
 Big Ideas
 Big Ideas Memory, refugees and the Vietnam War — with Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen
 Dec 9, 2024 
 Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and refugee from Vietnam, shares his powerful insights alongside Andre Dao, an award-winning writer. They discuss the emotional weight of memory and trauma within Vietnamese families. Topics include the challenges of recounting personal and familial histories, and how language shapes identity amidst displacement. They also explore the delicate balance between artistic expression and political activism while tracing Nguyen's journey through love, loss, and the enduring impact of war. 
 Chapters 
 Books 
 Transcript 
 Episode notes 
 1  2  3  4  5  6 
 Intro 
 00:00 • 3min 
 Memory and Absence: The Refugee Experience 
 03:10 • 12min 
 Navigating Pain, Identity, and Language 
 14:41 • 28min 
 Navigating the Tension Between Art and Activism 
 42:29 • 5min 
 A Personal Journey Through Memory and Identity 
 47:43 • 5min 
 Reflections on War, Love, and Loss 
 52:46 • 3min 







