About the Book:
The Gangster We Are All Looking For is the first-novel by Vietnamese-American author Lê Thi Diem Thúy, published in 2003. It was first published as a short piece in The Best American Essays of 1997 and was also awarded a Pushcart Prize “Special Mention.”

The novel is a fragmented sequence of events recollected by a nameless narrator. In a first-person narrative, the narrator tells the stories of her past experiences as a Vietnamese immigrant. Time and place shift continuously throughout the novel; the story takes place both in Vietnam and America. The novel is concerned with themes of identity, family dynamics, war, and liberation. Images of water are prominent symbolically and literally throughout the novel
The novel is told through the voice of the immigrant girl when she is six and keeps building until she is 26.

I'm pretty indifferent of this book. It was a 'nice' read. which it shouldn't have been given the subject title. I'm thinking that perhaps I didn't 'get' it...

This book is off on its travels to Finland. It has been Mooched by AnnikaPohjolainen

The book was okayish, but left me pretty indifferent. Will be sending onwards through Bookmooch.

Received in Portland, OR

A lyrical and touching story of immigration and family. The narrator arrives in the US from Viet Nam as a six-year-old with her father. The book touches on their experiencing southern California and trying to understand the culture. The wife and mother joins them and they move through a number of immigrant enclaves. The father struggles with PTSD. The daughter runs away from the parents she can never understand and tries to make sense of her childhood memories of Viet Nam. There is much beautiful symbolism having to do with water.

This is a first novel and there are some rough edges. It does not look like Le has had another book published, yet.

Msjoanna has selected this from the Passport to the World VBB. It is on its way to her via USPS

I'm surprised to see the lukewarm JEs for this book as I've read that it's really wonderful. I'll be interested to read it. Thanks for sharing!