I don't remember how I found this book or what series of links I followed on one of my far-flung internet *surfs*, but I'm glad I found it. I haven't finished it yet. It's deceptively slim and reads like poetry, and I find myself reading slowly to savor the prose.

An amazing immigrant story.... the word "amazing" doesn't do justice to the sweep and scope of this story. Visual writing, characters that jump off the page. Boat people = hope. To wash up in a new country and assimilate into that culture as completely as possible seems nearly IMpossible, but refugees do it. Though the novel(ette?) hints of dark strain, there is light in most of the author's memories. Impressive writing.