The Kingfisher Story Collection

Fables have a long history, possibly thousands of years.
Common elements are the use of symbolism, moral lessons, animals as the primary
characters, and humor. They continue to fascinate: Master Class even has a
class on learning to write fables.

Quan-Hoang Vuong’s book, The Kingfisher Story Collection,
joins this long running genre, and offers a Vietnamese slant. Vuong’s main
character in a series of twenty-one short stories, what Vuong calls “snippets,”
is a bird. The sage Kingfisher lives in a village of birds and other animals
and over time, helps his colleagues learn lessons about society, relationships,
pride, decency, and more. The stories are short, snappy, and feel like fables
of old, with their lessons and humor. As with other fables, Kingfisher
exemplifies the sage village elder (or near elder) who stops and thinks and
offers the best responses he can to challenges, problems and deep questions.

I’ve spent years working in Vietnam and trying to understand
the people and culture. This book, which I read when I returned home from a
trip to Hanoi, made me a little homesick for Vietnam. It is a lively read and
offers a charming peek into Vietnamese culture, delightful for a person who
knows a lot—or nothing—about Vietnam.

--- Written by Professor Nancy
K. Napier ---