Two Cities Hanoi and Saigon
Two Cities Hanoi and Saigon by Neil Sheehan, published by Picador in 1994, offers a detailed account of the author’s journey back to Vietnam nearly 15 years after the Vietnam War. In this 131-page exploration, Sheehan visits Hanoi for the first time, engaging with soldiers and politicians who played pivotal roles in the war. He reflects on the lingering impacts of the American trade embargo, highlighting the deteriorating infrastructure, remnants of French colonialism, and the challenges faced by the local economy.
Readers will find a rich narrative that captures the complexities of Vietnam’s post-war landscape. Sheehan’s observations in Saigon evoke memories as he reconnects with former acquaintances and examines the transformation of the city from a bustling hub to a place grappling with its past. The book delves into themes of history and travel, providing insights into the lives of those who once fought for the South and their experiences under new governance. This edition presents a thoughtful portrayal of a nation navigating the aftermath of conflict.
Official synopsis Publisher
In 1989, nearly 15 years after the end of the Vietnam War, the author returned to Vietnam. This book is an account of that trip. Visiting Hanoi for the first time, he talks to the soldiers and politicians who won the war and catalogues the fruits of a continuing American trade embargo; crumbling hotels and govemment buildings, vestiges of the city’s French colonial past; a ragged economy, and omnipresent shabbiness and squalor. In Saigon he is deluged with memories as he tracks down former acquaintances, ponders the transition from American-fed boomtown to vanquished backwater, and tries to piece together how people who fought for the South have fared under the rule of their former enemies. Filled with insight, emotion and brilliant reportage, this book is a shattering portrait of a country still reeling from the effects of American intervention.
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