My awareness of Vietnam’s history and place in the world when we arrived here was spotty, at best. I knew it primarily by its food, notably the subtle yet complex broth in a good bowl of pho, so I quickly pulled The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb off the Amazon “shelf” when I saw that it features a protagonist who runs a pho cart in Hanoi.
After a month here, I still know Vietnam primarily by its food — and its food is worth knowing. While the story of France’s presence here isn’t all roses and sunshine, they did pass on their passion for coffee and baguettes. These have been adapted to fit the ingredients available in Vietnam, alongside numerous dishes with fresh fish, prawn, and clams, as well as pork and chicken. And, despite the heat, many soups — including pho.
The story is set in contemporary times, where the protagonist, “Old Man Hung,” is perhaps 70 or 80 years old. Other characters are his sort of adoptive son and grandson and a Vietnamese-American woman who has come to him in search of information about her father, an artist who went missing during the Communist revolution.
Through a series of flashbacks, you learn about Hung’s involvement with a group of artists and intellectuals trying to build a nation. It offers one (fictional) man’s perspective of Vietnam’s communism, as well as a younger perspective on what it is to be a modern Vietnamese citizen, from his grandson, Tu. There’s a little bit of romance and a little bit of mystery investigation in the mix, but the story is primarily about chosen family. Meanwhile, the book also tempts your palette with details of the making of pho in scarce times as well as times of plenty, and the differences in preparation between north and south Vietnam.
The Beauty of Humanity Movement pairs well, of course, with a bowl of pho. Be sure to slurp the noodles to show your appreciation!
