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Transcript

The End

Stealing Buddha's Dinner

Goal

Although Bich was exposed to discrimination due to her religion, culture and ethnicity, she soon learned to accept who she was; a Vietnamese- American. She also later on became an award winning author, and is most known for her novel "Short Girls".

Conclusion

Summary

Overall, this book gives a realistic feel for what life's really like for immigrants. It also helps the reader understand the false impressions people from other cultures have on America. The book is overall heartwarming, funny, painfully honest but beautifully written book. I recommend this to everyone!

When Saigon fell to the Communists in 1975, 18 month old, Bich and her family had no choice but to move to the United States. Luckily, her and her family were able to move into a small apartment in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In the first few years of their life in America, Bich's father meets a Latino woman named Rosa who also has a daughter named Crissy. When her father and Rosa get married, they have a son. Bich sees her life changing completely right in front of her eyes.

Summary

Books became a very important part of Bich's life. She considered it as an escape from loneliness. When her father wasn't working, he was partying with friends. Her grandmother barely knew any English and did nothing but clean and cook all day. Both of Bich's sisters would team up and discourage her from being a part of their "popular" world. Unlike other mothers that Bich knew, Rosa was a full time worker and spent little time with her. She watched as her uncles came and went as they pleased and wanted nothing more but be a care free adult like them. She was determined to read her way out of Grand Rapids.

Summary

While growing up in Grand Rapids, Bich finds herself living in several conflicting worlds at once. While inside the her house, Vietnamese customs surrounded her. When she stepped outside, however, she is constantly exposed to new customs, cultures, languages and foods that she would give anything to be a part of. Although she tried to fit in with the children at school, her step sister Crissy, and the people in the commercials, she failed to do so. Instead, Bich retreated into the world of books and wished for what she considered a normal life.

Stealing Buddha's Dinner

By: Bich Minh Nguyen

  • Penguin Books (2008)
  • 253 pages

Bich is a young Vietnamese girl who grows up in Grand Rapids, MI. Her and her family have to learn how to live as an American family and overcome the changes that come with living in the United States.

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