed my aspiration that Vietnamese would never feel compelled by the oppressive psychological forces of globalization and the chase after modernity to drink “ca-phé nes” (instant coffee), when good Vietnamese filtered coffee was so quick and easy, and immensely better. Alas! My naïve hopes have long ago been dashed, along with my innocence and youth.

Next predicted victim to be sacrificed on the altar of global integration: eating dog meat (see the recent 2015 Circular of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on “Regulating festivals” (15/2015/TT-BVHTTDL), where Vietnamese cultural identity is abandoned in the face of international animal rights pressure groups).

Nostalgically yours,

Frank Proschan

Independent scholar