Own Voices Book Discussion (In-person)

(In-Person) The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family's daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.

At the heart of Bui's story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent—the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.

The Own Voices Book Discussion reads books by authors of marginalized or under-represented groups who write about their own experiences and perspectives.

Get the book on Hoopla or check it out from the library. Interlibrary loan copies of the book are available to Vernon Area Public Library cardholders (while supplies last); registration required.