The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb
Set in contemporary Vietnam with flashbacks to 1960's/70's communism, Old Man Hung is said to make the best pho (a beef noodle soup)in the city of Hanoi. However, you have to find him first! He has to move his cart to different places around the city to keep the police off his tail. He use to have a space that he rented by between the rent increases and the bribes he had to give the cops, he couldn't afford it anymore. He has loyal customers and word spreads like wildfire to the exact location of his cart from day to day.
Old Man Hung is like a father to Binh, who lost his father Dao to a communist work camp. Old Man Hung is like a grandfather to Bihn's son, Tu. Tu is a tour guide.
One day Maggie a Vietnamese woman who grew up in America, shows up at the Pho cart. She asks Old Man Hung to try to remember everything he can about her father, Ly Van Hai, to help her locate him. He was an artist during the Ho Chi Minh regime. Maggie also works for an art museum in Hanoi and hires Tu to take her around on business.
Art, family, relationships, Pho, and communist regimes are all included in The Beauty of Humanity Movement. It is a beautifully written story with well developed and memorable characters.
I especially love Old Man Hung. He is a witty, kind, and intelligent man with great knowledge of human nature. He is who Bihn and his son, Tu turn to and watch out for. The Beauty of Humanity Movement is a delight and I didn't want it to end. This book is a must read for those who love literary fiction with a splash of foreign history.
5/5
Thanks to Doubleday Canada for this book.
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This book sounds perfect! The fact that you didn't want it to end says a lot!
bermudaonion said... September 28, 2011 at 11:26 AM
I too loved this story and rated it 5 stars. I see you also gave Sweetness in the Belly the same rating and I agree. I'm eager to read anything else Gibb may have written. It's wonderful to find a writer that is so consistently good.
Sandra said... September 28, 2011 at 1:19 PM
Kathy, I got totally immersed in it. I am really behind in writing reviews and I read this book back in July. I still feel as if I had read it yesterday. It really has staying power!
Teddy Rose said... September 28, 2011 at 1:51 PM
Sandra, I adored Sweetness in the Belly! I can't wait for Gibb to come out with a new book!
Teddy Rose said... September 28, 2011 at 1:52 PM
This sounds like a wonderful. I love literary fiction. (I love the cover too ---)
Patricia said... September 29, 2011 at 6:29 PM
I'm following you from the blog hop.
Would you follow me?
http://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/
MaureenT said... September 30, 2011 at 6:47 AM
Patricia, it was a feast of a book. Literary fiction at it's finest!
Maureen, I'm head over.
Teddy Rose said... October 1, 2011 at 9:55 PM
This sounds like a lovely book, I wasn't familiar with this title. Thanks for the intro to it!
holdenj said... October 6, 2011 at 4:32 AM
Julia, it is lovely! I hope you read it sometime.
Teddy Rose said... October 6, 2011 at 6:14 PM
Interesting premise
bn100 said... February 12, 2014 at 3:49 PM
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