Essays

Asian Americans Are Still Caught in the Trap of the ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype. And It Creates Inequality for All

Posted on June 25, 2020  |  Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about the complexity of the term Asian-American, its experience, and its position as the model minority in this piece for Time Magazine. The face of Tou Thao haunts me. The Hmong-American police officer stood with his back turned to Derek Chauvin, his partner, as Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck for… (read more)

Vietnamese Lives, American Imperialist Views, Even in ‘Da 5 Bloods’

Posted on June 24, 2020 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about how, despite the centering of Black voices, Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods still falls into the trap of American…(read more)

The Ideas That Won’t Survive the Coronavirus

Posted on April 10, 2020 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about how Covid-19 is killing off the myth that we are the greatest country on earth in this op-ed for…(read more)

Every Moment With My Son Is an Act of Creation

Posted on January 1, 2020 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about being a son, a father, and about parenthood as an act of creativity and creation in this op-ed for…(read more)

How ‘Watchmen’s’ misunderstanding of Vietnam undercuts its vision of racism

Posted on December 18, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about how HBO’s Watchmen fails its Vietnamese characters in this op-ed for The Washington Post. Alert: Spoilers exist below. Vietnamese…(read more)

International Book Recommendations

Posted on November 20, 2019 | Leave a comment

Looking for international literature? At a time when the United States is closing itself off to the world, it’s even more urgent for Americans…(read more)

From Here to Home

Posted on November 19, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen explores the depth of our shared humanity and the height of the walls separating us in this Op-Docs for the New…(read more)

Why I Teach

Posted on September 23, 2019 | Leave a comment

Opinion | Why I Teach – The New York Times Being a good teacher is hard. So is maintaining democracy. Our political leaders should…(read more)

Close the Curtain on ‘Miss Saigon’

Posted on August 3, 2019 | Leave a comment

Opinion | Close the Curtain on ‘Miss Saigon’ – The New York Times Why is a musical that perpetuates a Western fantasy of Asians…(read more)

In Trump’s vision of a white America, immigrants should be grateful and servile

Posted on July 18, 2019 | Leave a comment

What “go back” really means. Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about the impact of Trump’s “MAGA” slogan on immigrants, refugees, and people of color through…(read more)

In Trump’s vision of a white America, immigrants should be grateful and servile

Posted on July 18, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen discusses the meaning and effects of Trump’s recent comments about immigrants in this op-ed for The Washington Post. When Donald Trump…(read more)

Hereafter, Faraway

Posted on June 3, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about his refugee experience in this essay for The New Yorker. My eternal scene takes place in a faraway country,…(read more)

VIET THANH NGUYEN: HOW NOT TO BORE YOUR AUDIENCE AT A READING

Posted on April 9, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen discusses ways to engage the audience during literary readings in an op-ed for the Literary Hub. CHANNEL OBAMA. PERFORM. DRINK IF…(read more)

College admissions are corrupt because universities are. Here’s how to fix them.

Posted on March 19, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen discusses the college admissions scandal and solutions for the future in this op-ed for The Washington Post. The scandal around rich…(read more)

America, Say My Name

Posted on March 9, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about his experiences with a Vietnamese name in America in this op-ed for New York Times. LOS ANGELES — What’s…(read more)

The MLK Speech We Need Today Is Not the One We Remember Most

Posted on January 17, 2019 | Leave a comment

Viet Thanh Nguyen writes about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 speech, “Beyond Vietnam”, and its messages for this article on TIME. Most Americans…(read more)