The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir (Graphic-Novel) [B0710]

2018 PB in excellent condition. An intimate and moving portrait of one family's journey from their war-torn home in Vietnam to new lives in America. This is the debut graphic novel memoir exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family's daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves. At the heart of Sui's story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent-the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through.

With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home. In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls "a book to break your heart and heal it," The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Sui's journey of understanding, and provides inspiration to all of those who search for a better future while longing for a simpler past.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Not only did I learn so much more than I could have imagined about living in Vietnam during the war, immigrating, and life afterwards, but I also felt it so palpably. Her story of motherhood was also so perfectly interwoven. This book was an absolute joy and took me through a range of powerful emotions. So great, highly recommend!"; "This book was gorgeous from start to finish. The memoir was rich in emotion and family history in ways that can be both restorative and painful all at once because reaching towards survival truly is sometimes the best we can do."; "I haven't read many graphic novels but this one was a beautiful experience. This story was raw, intense and interesting. Memories captured through art in stunning visuals and I loved the color palette. A masterpiece!"