The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam
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Book Overview
Dana Sachs went to Hanoi when tourist visas began to be offered to Americans; she was young, hopeful, ready to immerse herself in Vietnamese culture. She moved in with a family and earned her keep by teaching English, and she soon found that it was impossible to blend into an Eastern culture without calling attention to her Americanness--particularly in a country where not long ago she would have been considered the enemy. But gradually, Vietnam turned out to be not only hospitable, but the home she couldn't leave. Sachs takes us through two years of eye-opening experiences: from her terrifying bicycle accidents on the busy streets of Hanoi to how she is begged to find a buyer for the remains of American "poes and meeas" (POWs and MIAs). The House on Dream Street is also the story of a community and the people who become inextricably, lovingly, a part of Sachs's life, whether it's her landlady who wonders why at twenty-nine she's not married, the children who giggle when she tries to speak the language, or Phai, the motorcycle mechanic she falls for. The House on Dream Street is both the story of a country on the cusp of change and of a woman learning to know her own heart.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:1565122917
ISBN13:9781565122918
Release Date:September 2000
Publisher:Algonquin Books
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.30 lbs.
Dimensions:1.3" x 5.8" x 8.8"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Honest writing
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
I was struck by the straightforward style of the book. It all came across as true. I was surprised that the author was willing to reveal as much about her life as she apparently did.
An American Encounters Vietnam
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
The House on Dream Street is the story of Dana Sach's sojourn in Vietnam; as she explores day to day life in Hanoi. As she becomes intimately involved in the activities and lives of her circle of acquaintances - her landlords and their extended families, neighbors and the street cafes on Dream Street (where she lives), and ultimately her lover, she beings to see beneath the surface and to discover Vietnam as it is, rather than as she expected.Readers will enjoy this personal account of life in Vietnam. She has a gift for recounting each conversation verbatim, so that the account of her time flows swiftly as you read. Interspersed with the dialogue are her thoughtful comments on Vietnamese life and her personal reactions to events.
The House on Dream Street
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
I couldn't put this book down! This is not a common occurrence with me. I quite often don't finish books that I start. The last one that I read until all hours of the night was "The Poisonwood Bible". Aside from Ms. Sach's wonderful writing style, her Prologue pulled me in and the story never me let go. How I wish I could have been there with her.
The best kind of writing about other lands
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is exactly the kind of style I most love when reading about Americans living in other lands. Sachs writes about people, not places. We get to know Vietnam by getting to know the people she meets and becomes close to, and we also get to know her---she writes in such a truthful way. Her writing doesn't seem to have an agenga, as does much writing done about similar circumstances. Even if you don't have an interest in Vietnam, you will enjoy this book if you just plain enjoy good writing.
A Remarkable and Unique Story
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
It has been a long time since I picked up a book and could not put it down, except to eat and sleep, until it was finished. This is a beautifully written courageous memoir,and the story is totally fascinating. The author immerses herself in the life of Vietnam in ways she might not have planned and finds that in profound ways Vietnam enters and remains in her life. This is a remarkable and illuminating book.
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