Paradise of the Blind

A rich, sensuous journey through a Vietnam rarely seen by outsiders, Paradise of the Blind tells the story of three women fighting to maintain their dignity under a government that discards old values and tears families apart. Hang, a young girl growing into womanhood in the Hanoi slums, finally learns the truth about her father's disappearance and death during the era of government-imposed land reform. Meanwhile, Hang's self-sacrificing mother, a struggling street vendor, watches helplessly as her life is shattered by the political machinations of her own brother. And the mysterious Aunt Tam, who has accumulated wealth and bitterness in equal measure, fights for her niece's loyalty - and future. Long banned in its own country, this moving novel captures the hunger, pride, and endurance of ordinary people in a land of intoxicating beauty . . . as it provides a rare, insightful look into a changing Vietnam.