Coming of Age in Vietnam and America
On a moonlit night shining with mystery and wonder, four-year-old Diem Nguyen picks up a sparkling pebble from the ground…and unknowingly takes into her hand the seeds of a catastrophic illness that will change her life forever. Diem’s body is ravaged by polio, but although her body is crippled, her remarkable spirit transcends the limitations of her body, and she finds ways to live joyfully, creatively, lovingly…with a boundless spirit of adventure. Diem teaches herself to walk again through sheer strength of will (and a little help from an angel who visits her in a dream).
You will be spellbound by the vivid tales of her childhood in Vietnam, surviving hardships while her father is in prison for conspiring with the Americans during the war, and then enjoying beauty, community, and independence when her family moves to a special community in the jungle, where Diem’s array of skills from salt-making to music-making allow her to start a unique business.
Diem can’t imagine a better life than the jungle, but everything changes when her father is given special help to bring his family to America. After settling in Texas, new challenges and new opportunities await Diem. With her trademark determination and innovation, Diem learns English and goes to college to earn her degree—without ever having set foot in a school before! Her achievements are enhanced by the transcendent experience of falling in love…but life has some unexpected lessons for Diem that not even a college degree can give to her.
Told with tenderness, humor, and honesty, Walk Around the Tree is a memoir that will inspire and delight from the first page to the last. Diem’s indomitable spirit, positive attitude, and love of life shine through every word. Take a walk with Diem, first around her childhood tree, and then further into the depths of the jungle, the vastness of America, and the secrets of the human heart. With Diem as your companion and guide, life will never look quite the same again.
Outskirts Press
I felt truly honored the day Diem announced she had started her autobiography, because she was asking me to help her write it. Her story is so unusual and fascinating -- sharing the process of putting it all together was as exhilarating as a carnival ride.
