Description

Jacqueline can't speak Vietnamese. The U.S.-born daughter of a Vietnamese mother and an American father, she knows better than to risk visiting the Vietnamese diaspora community of Little Saigon, where her lack of language skills has been a source of contention in the past. But after her mother's death--overwhelmed with grief and nostalgia--she decides to venture to the ethnic enclave again. While her visits result in altercation and even violent conflict, they also unexpectedly pave the way for a longed-for connection with members of the close-knit community. From the elders who have experienced lifetimes of displacement and renewal, Jacqueline begins to understand the delicate threads that connect her to her past and the courageous leaps required to build a future from the ashes of tragedy. Set in the 1990’s and inspired by the author’s personal experiences, "Mother Tongue" is a story of healing, communication, and connection, exploring the far-reaching implications of what we can or cannot speak.

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