Top 6 Vietnamese-Origin Authors Who Are Highly Popular on the Global Literary Stage

Kim Thúy, born Nguyễn An Tịnh in 1968, is a Canadian author of Vietnamese descent. She won the prestigious Prix du Gouverneur général in 2010 for her French-language novel 'Ru'.

Born in Saigon, Thúy and her family fled Vietnam by boat in 1979, eventually seeking refuge in Malaysia before settling in Canada. Her journey became the basis for her novel 'Ru', a 140-page work published in 2009. The novel received widespread acclaim, marking a significant moment for the Vietnamese-Canadian community in the Canadian literary world. It also stirred controversy in Vietnam, as it addressed the topic of boat people fleeing the country after the North's victory in the Vietnam War.

The English translation, released in 2012 by Sheila Fischman, was nominated for the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Additionally, the novel has been translated into German, Spanish, Swedish, and Italian.

Thúy currently resides in Longueuil, a suburb of Montreal. She holds degrees in law and linguistics from the Université de Montréal.

Nguyễn Hoài Hương, born in 1976 in France to Vietnamese parents who emigrated in the 1970s, has always remained closely connected to her heritage, language, and Vietnam's rich cultural history. Her name itself reflects the love and respect her family holds for their homeland.

In 2013, the Vietnamese-French novelist Nguyễn Hoài Hương won the prestigious Belgian Literature Prize with her novel 'Gentle Shade', which is set during a significant period in Vietnam's history. The story explores a tragic yet romantic love affair between Mai, a Vietnamese woman, and Yann, a French soldier, during the 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The novel provides a fresh perspective on war, told through the lens of love. Though raised in France, Nguyễn Hoài Hương has always made efforts to learn Vietnamese and immerse herself in Vietnamese culture and history. 'Vietnam is always in my heart, and I chose literature to fulfill my dreams,' she once shared.

This was the seventh time the Belgian Literature Prize was awarded to a young author. Nguyễn Hoài Hương triumphed over 19 other authors to win the €5,000 prize. 'Gentle Shade' was published by Viviane Hamy in France on January 17 and received praise for its emotional depth and literary value. Corinne Boulangier, the head of the jury, called it 'a work that sparks curiosity' and a 'novel of both literary and emotional significance.'

Hoài Hương expressed her happiness, calling the award a great encouragement to continue her literary journey.

Monique Truong was born on May 13, 1968, in Saigon, South Vietnam, during the tumultuous period of the Vietnam War.

An acclaimed Vietnamese-American author, Monique gained recognition with her debut novel, 'The Book of Salt.' Educated as an intellectual property lawyer, she initially pursued law as a means to financially support herself. However, a poetry reading led her to leave the legal profession behind and focus on her true passion: writing. Since then, she has published two novels, 'The Book of Salt' and 'Bitter in the Mouth,' both of which received critical acclaim and became bestsellers.

Truong’s writing style is distinct, drawing heavily on her personal experiences. As a war-born refugee, her early life was challenging as she adapted to a new country, language, and culture. Over time, however, things improved for her and her family. Beyond her novels, Truong has contributed to various journals and served as a fellow and writer across multiple platforms.

Ocean Vuong, born in 1988 on a farm outside of Saigon, moved with his family to Hartford, Connecticut, in the United States when he was just two years old. Earlier this year, The Guardian’s readers ranked him among the top 10 most popular emerging novelists. His debut novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019), was also named one of the 10 best books on family relationships by the British newspaper. Lauren Puckett-Pope, deputy editor of Elle magazine, hailed it as one of the 15 best novels of 2022. She shared that she read the book in one afternoon and spent days reflecting on the emotional depth and resilience of its characters. Puckett-Pope recommended that readers take time to deeply absorb the novel, especially the poignant poems woven throughout. Ocean Vuong, a celebrated poet and novelist of Vietnamese descent, has received numerous accolades in the literary world. He won the 2016 Whiting Award, the 2017 T.S. Eliot Prize, and the 2019 MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” In 2022, he was invited to teach at the College of Arts and Sciences at New York University. At 35, Vuong has earned prestigious literary awards in the U.S. such as the Eliot Prize, the Narrative Prize, and the Stanley Kunitz Prize. BuzzFeed also named him one of the 32 most prominent Asian American writers.

Viet Thanh Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American novelist and professor at the University of Southern California. Born in 1971 in Buôn Ma Thuột, Vietnam, he is the son of refugees who fled North Vietnam in 1954 and settled in the U.S. in 1975. Raised in San Jose, California, Nguyen earned a degree in English and Ethnic Studies, followed by a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a regular contributor to The New York Times, offering commentary on various issues.

Currently, Nguyen serves as the Chair of the Department of English at USC and is a professor of English and American Studies. His works, which include novels, short stories, and essays, often focus on the experiences of Asian immigrants in Western societies, particularly in the U.S., addressing challenges such as cultural assimilation, identity, and the immigrant experience. His writing sheds light on the struggles of minority communities, especially Vietnamese Americans, as they navigate life in the U.S.

Recently, the news outlets Democracy Now! and NBC conducted interviews with Nguyen, discussing his new book and the root causes of escalating racism in America. His debut novel, *The Sympathizer*, won the prestigious 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and his short story collection, *The Refugees*, was published in Vietnamese by Phương Nam in 2017.

Thanh Hà Lại, a Vietnamese-American author, gained recognition for her debut novel *Inside Out & Back Again* (2011), which won the prestigious National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Born in 1975, Lại immigrated to the United States with her family from South Vietnam when she was just 10 years old, and her experiences as a Vietnamese refugee have deeply influenced her writing. Her novel, written in verse, vividly captures the immigrant experience with freshness, clarity, and introspection, and is often used in U.S. high school curricula.

Subsequent works like *Listen, Slowly* (2015), *Butterfly Yellow* (2019), *Hundred Years of Happiness* (2022), and *When Clouds Touch Us* (the sequel to *Inside Out & Back Again*, expected in May 2023) have further cemented Lại’s reputation as a key voice in Vietnamese-American literature. She is recognized for her contributions to young adult fiction, immigrant narratives, and post-war storytelling.