• How 'The Sympathizer' confronts Hollywood's version of the Vietnam War

  • May 17 2024
  • Length: 12 mins
  • Podcast
How 'The Sympathizer' confronts Hollywood's version of the Vietnam War cover art

How 'The Sympathizer' confronts Hollywood's version of the Vietnam War

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  • Summary

  • Hollywood depictions have long helped inform America's understanding of the Vietnam War.

    But there was usually one thing missing from these Vietnam War stories: the Vietnamese perspective.

    For Vietnamese Americans, like author Viet Thanh Nguyen, that experience left him feeling confused as a child.

    In his Pulitzer-winning debut novel The Sympathizer, Nguyen filled that gap by telling the story of a Vietnamese double agent who struggled with his involvement in all parts of the conflict.

    And with the release of a new HBO series adapting the story, one question arises: Can The Sympathizer subvert the long-standing narrative on the Vietnam war in Hollywood?

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