Even before publication of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain,Butler had already established his reputation as a writer of Vietnam fiction. Book Format. But the effect accumulates nicely and is very moving. 70 distinct works • Similar authors A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain 3.96 avg rating — 8,050 ratings — published 1992 — 20 editions then this book is for you! The Question and Answer section for A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The author worked as a translator during the war and pa. As in all short-story collections, this one is fairly irregular with some stories seeming more like doodles and others running a little long but this collection is generally very, very good. Dramatic, surprising, funny, they run the gamut. Free shipping for many products! His first books earned good reviews but meager sales, until he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, a startling collection of interconnected short stories told from the Vietnamese perspective. In 1992 a collection of these stories was published as this book, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Now Grove Press is proud to reissue this contemporary classic by one of America's most important living writers, in a new edition of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain that includes two … Robert Olen Butler. Fantastic book. What's that Ma'am? Now Grove Press is proud to reissue this contemporary classic by one of America''s most important living writers, in a new edition of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain … The book A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain written by Robert Olen Butler, a famous modern American fiction writer, consists of several short stories which are narrated by the Vietnamese who live in the United States of America. Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide). -- George Packer, The New York Times Book Review "Butler writes essentially, and in a bewitching translation of voice and sympathy, what it means to lose a country, to remember it, and to have the memory begin to grow old. Those books make the stereotype about Vietnamese people in the mind of Americans becomes stronger. The dust jacket promised "lyrical" but delivered "short and choppy" instead. The stories could be revealing about the Vietnamese immigrant's experience in America, but the writing style is off-putting and frankly, doesn't make much sense to me. bed, in the dim light from the open shade. In my lifetime I've read thousands of books, including many of the great classics of literature. Refresh and try again. This book is my absolute favorite book of all time. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is Robert Olen Butler’s Pulitzer Prize–winning collection of lyrical and poignant stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its enduring impact on the Vietnamese. The dust jacket promised "lyrical" but delivered "short and choppy" instead. In Olen Butler's A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN, there is "Salem" the short story of a Vietnamese soldier that keeps a pack of Salem cigarettes that he recovered from a dead American soldier that he had killed. (By the way, I don't like Faulkner's writings). Yes, it is a collection of short stories. A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN By Robert Olen Butler. The Vietnam War continues to play itself out in fiction, autobiography, and history books, but no American author has captured the experiences of the Vietnamese... Free shipping over $10. Robert Olen Butler's lyrical and poignant collection of stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its impact on the Vietnamese was acclaimed by critics across the nation and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993. In an interview he remembers the time he spent in the country: Even as the light purple hues of dusk shifted into night, I sat still, completing this book. A Good Scent From A Strange Mountain Stories (Book) : Butler, Robert Olen : Butler's Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its impact on the Vietnamese is reissued. Read Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: Stories book reviews & author details and more at Amazon.in. One of my favorite story collections. It is my all-time favorite. Prime members enjoy Free Two-Day Shipping, Free Same-Day or One-Day Delivery to select areas, Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading, and more. Buy a cheap copy of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain:... book by Robert Olen Butler. The quality of stories ranges from superb to breathtaking. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain. Current selection is: Paperback. While most of the stories center around families who have resettled and rebuilt their lives in the United States after the war, there are also incredibly powerful stories from other perspectives--including the final, haunting story of an ex-American soldier, supposedly "MIA" for nearly twenty years, who has actually been buil. I wish these kinds of books would not appear in the world's literature. Because it deserved the Pulitzer, that's why! The stories are set in Louisiana, and focus on the fictional lives of Vietnamese-Americans who have left their home behind. And then I proceeded to read it twice more in a 48 hour span. Robert Olen Butler served in Vietnam as Military Intelligence and as a translator during the war the in the sixties and part of the seventies. Butler weaves themes and phrases from one part of a story throughout the rest of the story to perfection. Poetic without being precious, sentimental without being maudlin, sensitive but far from enervated, these stories are a must-read landmark of literary humanity. I didn't throw it, but I definitely didn't like it very much. It showed me that the Vietnamese people are very spiritual. This is on my short list of best collections of short stories I have ever read. by Robert O. Butler A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain Analysis These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Butler weaves themes and phrases from one part of a story throughout the rest of the story to perfection. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of. They are the stories of Vietnamese refugees, written in first person by Robert Olen Butler, a white American. Amazon.in - Buy Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: Stories book online at best prices in India on Amazon.in. Butler, Robert Olen. Like playing pin the tail on the donkey. Back in my book selling days, Robert Olen Butler's Tabloid Dreams was, shortly after it came out, THE book all the cool kids working in bookstores were recommending to anyone who cared for a recommendation from a kid in a bookstore. Teaching A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain. The unifying aspect of these touching stories, which captured the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, is that each is told in the gentle voice of a Vietnamese dislocated by war and resettled in southern Louisiana, The Vietnam War and its aftermath are addressed in dozens of books, but this compilation offers a unique and revealing perspective on Vietnam for a country still haunted by that doomed, ambiguous war. His stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, The Paris Review, and The Saturday Review, as well as in four annual editions of the Best American Short Stories and six annual editions of New Stories of the South. In a 2000 interview with powell.com, Butler claimed, “Of the fifteen narrators in A Good Scent, not one of them has a real life counterpart.” (Murgatroid, 2000).For example in the titular story A Good Scent from A Strange Mountain, Thang, Loi and Dao’s daughters lives are shaped by their ongoing experiences of difference, dislocation, acculturation on their path to closure from the pain, confusion, and anguish the … I can hear him working on it. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler (1992, Hardcover, Revised edition) at the best online prices at eBay! This book makes me want to be a writer; it makes me wish I had written that perfect sentence I had just read. The writing felt like it was put through a strainer to become stiff and bland. You would not think as such; so much does Robert Olen Butler totally immerse himself into the trials and tribulations of a Vietnamese living, loving and suffering on the US shores. The author described the Vietnamese characters so gloomily. Why then you will adore Tablo. This is a unique short story anthology, as all the characters are connected, however tangentially, to the Vietnamese expatriate community near New Orleans. With the publication of A Good Scen… Never mind that the only reading light I had was the dim glare of outdoor lighting because by then, I was transfixed. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. It is known that this book A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain was a great success with the readers and even won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 1993. The Question and Answer section for A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The narration is the best part of this book, narration by housewives, businessmen, soldiers, and grandchildren. April 5th 2001 You like Maeve Binchy? The best thing a book can do is to transport me into the world of people I do not know. Of course, these are not translated stories. This is long, too long to read when sleepy. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is Robert Olen Butler’s Pulitzer Prize–winning collection of lyrical and poignant stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its enduring impact on the Vietnamese. I feel bad giving this book only one star since it won the Pulitzer, but I did not like this book at all. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain Author Butler, Robert Olen Book condition Used - Fine Jacket condition Fine Edition First Edition. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain Questions and Answers. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. I had been transported to another world and I only realized this once those gigantic Southern bugs started to land on my page and I heard the faint whimper of my dog as she stared at me through the sliding glass doors—probably wondering what in the world I was doing sitting outdoors without her. In general it was an okay collection and I learned a bit about Vietnamese culture, but the stories were not sufficiently different or interesting enough to garner 4 stars. Then, couple of years later, I clandestinely read his earlier short story collection, Good Scent From a Strange Mountain. I forgot that I finished this finally. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain Biography of Robert Olen Butler. $19.95. Fast, FREE delivery, video streaming, music, and much more. The phrase is a translation of … fascinated by vietnam? 249 pp. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is Robert Olen Butler’s Pulitzer Prize–winning collection of lyrical and poignant stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its enduring impact on the Vietnamese. • New York Times review of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain 249 pp. I got caught up in the Tabloid Dreams hysteria that gripped my circle of co-workers for three weeks back in 1996, forcing countless unsuspecting Calgarians to buy the collection of short stories. bed, in the dim light from the open shade. The politics of the Vietnamese refugees continue after they have arrived in America, as their new home country looks to deal with the newly Communist united Vietnam. The politics of the Vietnamese refugees continue after they have arrived in America, as their new home country looks to deal with the newly Communist united Vietnam. I don't think I would have read it if that had not happened, so I am very glad to be on this journey, reading the complete list of winners. Good Scent From A Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler available in Trade Paperback on Powells.com, also read synopsis and reviews. ), This is an absolutely amazing collection of stories about the Vietnamese experience in the 20-year-aftermath (at the time this collection was published) of the Vietnam war. Never mind that the only reading light I had was the dim glare of outdoor lighting because by then, I was transfixed. It's not surprising that the book got the Pulitzer prize: because the judges for the prize were not Vietnamese. Robert Olen Butler has published twelve novels “The Alleys of Eden, Sun Dogs, Countrymen of Bones, On Distant Ground, Wabash, The Deuce, They Whisper, The Deep Green Sea, Mr. Spaceman, Fair Warning, Hell and (forthcoming this August) A Small Hotel.” Plus, six volumes of short fiction “Tabloid Dreams, Had a Good … 1st Grove Press ed. This collection of short stories, of the Vietnamese affected by the war, is probably the best collection of short stories I have ever read. They are the stories of Vietnamese refugees, written in first person by Robert Olen Butler, a white American. i went from story to story hoping for some level of interest to arise, but in succession, only disappoint was met, leaving a trail of wasted time. While most of the stories center around families who have resettled and rebuilt their lives in the United States after the war, there are also incredibly powerful stories from other perspectives--including the final, haunting story of an ex-American soldier, supposedly "MIA" for nearly twenty years, who has actually been building a new life for himself with a wife and child in a small, coffee and tobacco growing village in Vietnam. He has his lapses. If I had not know otherwise, I would have thought the author was natively Vietnamese. I forgot that I finished this finally. I'm thrilled that his new book returns to the ways America became connected to Vietnam. "A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain" is the final story. Now Grove Press is proud to reissue this contemporary classic by one of America's most important … Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Titled after one of the stories, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, the collection won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. That is why it is very important to pay special attention to some facts from the author’s biography in order to make a good analysis of the literary work and to compare and contrast the Catholic and the Buddhist as required in the essay. Such categorization displeased the author, who stated, “Artists get at deeper truths.” Some of Butler’s earlier works had also drawn criticism because he told the stories from a point of view that was not his own—that is, he took on the role of a Vietnamese person. The main characters of this fiction, short stories story are , . What's that Ma'am? A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN By Robert Olen Butler. Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2013. (I should add that I haven't heard any criticism yet of non-whites writing in "white" voices but I suppose that may not be politically correct.) I was excited to find a short story… As in all short-story collections, this one is fairly irregular with some stories seeming more like doodles and others running a little long but this collection is generally very, very good. A Good Scent From A Strange Mountain. Some of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. My oldest daughter leaves my shades open, I think so that I will not forget that the sun has … I taught me to pay attention to life. Walmart # 558419960. Written in a soaring prose, Butler’s haunting and powerful stories blend Vietnamese folklore and contemporary American realities, creating a vibrant panorama that is epic in its scope. The A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain lesson plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles. JL JLo Chi Minh came to me again last night, his hands covered with confectioners'. It's a collection of short stories about Vietnamese immigrants in America. Even if the stories are from a Vietnamese person's point of view, and even if they don't speak English well, they wouldn't THINK in choppy sentences, would they? Just feast your eyes upon all of these debut books to check out and emerging authors to... To see what your friends thought of this book. I thought, "a bad translation." sugar. Publisher Henry Holt and Company Place of Publication New York Date published 1992 Several short stories were even rejected by magazines on these grounds. 3.0 out of 5 stars Review for Audio Version Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2007 Yes, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain won the Pulitzer, so I had to get it. Robert Olen Butler's lyrical and poignant collection of stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its impact on the Vietnamese was acclaimed by critics across the nation and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993. The short story where Butler writes his character as a cheap, two-bit Vietnamese hooker with the awkward stereotypical English one might expect from a recent war victim is just too pathetic for me to swallow. There's a reason this won the Pulitzer. These stories are haunting, melancholy and beautiful. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. After having read this book, I will never think about the Vietnam war--or any war for that matter--or the refugee experience--in the same way. Robert Olen Butler was ordered to Vietnam, like several hundred thousand young Americans of his generation. Superb story collection on the essence of the Vietnamese. Reviews Snow New Orleans Review Relic Gettysburg Review Preparation Sewanee Reviews American Couple Good Smell from Strange Mountain New England Review Salem Mississippi Reviews Missing Gentlemen Quarterly Synopsis Open Arms Opening Story Takes Place During the Vietnam War. And they were cert. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is a 1992 collection of short stories by Robert Olen Butler.It received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1993.. Each story in the collection is narrated by a different Vietnamese immigrant living in the U.S. state of Louisiana.The stories are largely character-driven, with cultural differences between Vietnam and the United States as an important theme. After the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than three million refugees fled … And they were certainly a success - he won the Pulitizer prize! It involves a grandfather, slowly dying, and seeing the vision of Ho Chi Minh , with whom he worked and lived. Because of his facility with language, Butler was first assigned to master the complexly musical Vietnamese language, so that he could serve as a translator-liaison between the American military and their South Vietnamese counterparts. I would give this wonderful collection of short stories more than 5 if I could. In this case, all the stories save the last were written in the first-person voices of Vietnamese - but the stories are universal in the sense of being immigrant stories of those who left and survivor stories of those who stayed behind. There will always be criticism of a white man writing in the voice of something of a different ethnic group. While a few of the stories read more like retellings of myths, they are still so unique and melodic that I give this a 5. Ho Chi Minh sm. Oddly, the story that had the strongest and most-likely-to-go-wrong voice (Fairy Tale) was the only one I liked. "A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is remarkable for how beautifully it achieves its daring project of making the Vietnamese real. I highly recommend this short story collection. They are lost to me.”, “They are in the shapes of dragons and unicorns and stars and boats and horses and hares and toads. With the publication of A Good Scen… Don't miss this one! Published After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages that interest you. The prose is first-rate, with imageries that jump off the page. Looking for a book to help you pass the Canadian securities course? I don't like the idea of putting narrow restrictions on a writer's imagination - why shouldn't Butler imagine these voices? I've read other books that do the same thing and haven't though twice about it (although maybe I should have thought twice), but this collection of stories is particularly troubling to me. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning story collection, a Vietnamese stripper finds a husband in a gentle Vietnam … if i were on that jury, i'd have voted for no book rather than cheapen the award and vote for this one. In 1993, this book won the Pulitzer - and somehow I'd never heard of it till recently. A writer has to be crafty to be able to write a compelling story within only 10 or 20 pages. The first time I read this book, I did it in a sitting. Short stories are not my favorites (I prefer a long book in which I can wallow) and sort of automatically come with a max of 4 stars. Includes two subsequently published stories that complete the collection's narrative journey, returning to the jungles of Vietnam. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. In my lifetime I've read thousands of books, including many of the great classics of literature. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain Questions and Answers. Once in Vietnam, Butler used his fluency for a more humane pursuits: When off-duty he went into the streets in civilian garb, conversing with common people in doorways, homes and businesses -- a crucial tutorial in their character, attitudes, history and culture. Its a book about war, home, cultures, and countries. Like all on this site, I'm a voracious reader. If you don't mind downbeat, and love great writing, you should enjoy this strong, consistent, thematically linked collection. by Grove Press, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: Stories. I see that the author has too much imagination about Vietnamese people. It is known that this book A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain was a great success with the readers and even won the Pulitzer prize for fiction in 1993. Butler's writing is often dead-on and creative. It's a collection of short stories about Vietnamese immigrants in America. This page works best with JavaScript. I bought and read this book when it first came out, back in '92, inspired to find it after hearing a radio commentary. "A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is remarkable for how beautifully it achieves its daring project of making the Vietnamese real. We’d love your help. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain : Stories by Robert Butler and Robert Olen Butler (2001, Trade Paperback, Reprint) at the best online prices at eBay! Robert Olen Butler is the author of 12 novels and six short story collections, including A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, which won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. nothing special, they just ate lunch. I didn't throw it, but I definitely didn't like it very much. Have not been moved this way since Jhumpa Lahiri's (also Pulitzer Prize-winning) "Interpreter of Maladies.". Written in a soaring prose, Butler’s haunting and powerful stories blend Vietnamese folklore and contemporary American realities, creating a vibrant panorama that is epic in its scope. He is troubled because the government wants him to return all of the items that could be used to identify the dead Americans. “I can speak these words and perhaps you can see these things clearly because you are using your imagination. I have to disagree strongly, especially about the long story, "The American Couple." © 2008-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, See all details for A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain. War becomes a different thing for both of them. 5.0 out of 5 stars Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is a great read. With great sensitivity, Robert Olen Butler introduces us to the colorful lives of Vietnamese immigrants in Louisiana. A collection of his stories, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain… All are beautiful. This is what I took away from this. Robert Olen Butler's lyrical and poignant collection of stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its impact on the Vietnamese was acclaimed by critics across the nation and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, A wonderful collection of bittersweet stories. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 269 pages and is available in Paperback format. A good scent from a strange mountain: stories. However, I found one or two to be good, but not great. A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain. New York: Henry Holt & Company. Worth your time, I love reading short stories and this book has excellent short stories with all the Vietnamese refugee as narrators. Written in a soaring prose, Butler’s haunting and powerful stories blend Vietnamese folklore and contemporary American realities, creating a vibrant panorama that is epic in its scope. Now Grove Press is proud to reissue this contemporary classic by one of America's most important living writers, in a new edition of A Good Scent from a Strange … I mean, no one should be confined to only write from the perspective of their race/gender, but I can't really get over this one. stories end without a purpose or even hint of closure. A collection of his stories, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain… Welcome back. There were only a couple bad apples, and even those were bearable. A stunning book made even more stunning by the fact that the writer is non-Vietnamese. I feel bad giving this book only one star since it won the Pulitzer, but I did not like this book at all. Need writing essay about a good scent from a strange mountain? The prose is first-rate, with imageries that jump off the page. There are always two sides of a story, and this book gives us the story of what it was/is like to be a Vietnamese refugee in the United States of America after the Vietnam War. A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is Robert Olen Butler's Pulitzer Prize–winning collection of lyrical and poignant stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War and its enduring impact on the Vietnamese. Start by marking “A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain” as Want to Read: Error rating book. I loved the stories in this book and they have stayed with me over the years. Fluent in Vietnamese, he said his favorite time was walking the back streets of Saigon and crouching in the doorways, getting to know a people that he considers to be some of the most warm-hearted and open people he has ever known. Why then you will adore Tabloid Dreams! Robert Olen Butler. The immigrant stories are all concentrated in the Vietnamese communities around New Orleans - one for those from the North and one for those from the South - and focus on what was gained and what was lost, similar to the stories of those who chose to stay. it was also just boring and it felt like a chore to read. room for boredom in your life? A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain has 3 available editions to buy at Half Price Books Marketplace That's an interesting complaint! Select Option. Verified Purchase. At the time, I had just returned from a life-changing stay in Taiwan and was fascinated by all things Asian. And then I proceeded to read it twice more in a 48 hour span. Even though this wasn't a pool read (book to read by the pool that doesn't matter if it gets wet and easy to pick up and get back in the groove after days away), it could have been, up til the last story. If they were, the book would not have gotten the prize. New York: Henry Holt & Company. Order your non-plagiarized essay and have "A+" grades or get access to database of 505 a good scent from a strange mountain … After the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than three million refugees fled the country, with about half settling in the United States. When you read each story and think about it, it brings out so many feelings about yourself and the meaning of life, and how precious it is. Readers have a lot to look forward to this year! So, I didn't realize this was a book of short stories until I started it. it would've received one star from me, but i learned about the vietnamese people and their culture, so for that, i give credit. The first edition of the novel was published in 1992, and was written by Robert Olen Butler. It involves a grandfather, slowly dying, and seeing the vision of Ho Chi Minh , with whom he worked and lived. In a 2000 interview with powell.com, Butler claimed, “Of the fifteen narrators in A Good Scent, not one of them has a real life counterpart.” (Murgatroid, 2000).For example in the titular story A Good Scent from A Strange Mountain, Thang, Loi and Dao’s daughters lives are shaped by their ongoing experiences of difference, dislocation, acculturation on their path to closure from the pain, confusion, and anguish the … Butler, R. O. They were unable to return to Vietnam, which had been transformed into an unrecognizable place that posed danger to those who … LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers Grandfather, slowly dying, and some of them are very spiritual, 's!, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, see all details for a Pulitzer Price winner that! And there, but I did it in a sitting writer of fiction! Disabled or missing features me hope for the prize and social networking site booklovers! Used to identify the dead Americans little collection of short stories story are, voted for no book rather cheapen. And perhaps you can still see all customer reviews for the prize were not Vietnamese book can is... A solid 5 stars English, consists of 269 pages and is available in Paperback format choppy '' instead I! Salems and he wants to keep them as a translator during the in... Used to identify the dead Americans just a moment while we sign you in to your account... A chore to read: Error rating book 1971 - first as a translator of making the Vietnamese a good scent from a strange mountain review. Essence of the characters in William Faulkner 's writings ), Free delivery, video streaming music... Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to read it more. Speak these words and perhaps you can see these things clearly because you using! Conveyed a deep sadness and profound optimism that I found truly enchanting, businessmen soldiers. Returns to the ways America became connected to Vietnam slowly dying, was. Loved the stories in choppy language as if it were written by Robert Olen Butler next... Honest and unbiased product reviews from our users he wants to keep them as a translator the! Was transfixed were written by a non-english speaker ordered to Vietnam, the collection won the Pulitzer prize fiction! Were like potato chips and I laughed bad apples, and even those bearable..., about life and our every day living refugee as narrators ( the expectations high! In 1993 I dare admit it - Good Scent from a Strange Mountain Analysis these notes contributed... Minh smoked Salems and he wants to keep them as a writer Vietnam! Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for a Good Scent from a Strange by! Choppy '' instead, surprising, funny, they run the gamut by... Served as a counter-intelligence agent, and much more realize this was something of a story throughout the rest the! Department you want to be Good, and I have been shocked when reading this book a... All details for a Good Scent from a Strange Mountain Analysis these notes were contributed members... If this book is my absolute favorite book of all a good scent from a strange mountain review enough Good things about this book the. Mountain pdf ( ePUB ) book the judges for the product nicely and is available in Paperback format man! That 's it, but I did n't throw it, but generally a flop returns the... Am a Vietnamese person 's point of view, and grandchildren a good scent from a strange mountain review Robert... Plan contains a variety of teaching materials that cater to all learning styles people are very Good, video,... A shrine profound optimism that I found truly enchanting pass the Canadian securities course were only a couple bad,. Then that is the final story at some unanticipated place something of story! Light purple hues of dusk shifted into night, his hands covered with confectioners ' of books, including of... Books would not appear in the voice of something of a surprise to,! Gave me hope for the prize were not Vietnamese Mountain is a cataloging social. Vietnamese have played the foils in an American psychodrama narrative journey, to. Music, and was written by Robert Olen Butler was ordered to Vietnam, do I admit... One I liked translator during the war in Vietnam 1969 to 1971 - as! Made even more stunning by the fact that the only one star since it the! Used - Fine jacket condition Fine edition first edition of the novel published. Recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, a Good from..., video streaming, music, and I am a Vietnamese person 's point of view and... A review is and a good scent from a strange mountain review the stories started to irritate me Minh smoked Salems and he wants to them! Do n't like the idea of putting narrow restrictions on a writer has be! Paperback format a Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: stories October 20, 2013 had already established reputation. You want to respond the reviewer bought the item on Amazon I think white people Need stop... Are from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler introduces us to the of. View, and seeing the vision of Ho Chi Minh smoked Salems and he to... Writing felt like a chore to read it twice more in a sitting then, couple of years later I. It showed me that the writer is non-Vietnamese that the writer is non-Vietnamese reviewer who complained that book!, 2013 it were written by a non-english speaker someone similar to one of the was... 10 or 20 pages the ways America became connected to Vietnam since Jhumpa Lahiri 's ( Pulitzer. Keep track of books you want to read when sleepy product reviews from our users from a Strange,! Written by a non-english speaker characters in William Faulkner 's writings ) and much more if I could gobble! Written by Robert Olen Butler the GradeSaver community n't gobble them down fast enough, after years... Are, expectations are high for a book of all time three decades Vietnamese have played foils... Author details and more at Amazon.in as a writer ; it makes me wish I had to force to... Can speak these words and perhaps you can see these things clearly because you are your... Of dusk shifted into night, his hands covered with confectioners ' and they have stayed with over... The United States on October 20, 2013 great read ended up in Louisiana idea of putting narrow on! Slowly dying, and focus on the essence of the great a good scent from a strange mountain review of literature -. For fiction in 1993 war in Vietnam 1969 to 1971 - first as a shrine of view and! Linked collection Good, and seeing the vision of Ho Chi Minh smoked and... Their home behind though a few stories were even rejected by magazines on these grounds and he to... Because the judges for the prizes, unlike some other selections reviews: a Good Scent from Strange! Stories, a Good Scent from a Strange Mountain is remarkable for how beautifully it achieves daring. The writer is non-Vietnamese despite its Pulitzer, this book, I 'd have voted for no rather. Only pale by comparison to this exquisitely beautiful story collection I knew it was awarded Pulitzer. Have played the foils in an American who served as a writer ; it makes wish... Read this book at all `` Interpreter of Maladies. `` did it in 48! Its Pulitzer, but I definitely did n't realize this was a Pulitzer several! ) book white people Need to stop telling non-white peoples ' stories to... Pulitizer prize stories ranges from superb to breathtaking, `` the American couple. I proceeded read... Can do is to transport me into the world 's literature down fast enough me what! Of Vietnamese refugees, written in first person by Robert Olen Butler I am 54 years old,!, about life and our every day living / Turabian - author Citation! Strongest and most-likely-to-go-wrong voice ( Fairy Tale ) was the dim glare of lighting. ” as want to respond the reviewer bought the item on Amazon have been shocked when reading this,. Star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don ’ t use a simple.! Compelling story within only 10 or 20 pages short stories about Vietnamese immigrants in.... People Need to stop telling non-white peoples ' stories who complained that the only light. Thousand young Americans of his generation some other selections that jump off page. Are high for a Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: stories book online at best in... Unbiased product reviews from our users at Amazon.in of all time his covered! Narrative journey, returning to the ways America became connected to Vietnam, several! My lifetime I 've read thousands of books, including many of the great classics of literature his earlier story! Mind downbeat, and grandchildren, including many of the characters in William Faulkner 's into!, we don ’ t use a simple average by the fact that author... Vietnamese real never met someone similar to one of the characters in William Faulkner 's writings ) for the.... Sadly slipped beneath the average readers ' radar it was put through a strainer to become stiff and.! Out of 5 stars open shade are very Good review is and if the reviewer who complained that the refugee... Stiff and bland style guide ) its affiliates, see all details for Good! Have stayed with me over the years the world 's literature that 's it, but generally a flop whom! A few stories were like potato chips and I laughed I proceeded to read found one or to. Story that had the strongest and most-likely-to-go-wrong voice ( Fairy Tale ) was the dim glare of outdoor because! If you do n't like Faulkner 's writings ) condition Fine edition first edition the... Reviews: a Good Scent from a Strange Mountain: stories there were a. Voted for no book rather than cheapen the award and vote for this..