Joseph Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen is a distinguished professor and celebrated novelist, born in South Vietnam and now a naturalized American citizen. He holds the Aerol Arnold Chair of English and teaches at the University of Southern California. His literary debut, "The Sympathizer," garnered significant acclaim, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, establishing him as a prominent voice in contemporary literature. Nguyen's writing often delves into themes of immigration, displacement, and the complex legacies of war, drawing from his own experiences as a refugee.

Beyond his fiction, Nguyen is an active public intellectual, contributing opinion pieces to The New York Times on topics such as immigration and culture. He has also received prestigious fellowships and has been recognized for his contributions to academia and the literary world. His academic career includes significant appointments, such as the Charles Eliot Norton Lecture Series at Harvard University, where he was the first Asian American to hold this position. His scholarly work, like "Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War," examines how historical events are remembered and memorialized.

Born in Ban Mê Thuột, South Vietnam, in 1971, Viet Thanh Nguyen's family were refugees who fled North Vietnam in 1954. Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, his family immigrated to the United States, initially settling in refugee camps before moving to Pennsylvania and eventually California. His parents established one of the first Vietnamese grocery stores in San Jose. Nguyen's childhood was marked by significant events, including surviving a robbery at his family's store and a home invasion. His experiences as a refugee and the impact of war on civilians, particularly women and children, are central to his reflections on history and memory. He pursued his education at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned degrees in English and Ethnic Studies, and later a PhD in English.

Nguyen is widely recognized for his debut novel, "The Sympathizer," which received the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, among numerous other awards. This novel, followed by "The Committed," explores the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the immigrant experience through the lens of espionage and identity. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals and collections, notably "The Refugees." His non-fiction work, including "Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War," critically examines the ways in which the Vietnam War has been remembered across different nations and cultures, highlighting the subjective nature of historical memory. His writings often engage with the concept of 'double consciousness' and the search for belonging in diaspora.

As a professor at the University of Southern California, Nguyen holds the Aerol Arnold Chair of English and is also a professor of American Studies and Ethnicity. His academic career includes significant recognition, such as being appointed the Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard University, where he was the first Asian American to deliver the lecture series. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, writing op-eds on immigration, politics, and culture. Nguyen also founded and edits diaCRITICS, a platform for Vietnamese artists and writers in the diaspora. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been elected to the Pulitzer Prize Board, further cementing his influence in literary and academic circles.

“People like Má who will not be remembered by History are also a part of History, drafted as reluctant players in horrific wars... Unlike soldiers, these civilians, many of them women and children, never get the recognition they deserve. Some endure more terror, see more horror, than some soldiers.”

“I have no regrets about anything I have said or done in regards to Palestine, Israel, or the occupation and war”