Thien Pham

Beautiful. I loved the framing of the storytelling within food. I loved the way Pham evokes powerful memories and moments in such a spare and impactful way. It's a glorious example of show-don't-tell -- he shows us struggle; he shows us kindness; he shows us identity conflicts and language and cultural displacement. Really stellar book. Also, I totally love that he's giving Gene Yang a hard time -- Thien's sense of humor is delightful.

An immigrant story, a refugee story, a survival story, an American dream story, a story about language and food and family—the ones you are born into by blood, by community, and by country—this book is so many things, but in a word it’s superb. The art has a lovely whimsy to it, perfect for capturing the effervescent joy of childhood—but equally, Pham portrays the sheer terror of being on a boat at sea, prey to pirates and hunger alike, the isolation of being in a new place without show more the language, and the backbreaking work that so many embarked on once safely ashore just to fashion a safety net for themselves. A specific dish heads off each chapter, and food is always wafting in the midst of these pages, but by far my absolute favorite thing echoes what Pham’s father says at the end of the book: the mother is the hero of this story, with a backbone of steel, endless resolve, and a tenacity for giving her children a childhood in whatever small ways she could afford. It’s the song of so many immigrant mothers, one I love to read, and one portrayed beautifully in this book. One to be savored and enjoyed repeatedly, like any good meal. show less

Another brilliant graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, Level Up follows Dennis as he struggles between fulfilling his father's wishes for him to become a doctor and his own unhappiness with his life. Video games are one of the few things that make him happy - but they also distract him from his studies.

Yang's strength, also seen in American Born Chinese, is the deft way he uses humor and subtlety to convey a message without ever seeming preachy (it's harder than it seems). Level Up uses that show more same humor and adds a new twist: using Pac-Man as a metaphor for life (no, really, it works!). The art by Thiem Pham is also wonderful, including the way the opening panel of each "chapter" is stylistically similar, like a video game start screen.

Using the mechanics of video games as a metaphor is nothing new - see: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - but Yang adds his own twist, humor, and quiet brilliance to the story.

Well worth a read. show less

Through the framework of food (Vietnamese and American), Thien Pham recounts his family's perilous journey fleeing Vietnam, staying in a refugee camp, and eventually settling in San Jose, CA, thanks to sponsorship. As with all immigrant stories, the family struggled in a new culture and country but fortunately there were others in the community who could guide them. The parents worked dawn to dusk at manual labor, eventually saving up enough to buy and run a bakery and later a video rental show more store. Meanwhile Thien grows up fairly Americanized, even losing some of his Vietnamese language skills. The book closes with Thien interviewing his parents about their experiences so he could write this very book. The mom is the fierce heart of the story, the one who dared to dream for better for her loved ones. Tender, funny, and heartfelt. show less