Catfish and Mandala
by Andrew X. Pham

Winner of the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize in 1999. Andrew was born in Phan Thiet and immigrated to the USA in 1977 at the age of 10. This book details his pilgrimage back to Vietnam as a young man, and an amazing bicycle trek from Hanoi to Phan Thiet. The book is interlaced with memories of his childhood in Phan Thiet and Saigon, leaving Vietnam by boat, and growing up as an immigrant in American. The book gives an interesting look at life in Vietnam immediately following the war, and the experiences of Vietnamese Americans, caught between two worlds.

More about Andrew X. Pham

• CBS News Book Review
• Time Magazine, Asia Review
• National Public Radio (Audio)
• Things Asian features by Andrew X. Pham
• Metro Active Book Review

When You Were Born in Vietnam
by Bartlett Therese

This book covers the life and adoption processes of Vietnamese children adopted by foreign parents and is a wonderful resource, tool and momento for families adopting in Vietnam. The pictures and contexts of this book largely come from Phan Thiet and the orphanage in Ham Tan in Binh Thuan province. Proceeds from this book go to the Catalyst Foundation for adoption projects and programs to benefit children in Vietnam. View the publisher's website for more information.

Cham Art
by Emmanuel Guillon

Phan Thiet lies within the southern reaches of the Cham Kingdom. The Thap Poshaknu Cham towers are found outside Phan Thiet, and other lesser-known Cham architecture is also present in the province. The Cham people are one of the most significant minorities in the province. This book highlights Cham art which is representative of the art found in Binh Thuan province.

Ho Chi Minh
by William J Duiker  

A section of this biography of Ho Chi Minh details his time in Phan Thiet as a teacher at the Duc Thanh school. Both the site of his home and the school are preserved as museums and a monument to Vietnam's revolutionary leader.

The Gangster We Are All Looking For
by Le Thi Diem Thuy

Thuy was born in Phan Thiet. She and her father left Vietnam in 1978 by boat, and settled in Southern California. Her first novel tells the story of a refugee family much like her own. Six Vietnamese refugees (a girl, her father, and four uncles) are rescued from the sea and begin a new life in San Diego. The book tells the story of their strange and difficult life adjusting in their new country.