Nonfiction: Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran

There is a strange calm that comes over me when I read nonfiction. For some reason, knowing that the story is true makes me less tense while reading it, when it probably should be the opposite. When reading Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fight In by Phuc Tran, there was still some tension there, probably because of the racism he experienced as a Vietnamese immigrant growing up in small-town Pennsylvania.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a memoir that follows Tran's life from the time he and his family left Vietnam in 1975, to his high school graduation in 1991. In between is 16 years of identity struggles. With a father that would always struggle to get a handle on English, and a mother who would ultimately stick with Vietnamese, Tran will unashamedly choose English early on. This begins a long trek through his most formative years as he does his best to fit in, his interests leading him to friends that will see beyond his immigrant status. In the early years it is Star Wars and comic books. And then, after a chance encounter while holding his skateboard, Tran is introduced to the world of punk, eclipsing his interest in superheroes. But while he has found friends that feel like family, it seems his real family does not understand him. Trans relates the tension he felt at home, plus the racism (sometimes subtle, sometimes not) he experienced outside of it, in chapters named after the classic works of literature that he would later discover and hold on to, believing his education to be his ticket out of his small town.

My Verdict: Tran's story is funny, honest, thought-provoking, and often heart-breaking. The choice to name each chapter after a great work of literature is a fun one, even if the reader has not read many of them. Tran thoughtfully relates the chosen work to that period of his life, which, if anything, could make readers curious enough to discover the work for themselves if they have not already. As far as his choices in literature go, my only issue is the lack of diversity in the authors. But Tran's actual story about his life seems to leave nothing out, including instances that must be painful to remember, much less commit to paper and be published for a large audience to read. Sure, there are instances of racism that are addressed, but there are also events that took place inside of his own home that Tran does not shy away from. Memoir lovers will appreciate the honesty and humor, while fiction lovers will appreciate the exploration of literature.

Favorite Moment: Whenever Tran's friends stand up for him when faced with racism.

Recommended Reading: Almost American Girl by Robin Ha is a graphic novel that tells the story of a young Korean girl as she makes the difficult transition from Korea to the U.S. during her teen years.