Review of Stealing Buddha's Dinner, by Bich Minh Nguyen

Stealing Buddha's Dinner is a memoir by Bich Minh Nguyen, reflecting on her life as a refugee from Vietnam living in Michigan. She escaped to America at 8 months old with her older sister and father, who later married a Mexican-American woman, resulting in a Mexican-American stepsister and a mixed younger brother. Reading this book opened my eyes to the life of people who constantly work to live a life better than the one they escaped from. I always knew that refugees came to America, but Bich Minh Nguyen lets you see what it means to try to fit in, especially in a place that doesn't want to accept you. She shows you the struggles of living in a mixed family and growing up in primarily white community. However, her experiences also relate to people, especially me. Nguyen talks about reading Little House on the Prairie on her bed, wishing she was them, sneaking junk food into her room so her parents won't get mad at her, and getting mad at older siblings. Although the book was revealing and bright, it focuses a lot on Nguyen's life as a child. I feel that the biggest downside is how little she focuses on her life after middle school, maybe in high school. Also, it can feel a little dry as she repeats many facts and events and since it's not in chronological order, it can be slightly hard to follow at times. I'd recommend this book to anyone, especially people from an Asian family.

~Reviewed by a Homestead freshman