Birds of Paradise Lost: Vietnamese American Short Stories
Finalist for the California Book Award
Birds of Paradise Lost presents thirteen emotionally resonant short stories chronicling the Vietnamese diaspora in the San Francisco Bay Area. Author Andrew Lam crafts narratives that illuminate the complex experiences of Vietnamese refugees who rebuilt their lives in America after war and exodus.
Stories of Memory and Transformation
These stories examine how the past—memories of the Vietnam War, re-education camps, new economic zones, escape, and trauma—continues to shape the present. The collection explores how history resurfaces in unexpected ways: through a cannibal's televised confession, a Vietnam veteran entering a Vietnamese restaurant with buried secrets, or a man with Tourette's Syndrome processing profound tragedy. Each narrative captures the false starts and revelations inherent in the immigrant experience.
About Andrew Lam
Andrew Lam is an award-winning author whose previous work Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora won the 2006 PEN Open Book Award. He also authored East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres. As editor and cofounder of New American Media, an association of over two thousand ethnic media outlets, Lam has shaped conversations about immigrant communities across America.
For many years, Lam served as a regular commentator on NPR's All Things Considered and was featured in the 2004 PBS documentary My Journey Home. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Mother Jones, and The Nation. His short stories have been widely anthologized and taught in classrooms nationwide. Based in San Francisco, Lam brings authentic perspective to Vietnamese American narratives.
Literary Recognition
Birds of Paradise Lost marks Lam's debut short story collection, bringing together humor and pathos to render the Vietnamese American experience with nuance and compassion. The collection has earned recognition as a California Book Award finalist, affirming its contribution to contemporary American literature.
Product Details
- Publisher: Red Hen Press
- Format: Paperback
- Publication: March 2013
- Genre: Literary Fiction, Short Stories
