Comments (53)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 53 items
Dec 21, 2023nathanface rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Heavy content - you can see how the effects of the Vietnam war rippled all the way through Thi Bui's parents' generation and into the pages where she documented her family history, the injustice and the resulting trauma. Even her style of…
Aug 06, 2023denisecharbonneau rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A moving exploration of her parents’ pasts and struggles along with Viet Nam’s past and struggles. Enlightening and a must-read your better understand what life is like for many refugees seeking safety.
Jun 23, 2023SJCat rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Having read many books on the topic, this book is the most accurate and well-rounded account of the Vietnamese war and refugee experience. Ocean Vuong has NOTHING on Thi Bui. The Best We Could Do has something the other books lack- empathy…
Jun 05, 2023ReadNow21 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
WoW! the author, Thi Bui, really had something special to share with me the reader. Change of perspective and deeper empathy were just two of the gifts received by reading this.
Jun 13, 2022_ShyGuy_ rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The Best We Could Do is Thi Bui’s retelling of her family’s history in graphic novel form. Through expressive brush strokes and descriptive text, Bui shares her parents’ respective stories and unique perspectives shaped by the complex…
Mar 24, 2022pacl_teens rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
"This graphic novel memoir by Thi Bui is a debut novel describing the struggles of an immigrant family's journey from the war-filled home of Vietnam to America. It is an extremely personal inside look at the high rise of emotions felt by…
Jul 08, 2021Cerulean_Vespas rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
10/10 would read again
May 24, 2021ArapahoeJulieH rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Following the birth of her first child, the author goes on a journey to understand her parents and how their flight from Vietnam influenced their view of life. This illustrated biography gives a glimpse into the tragic history of Vietnam…
May 24, 2021SydPG rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed learning the history of the author through a graphic novel format. Very informative!
Mar 18, 2021jaspervern rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A great history lesson/reminder along with family and immigrant struggles.
Feb 15, 2021JCLBetM rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
An eye-opening glimpse into Vietnam history through the lives of the author's parents and grandparents. This graphic also plunges into the muddy waters of family relationships and responsibilities, as she journeys to find the meaning of…
Feb 12, 2021feelspecial101 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Written by Thi Bui, “The Best We Could Do” is an excellent autobiography about Thi’s family during the Vietnam War. Their determination for a brighter future leads to a balance of misery and happiness when they managed to escape, but other…
Jan 25, 2021beejaygrant911 rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Just not my cup of tea. didn't enjoy the graphic novel angle, at least not in this case.
Jan 24, 2021mclarjh rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Good drawings, but only fair storytelling, lacking poignancy and drama.
Sep 22, 2020AleryCelery rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A graphic memoir in which the author interviews her parents in order to understand their past and perhaps become closer. This story contains haunting depictions of the Vietnam War from the perspective of ordinary Vietnamese civilians.…
Aug 12, 2020Kinesisca rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The graphic novel works well to approach what is often difficult material, to visually replace awkward literary devices such as foreshadowing, to show what cannot be said, to tell this powerful and emotional story. The author tells a…
Jun 09, 2020Hillsboro_RobP rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A troubling memoir that is literally a grown daughter asking her parents for their story and getting an emotional landslide. None of the images are fully detailed, but they stay with you just the same. The same for the stories. Bui hints…
Apr 21, 2020Keeper_of_the_Book_Hoard rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A touching story of a family persisting through war, displacement, and adaptation to life in a foreign land. A quick read worth rereading. Compare with other Vietnamese-American of the same generation such as Ocean Vuong.
Mar 11, 2020MEILEEANDERSON rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book was written in 2018 and it feels exceedingly relevant in 2020. I don't normally read graphic novels. I thought the illustrations and how this emotional story was written was beautiful, powerful, and important. I was so engrossed…
Feb 17, 2020clancy_pants rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic graphic memoir written by a Vietnamese woman about her family's experiences before, during, and after the war. I learned so much about Vietnam and the history after World War II and leading up to the war there. The…
Jan 13, 2020ryner rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A touching and painfully honest account of Thi Bui's family's journey, from her parents' survival in war-ravaged Vietnam to forging new lives for themselves as immigrants to the United States. It demonstrates starkly how the war and other…
Dec 29, 2019GreenDog2006 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I wanted to love this book - I like memoirs in graphic format, it got tons of rave reviews and awards, and I'm very interested in learning more about the post-WWII history of Vietnam from the Vietnamese perspective. Unfortunately, I found…
Oct 01, 2019Anuschka rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book resonated with me enormously. I too am an immigrant, though not from a country with the traumatic history of Vietnam. But Thi Bui's musings about dysfunctional family relationships, and thoughts about being a link in the chain…
Aug 01, 2019ncs1961 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I keep thinking how difficult the conversations must've been - painful memories, family "secrets", things "best left to the past". The author has dug deep & gotten to know her family; I appreciate that she shared them with us - to…
Jul 02, 2019DBRL_IdaF rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The birth of Thi Bui's child triggered a strong desire to learn and share more of her family history. She illustrates how each of her parents grew up and how they met in Vietnam, including a bit of background history of the country itself.…