Trang Sen: A Novel of Vietnam - Paperback

by Sarah-Ann Smith (Author)

As the United States increases its involvement in Vietnam, the ongoing civil unrest and political divisions evolve into a calamitous war that will ultimately see no winners, only losers. With the growing war's trauma and loss tearing apart her family, the rebellious, defiant Trang Sen -- whose name means "White Lotus" -- struggles to make more of her life than seems possible. She moves from her parents' rice farm to the streets and alleys of Saigon, and her world opens up, but as quickly as new paths become visible, others are shut off. Caught between her own dreams and the needs of her family, between her love for learning and the excitement of war-time Saigon, Trang Sen embarks on a journey of heartbreaking choices. Ultimately, she must decide whether to stay in her devastated homeland or follow her dream to a new life, as the last transport flies out before the fall of Saigon to the fighters of the North.

Author Biography

South Carolina native Sarah-Ann Smith's passion for Asia led to a degree in international relations and Asian studies and a career in the U.S. diplomatic corps. Her tours of duty took her to Taiwan to study Mandarin Chinese and to the American Consulate in Hong Kong, as well as within the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the U.S. State Department. Smith's interest in Southeast Asia was originally piqued by encounters with a number of Asian students and their critiques of U.S. policy at the height of the Vietnam War. Her professional and personal focus on Asian political and cultural life led her to write about it in fictional form in this, her first novel.Smith's life after the Foreign Service has focused on writing and teaching. In addition to Trang Sen, she has published numerous op-ed pieces and has taught China- and Southeast Asia-related courses at universities in Maryland and North and South Carolina. In 1993 she retired to Asheville, N.C.