Owner of a Lonely Heart by Beth Nguyen

OWNER OF A LONELY HEART by award-winning author Beth Nguyen (Stealing Buddha’s Dinner) is a new memoir that contains parts I found painful to read as it seemed obvious that Nguyen (who as an infant left her biological mother behind in Vietnam) seems to struggle with abandonment issues for herself and her mother. Nguyen teaches creative writing at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and this memoir is extremely well-written. Reflecting about belonging, she writes that “refugees don't fit the romantic immigrant narrative that's so dominant in America. They are a more obvious, uncomfortable reminder of war and loss;” noting that “part of my own refugee condition is realizing that I have participated in this kind of rhetoric and erasure.” There is an entire chapter devoted to names and racism where she says that names “are markers of respect. What we call someone, what we are allowed to call someone, what we insist on calling someone - all of these indicate relationships having to do with levels of understanding, familiarity, or power.” A thought-provoking work to be read in small doses, OWNER OF A LONELY HEART received a starred review from Library Journal (“Nguyen's honesty and vulnerability will captivate readers instantly.”). 

Definitely worth a look are two other highly recommended memoirs about mother-daughter relationships: A Living Memory and A Season with Mom. Or, reflect further on family dynamics and immigration through reading fictional works like Infinite Country and Where We Came From.