Vietnam Moment

This photo essay collection presents the beauty and wisdom of the Vietnamese nation and people. The photos break from the war-torn image of Vietnam to allow readers to feel the human beauty of a people maintaining their ancient traditions amidst natural splendor, their patience and determination developed over a winding history, and the affirmation and bravery of a people who have never given up hope.

The 113 photos in “Vietnam Moment,” taken by Korean-American writer and photojournalist Brenda Paik Sunoo during her stay in Vietnam from 2002 to 2008, perfectly convey her knowledge of and affection for the Vietnamese people. Accompanying the photos are folk poems, sayings, and proverbs collected by Paik Sunoo and Vietnam National University English lecturer Ton Thi Thu Nguyet.

In order to promote mutual understanding and reconciliation between Korea, Vietnam and the United States, which share an intertwined history, the photo essay collection is printed in three languages—Korean, Vietnamese and English.

• Brenda Paik Sunoo, Author

  Brenda Paik Sunoo is a third-generation Korean-American writer and photojournalist based in Jeju Island, South Korea. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor's degree in sociology and received a masters of fine arts in creative writing from Antioch University. In 2007 2009, she spent a total of seven months conducting research on Jeju Island's aging free divers, known as haenyeo. This project resulted in her book Moon Tides Jeju Island Grannies of the Sea (2011), which contributed to the successful campaign for UNESCO designation of the haenyeo as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. She's also written two previous books: Seaweed and Shamans: Inheriting the Gifts of Grief and Vietnam Moment.

• Ton Thi Thu Nguyet, Author