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Untethered States: Literature of the Vietnamese Diaspora

Spring 2025

A painting by Trần Trọng Vũ of several nearly identical men squatting in a field of yellow flowers...

“Một bản nhạc tình cờ” (“A Partition of Chance”) © Trần Trọng Vũ. Oil on canvas, 200 x 130 cm, 2015.

This issue presents prose and poetry in translation by five writers of the Vietnamese diaspora, as well as a contextual introduction by guest editor Thuy Dinh and art by Trần Trọng Vũ.

An abstract woodcut in bold colors: yellow, red, blue, green, and black.

"Composition," 1914–15, by Jacoba van Heemskerck van Beest. Color woodcut on Japan paper. Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art. Public domain.

Exile and Communion: Literature of the Vietnamese Diaspora

Guest editor Thuy Dinh introduces WWB's new issue “Untethered States: Literature of the Vietnamese Diaspora.”

Photo of a light green typewriter on a wooden table.

Photo by Dominic Tham on Unsplash.

The Typist

By Nguyễn Đức Tùng

Although she was ostensibly a typist, her job actually demanded more situational acumen, intangible finesse.

Translated from Vietnamese by Thuy Dinh

Multilingual

Photo of a foggy view of a gate in a forest.

Photo by Daniel Cooke on Unsplash.

Autumn Vanishings

By Đặng Thơ Thơ

The ultimate vanishing will happen eventually, but for now, let's light this candle.

Translated from Vietnamese by Quynh H. Vo

Multilingual

Photo of a park lined with benches and trees with no leaves

Photo by Laércio Milani on Unsplash.

Calculations

Father had been directing my life all the way from Sài Gòn.

Translated from Vietnamese by Phương Anh

Multilingual

A photo of two reels in a cinematographer's room.

Photo by Noom Peerapong on Unsplash..

Theater at Cồn Market

By Thường Quán

Movie house or makeshift booth, you are the temple we urchins worship

Translated from Vietnamese by Thuy Dinh

Multilingual

A painting of a poet on a mule by Wang Wei.

Copy after Wang Wei (Chinese, 696–767), "A Poet on Mule," from the Barnes Foundation. Public domain..

The Rain in Weicheng

By Trương Vũ

A long time ago, I made a promise to the rivers, the sea, and my loved ones that I would return.

Translated from Vietnamese by Thuy Dinh

Multilingual

A painting of eight gray rectangles, each containing an object: a shirt on a hanger, a clothespin...

"8 mini" ("8 miniatures") © Trần Trọng Vũ. Oil on plastic, 20 x 30 cm; 2015.

Three Paintings by Trần Trọng Vũ

By Trần Trọng Vũ

Pollock-Krasner Prize–winning artist Trần Trọng Vũ contributes three paintings (as well as cover art) to WWB's issue “Untethered States: Literature of the Vietnamese Diaspora.”

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