Nothing Ever Dies

Vietnam and the Memory of War

By: Viet Thanh Nguyen

Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan

Nothing Ever Dies, Viet Thanh Nguyen writes. All wars are fought twice, the first time on the battlefield, the second time in memory. From the author of the best-selling novel The Sympathizer comes a searching exploration of a conflict that lives on in the collective memory of both the Americans and the Vietnamese.

©2016 Viet Thanh Nguyen (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Wow

Great book. The story and sequence were very well put together. The history and facts made me rethink the society we live in

Soo interesting, narration a little tough

This is a very interesting dissection of war, of how we memorialize war, and our society as a whole. It challenges thinking of both liberals and conservatives. The narrator sounded mechanical, both in tone and style.

Memories of a Vet.

I loved this book. I was in Vung Tau 67-68. I had a conversation with a 16 year old bottle boy who was terrified of being picked up off the street by both sides and placed in their respective armies. I was telling him bout how wonderful it was in the ISA. That I had volunteered to go to Vietnam so they could live like us. I will never forget what he said to me in broken English. “Me no want to be American, me want to be Vietnamese.”

Incredibly immersive and dense but terrible narration

tldr: great book, horrible audible reading (butchered words, names, even the author’s).

No less can be expected of VTN. This book is insightful, revealing a mastery of analysis, and writing prowess.

However, Audible’s version was so difficult to listen to as a Vietnamese person in the diaspora. EVERY word and name (including VTN’s very own), in all languages referenced (esp. Southeast Asian), is butchered with no obvious regard to asking the author how he would pronounce them.

This just shows how much we need audiobook READERS to be diverse and the industry to be inclusive.

Good, probably should be read and not listened to via audible for the best experience.

I read "The Sympathizer," first and I feel like "Nothing Ever Dies" is the book Việt Thanh Nguyễn actually wanted to write from the beginning. He spills his guts out in this book, which is very well referenced -essentially to the point of becoming a literature review.
He gives a new paradigm of ethics we can strive for as humanity and then goes deep into the factuals of the many wars in 20th century SE Asia.

I most enjoyed his explaining the problem of and solution to the rich nations' dominance of the industry of memories.

I liked his humor and that he pulls no punches on anyone.

What I least enjoyed: I think he struggles hard to overcome his bias as a South Vietnamese refugee. He almost does, but there are a few conclusions he draws about contemporary communist Vietnam that are neither nuanced, fair minded or accurate.

I like the comparison of little Saigon in California to a strategic hamlet.