Celebrate Vietnamese Women's Day: A Reading List of Powerful Female Voices
Today, on Vietnamese Women’s Day (20/10), we celebrate the strength, resilience, and incredible contributions of women across the country. One of the most powerful ways to honor this spirit is by diving into the stories they tell. Vietnamese female authors, both at home and in the diaspora, have been crafting powerful, award-winning narratives that explore the nation’s history, grapple with identity, and redefine entire genres. This reading list is a tribute to their voices. It features four essential books that showcase the immense talent and diverse stories of Vietnamese women writers.
Hear Their Stories, Delivered
Celebrate the powerful voices of Vietnamese women. We can deliver any of these essential books right to your door, anywhere in Vietnam.
1. The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
The sweeping, multi-generational saga of Vietnam’s history.
This beautiful and heartbreaking novel is a modern masterpiece. It tells the story of the Trần family through the eyes of a grandmother and her granddaughter, covering a century of Vietnam’s tumultuous history. It is a powerful story of the resilience of Vietnamese women and the unbreakable bonds of family in the face of immense hardship.
Author: Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Genre: Historical Fiction / Family Saga
Perfect for: Understanding the history of Vietnam through the eyes of its women.
2. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
A groundbreaking and deeply personal illustrated memoir.
This is a stunning graphic memoir that tells the story of the author’s family as they escaped from South Vietnam in the aftermath of the war and built a new life in America. It is an intimate and powerful exploration of family, memory, and the weight of a history that is passed down through generations. A truly unforgettable read.
Author: Thi Bui
Genre: Graphic Memoir / Non-Fiction
Perfect for: Readers who want a visually stunning and emotionally powerful story of family and immigration.
3. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
A smart, funny, and groundbreaking contemporary romance.
Helen Hoang has taken the romance world by storm with novels that are both incredibly charming and refreshingly diverse. This book tells the story of Stella Lane, a successful econometrician with Asperger’s who decides to hire a male escort to teach her about intimacy. It’s a witty, heartfelt, and stereotype-shattering novel that proves Vietnamese women are writing powerhouse stories in every genre.
Author: Helen Hoang
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Perfect for: The modern reader who loves a smart, funny, and inclusive love story.
4. When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip
A powerful and harrowing memoir of surviving the war.
This is a classic and essential non-fiction work. Le Ly Hayslip tells her incredible true story of growing up as a village girl caught between the warring forces of the Viet Cong and the South Vietnamese and American armies. Her journey from war to peace is a testament to the incredible strength and endurance of the human spirit.
Author: Le Ly Hayslip
Genre: Memoir / Non-Fiction / History
Perfect for: Understanding the devastating, real-world impact of the war on the ordinary people of Vietnam.
Looking for More Stories of Healing?
Many of these books deal with the long-term effects of family history. For more on this topic, be sure to check out our list, “Healing the Father Wound: 4 Essential Books for Daughters of Absent Fathers”.
Celebrate and Read
This Vietnamese Women’s Day, there is no better way to celebrate than by immersing yourself in the powerful, diverse, and unforgettable stories crafted by the nation’s incredible female authors.