The Library is pleased to present a collective reading and presentation called "She Who Has No Master(s)" showcasing nine women writers of Vietnamese descent, now located in the U.S. and France, who will come together and read from a collective project exploring themes such as displacement, silence, memory and trauma, repercussions of war and colonialism. The writing collective consists of acclaimed and award-winning authors and academics encompassing a range of literary disciplines, including fiction, poetry, nonfiction, performance, and criticism.

Viet Thanh Nguyen speaks about his Pulitzer Prize-winning debut novel The Sympathizer, and his new short story collection The Refugees, which has a poignant dedication: "For all refugees, everywhere." Nguyen's stunning first novel about a spy with dual loyalties to country and himself is profound and beautifully crafted. The particular sorrow of exile and the chance of a better life in another place are themes found in both books. NPR praises The Refugees as "an urgent, wonderful collection that proves that fiction can be more than mere storytelling - it can bear witness to the lives of people who can't afford to forget." 

Congratulations to Viet Thanh Nguyen, Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.