Thinking about it

I’ve been thinking about the book a lot lately, though not actually writing anything – my thesis keeps me much to busy, though that is probably just an excuse.

Today I’ve had the Benedictine Monastery in Thu Duc running around in my mind. I definitely want to write about that. It is such an amazing place but so perfectly hidden away that no Western reader could possibly know about it.

Yesterday at Uni we did a session on Ethnography, and it got me thinking about travel writing, which I think is really just a popular form of ethnography. Naturally, ethnography is deeply unfashionable in academic circles these days (take a bow Mr. Said), and I am perfectly aware that travel writing can be (and is ) criticised for the very same reasons – trivialisation of the subject, exploitation, the impossibility of ever really understanding what you are writing about….the list goes on.

Wanting tips

I have been listening to a really wonderful audiobook called Geography of Bliss. In it the author describes starting a blog for the book he is creating (as I have done here) and asking for people to give him tips about what he should investigate and write about.

And so I do the same here. Keeping in mind that I am writing about a spiritual journey through Vietnam, I invite you to comment or email me with tips about places I should go, people I should meet and things I should follow up. Any and all ideas gratefully received and appreciated.

My dream come true

For more than 10 years I’ve wanted to write a book about Vietnam. It is a place I know and love and have deep personal connections with. With the growing popularity of Vietnam as a tourist destination and the dearth of good books about contemporary Vietnam, I have become convinced that I can write an excellent book, and some other important people have encouraged me to pursue this dream.

So, in this blog I want to chart my journey as a writer and engage with ideas and topics close to my book that interest me. I hope you’ll share the journey.