The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir

A national bestseller and American Book Award winner, The Best We Could Do is an intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one family's journey from war-torn Vietnam from debut author Thi Bui.

In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls "a book to break your heart and heal it," The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Bui's journey of understanding and provides inspiration to all of those who search for a better future while longing for a simpler past.

This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family. Bui documents the story of her family's daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.

At the heart of Bui's story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent--the sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.

National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Finalist
ABA Indies Introduce Winter
ALA Notable Books Selection

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Published Apr 17, 2018

344 pages

Average rating: 8

66 RATINGS

Community Reviews

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whothehelliskaitlin

Dec 23, 2024

8/10 stars

I do not usually read graphic novels and I typically get bored, but I really did enjoy this one. The color scheming choice is one that I very much applaud; the red added so much to the story. The little artistic choices made to help further the narrative and emotion were also very well done.

The story itself was at once both a heartbreaking and hopeful one. It manages to be both a historically informative novel and an interesting personal narrative in one story while still keeping readers engaged. I only take a star away because I feel as if I have learned more about Vietnam and Bui's family than about Bui herself, which I understand is important in Bui's own journey but for me fell a little flat when she reached the conclusion in the last chapter about accepting the fact that she won't have the same connections and histories as her family but can start anew for her son.

A quick read but one that keeps you invested and will probably teach you more about the Vietnam war than you have ever learned in any U.S. school.

spoko

Oct 21, 2024

10/10 stars

I’m not generally a fan of memoirs, but this one was gripping. It's a story well told, accompanied by gorgeous, compelling artwork. I was stunned to learn that the author learned comic arts in order to create this book—it's masterfully done; seems to be the product of a sure hand and a clear vision. One of the best graphic novels I’ve read.

NAMsMommy

Jun 17, 2024

6/10 stars

While I enjoyed this woman's story, the jumps between time periods threw me off, a lot. As a grandchild of an immigrant, I feel the more stories like this that we read, the better off we will be. I loved how the author used her gifts of art to share her story. The colors match the tone of the story well.

TheFlyingFox

Nov 03, 2023

8/10 stars

Thi brings us a family biography, where her art of deep black strokes and always in a reddish-orange tone, reflect well the turmoil that the war brought into the lives of her parents and the inheritance she carries. On the brink of motherhood, the book jumps between this frightening perspective of motherhood experienced in the present and the grey memories of her family during the Vietnam War. A country that suffered under French colonialism, communism, and a civil war with tremendous casualties, all within a single generation. Can you imagine the impact this had on people's lives? It's a book about family and the legacy that is passed down to us. About making peace with our parents and their choices, and about the legacy of a child who grew up in flight, as a refugee. It's about the fear of history repeating itself, and even if the outcome is different, that descendants have to carry an inheritance and scars that are not their own. It's about the richness of memories and the duality of knowledge, as a burden or a tool. What a beautiful read!

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