Reading recommendations for curious travellers
The ETG Book Club: Vietnam
A Dragon Apparent
This book is essential for anyone interested in Southeast Asian history, the Vietnam War, or simply love brilliant travel writing. His portraits of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam capture societies on the brink of upheaval, yet traces of that world still linger in northern Vietnam and Laos and in eastern Cambodia.
Lewis’s sharp eye, humanity, and compelling storytelling make this a vivid, unsettling classic that continues to reward thoughtful readers with deep and lasting insights.
Vietnam: Rising Dragon
In this engaging work, born out of a year spent in Vietnam, experienced journalist Bill Hayton looks at the costs of change in Vietnam and questions whether this rising Asian power is really heading toward capitalism and democracy.
Based on vivid eyewitness accounts and pertinent case studies, Hayton’s book addresses a broad variety of issues in today’s Vietnam, including important shifts in international relations, the growth of civil society, economic developments and challenges, and the nation’s nascent democracy movement as well as its notorious internal security.
The Quiet American
The Quiet American is a 1955 novel by English author Graham Greene. Narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler, the novel depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam War.
The Sacred Willow
Duong Van Mai Elliott weaves together the life stories of 4 generations of her family and by doing so gives the reader an insight into a period of tumultuous change in Vietnam.
A memorable family saga and a record of how the Vietnamese themselves have experienced their times.
My Vietnam: Stories and Recipes
A stunningly beautiful love letter to Vietnam with more than 100 recipes, from best-selling author and Cooking Channel host Luke Nguyen.
Catfish and Mandala
Pham’s journey back to the Vietnam his family escaped as boat people when he was 10 years old.
The account of his solo bicycle voyage was described by Peter Hughes in The Times as ‘Jack Kerouac meets Wild Swans’.
The Silk Merchant’s Daughter
A captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial-era Vietnam.
Dinah has an ever-growing list of bestselling historical fiction to her name that make great holiday reads, and we are delighted to have organised research trips for her in the past to Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Last Night I Dreamed of Peace
A moving diary of courage kept by a 27-year-old Vietnamese doctor who was killed by Americans during the war.
The Lover
Set in the prewar Indochina of Marguerite Duras’s childhood, this is the haunting tale of a tumultuous affair between an adolescent French girl and her Chinese lover.
The Beauty of Humanity Movement
Looks at daily life in Hanoi, beyond the war, from the perspective of three characters: soup vendor Old Man Hung, a tour guide called Tu and Maggie, a Vietnamese American art curator hoping to learn something about her artist father who stayed behind when Maggie and her mother fled to the US.
A novel of contemporary Vietnam, momentous change, and families defined not by blood, but by the heart.
The Vietnamese Market Cookbook
Easy, vibrant street-food inspired Vietnamese recipes that you can cook at home, from street-food entrepreneurs Van and Anh. Recommended for a taste of Vietnam before you go and to bring back memories when you return!
River of Time
Between 1970 and 1975 Jon Swain, the English journalist portrayed in David Puttnam’s film, The Killing Fields, lived in the lands of the Mekong river. This is his account of those years and the way in which the tumultuous events affected his perceptions of life and death as Europe never could. He also describes the beauty of the Mekong landscape – the villages along its banks, surrounded by mangoes, bananas and coconuts, and the exquisite women, the odours of opium, and the region’s other face – that of violence and corruption.
Birds of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are home to about 1,000 species of birds including such rarities as Bengal Florican, Giant Ibis, Green Peafowl and Vietnamese Cutia. This concise and easy-to-use guide features 252 of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia’s most interesting and spectacular birds, each illustrated in full colour with key information on ID, habitat and distribution. Illustrated with clear colour photography and brief but authoritative descriptions the Pocket Photo Guides highlight the species of birds and animals from each region that the traveller is most likely to see, as well as those that are genuinely endemic (only to be seen in that country or region) or special rarities. The genuine pocket size allows the books to be carried around on trips and excursions and will take up minimal space.
Saigon: An Epic Novel of Vietnam
A story of adventure, love, war, and political power, Saigon presents an enthralling and enlightening depiction of twentieth-century Vietnam.
It was brought to our attention by an ETG Traveller, A. Hudson. She says: “I read this book when we were in Vietnam and I thought it was excellent. It was both a great read and an aid to understanding the country’s complicated history.”
As Seen On…
Featured, Reviewed & Recommended
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The Curious Traveller’s Guide to Vietnam
Looking for more insider info?
Our Curious Traveller’s Guide to Vietnam describes the different regions of Vietnam and the best time of year to book a holiday, as well as our experts’ edit of the best beaches, unmissable sites, and much more.
