The Memoir of Professor Tran Long
INTRODUCTION
Thanksgiving
Sunnyvale, Thanksgiving 1997
My Dear Children:
Since July 1996 your mom and I have been back and forth between Hillsboro and Sunnyvale, with now more time being spent in Sunnyvale than Hillsboro. We have enjoyed watching Huy and Peppy’s children grow up, especially their interaction with each other and our interaction with them.
To fill some of my idle time, Vera suggested in January this year that I sign up for a memoir-writing class, which I did. It has been an interesting and enjoyable experience. About twenty-five of us students meet almost every Friday morning under the guidance of an instructor/moderator. Only a few students are under fifty and, at sixty-nine, I am among the younger ones. The two books we consult most often in our writing efforts are William Zinsser’s On Writing Well and William Strunk’s The Elements of Style.
At each session students read their previous week’s writing efforts to the class for helpful suggestions and participate by critiquing their fellow students’ work, sharing their experiences and contributing to class discussion. I have written about twenty pieces of one to four pages, which I am sending you today. Before coming to class, I usually made about twelve copies of my first draft so that two persons could share one copy. I haven’t attempted to organize these pieces. I just leave them in the chronological order they were written.
Several of my fellow students have had unique experiences and interesting lives. One was held as a civilian war prisoner in Japan during World War II, while another was an OSS agent spending time during that war with the French underground resisting the Nazi occupation and the Vichy regime. One was the private secretary to one of the royal princes in Saudi Arabia, while another spent time with lepers and mystics in India. One typed and edited research papers and doctoral theses, while another was a news editor for the Associated Press for many years. Most of the others have also traveled far and wide throughout the world.
I have benefited from their constructive criticisms and, being a veteran fisher for compliments, gloated over their praises. Reading some of their observations below, you may think that I have joined a mutual admiration club. It’s your call.
The first reaction I got last March after reading the Bio-Sketch and Evacuees pieces was: “Such a good command of English from a non-native speaker.” Another gem: “You have a simple, straightforward style that is very effective. Your very restraint sometimes speaks more than words. I feel honored that you have asked me to read and edit.” After the Names piece, this accolade: “I am so glad you are writing this, Peter. It’s wonderful for your family and for all of us to learn.” The Homes piece received this compliment: “This is an interesting way of chronicling a marriage, through the various residences.” The Addresses piece got this praise: “Such a splendid combination of history and humor. You have personalized world events. Thanks.” After reading Spirits, I received this kudo: “This is an interesting chapter. What happens after death is a fascinating topic for conjecture. You have dealt with ‘spirits’ in a personal and non-controversial way. I like this chapter.” The consensus is that I have a rich vocabulary, a good command of English, and a use of dialogue that sounds very natural.
On Friday, October 31, before reading my Idealism piece, I sang L’Internationale in French with virtuosity. A fellow student wrote that it was a very powerful and great way to begin, that the background information was interesting, and that the last paragraph was very beautifully put. Then another person stood up, saying that she wrote the following on Friday, October 17, at eight p.m., after listening to my one-page Children piece: “Dear Peter...I heard Arthur Rubinstein in the 1961 recital recording of ‘The Maiden and the Nightingale.’ I thought of you and the way you might have played it... were you a concert pianist. He liked to give us a little bit more bravura; and we accepted it, returned for more, because, with his special talent... he had the right, to interpret larger views, for his audience. (written in a one-minute spontaneous exercise.)”
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, but for me and for our family, every day should be a thanksgiving day. In the Evacuees piece I wrote: Forever since, I have been thankful, and not just on Thanksgiving Day each year.
Your mom and I thank God for the good and better times that we have had with each other, with our parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. We both are healthy and happy, with “a sound mind in a sound body,” according to a Latin motto. Being happy, we look forward, since our best times are yet to come. No doubt about it.
This year we split on Thanksgiving Day, with your mom spending her day at Tina and Juan’s place in Dallas, baby-talking to her newest granddaughter Eliana, their first child, born on Monday, November 3, and with me staying at Peppy and Huy’s place in Sunnyvale. I will join her on Saturday, December 6, and spend the rest of the year with Tina’s growing family in Texas.
Some of my fellow students suggested that I make copies of what I have written so far in this memoir writing class, put them in binders and send them to you as Christmas present. Being a cheapskate, I found that suggestion a very good one. Happy reading.
By the way, Vera thinks that the world would run a lot smoother if more men knew how to dance. So she now suggests that I sign up for a ballroom dancing class. I have two right feet, but I am game and may take her up on that suggestion early next year.
Meanwhile, be thankful for family. Family matters, you know. My love to all.
My Dear Children:
Since July 1996 your mom and I have been back and forth between Hillsboro and Sunnyvale, with now more time being spent in Sunnyvale than Hillsboro. We have enjoyed watching Huy and Peppy’s children grow up, especially their interaction with each other and our interaction with them.
To fill some of my idle time, Vera suggested in January this year that I sign up for a memoir-writing class, which I did. It has been an interesting and enjoyable experience. About twenty-five of us students meet almost every Friday morning under the guidance of an instructor/moderator. Only a few students are under fifty and, at sixty-nine, I am among the younger ones. The two books we consult most often in our writing efforts are William Zinsser’s On Writing Well and William Strunk’s The Elements of Style.
At each session students read their previous week’s writing efforts to the class for helpful suggestions and participate by critiquing their fellow students’ work, sharing their experiences and contributing to class discussion. I have written about twenty pieces of one to four pages, which I am sending you today. Before coming to class, I usually made about twelve copies of my first draft so that two persons could share one copy. I haven’t attempted to organize these pieces. I just leave them in the chronological order they were written.
Several of my fellow students have had unique experiences and interesting lives. One was held as a civilian war prisoner in Japan during World War II, while another was an OSS agent spending time during that war with the French underground resisting the Nazi occupation and the Vichy regime. One was the private secretary to one of the royal princes in Saudi Arabia, while another spent time with lepers and mystics in India. One typed and edited research papers and doctoral theses, while another was a news editor for the Associated Press for many years. Most of the others have also traveled far and wide throughout the world.
I have benefited from their constructive criticisms and, being a veteran fisher for compliments, gloated over their praises. Reading some of their observations below, you may think that I have joined a mutual admiration club. It’s your call.
The first reaction I got last March after reading the Bio-Sketch and Evacuees pieces was: “Such a good command of English from a non-native speaker.” Another gem: “You have a simple, straightforward style that is very effective. Your very restraint sometimes speaks more than words. I feel honored that you have asked me to read and edit.” After the Names piece, this accolade: “I am so glad you are writing this, Peter. It’s wonderful for your family and for all of us to learn.” The Homes piece received this compliment: “This is an interesting way of chronicling a marriage, through the various residences.” The Addresses piece got this praise: “Such a splendid combination of history and humor. You have personalized world events. Thanks.” After reading Spirits, I received this kudo: “This is an interesting chapter. What happens after death is a fascinating topic for conjecture. You have dealt with ‘spirits’ in a personal and non-controversial way. I like this chapter.” The consensus is that I have a rich vocabulary, a good command of English, and a use of dialogue that sounds very natural.
On Friday, October 31, before reading my Idealism piece, I sang L’Internationale in French with virtuosity. A fellow student wrote that it was a very powerful and great way to begin, that the background information was interesting, and that the last paragraph was very beautifully put. Then another person stood up, saying that she wrote the following on Friday, October 17, at eight p.m., after listening to my one-page Children piece: “Dear Peter...I heard Arthur Rubinstein in the 1961 recital recording of ‘The Maiden and the Nightingale.’ I thought of you and the way you might have played it... were you a concert pianist. He liked to give us a little bit more bravura; and we accepted it, returned for more, because, with his special talent... he had the right, to interpret larger views, for his audience. (written in a one-minute spontaneous exercise.)”
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, but for me and for our family, every day should be a thanksgiving day. In the Evacuees piece I wrote: Forever since, I have been thankful, and not just on Thanksgiving Day each year.
Your mom and I thank God for the good and better times that we have had with each other, with our parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. We both are healthy and happy, with “a sound mind in a sound body,” according to a Latin motto. Being happy, we look forward, since our best times are yet to come. No doubt about it.
This year we split on Thanksgiving Day, with your mom spending her day at Tina and Juan’s place in Dallas, baby-talking to her newest granddaughter Eliana, their first child, born on Monday, November 3, and with me staying at Peppy and Huy’s place in Sunnyvale. I will join her on Saturday, December 6, and spend the rest of the year with Tina’s growing family in Texas.
Some of my fellow students suggested that I make copies of what I have written so far in this memoir writing class, put them in binders and send them to you as Christmas present. Being a cheapskate, I found that suggestion a very good one. Happy reading.
By the way, Vera thinks that the world would run a lot smoother if more men knew how to dance. So she now suggests that I sign up for a ballroom dancing class. I have two right feet, but I am game and may take her up on that suggestion early next year.
Meanwhile, be thankful for family. Family matters, you know. My love to all.
This collection of the unfinished Memoir is published on http://petertranlong.wordpress.com
1. Bio-Sketch, Evacuees - February 1997
2. Refugees, Parolees - March 1997 3. Names, Goals - April 1997 4. Homes, Addresses - April 1997 5. Birthdays, Angels - May 1997 6. Tongues, Spirits - May 1997 7. Scoops, Phoenix - September 1997 * Encounter of a kind 8. Charmer, Anthill - September 1997 9. Sand Crabs, Children, Sons-in-law - October 1997 10. Careers, Idealism, Titles - October 1997 11. Calendars, Customs - November 1997 12. Notables, Jobs, Missions - December 1997 |
13. [University of Dalat] Politics, Professors, Group Study… - December 1997
14 - Family, Parents - Sibling, Roots 15. Money, Cars, Drivers 16 - Controls - Grand-Children, Generations - Bananas 17 - Ancestors, Turtledoves - Transients, Ashes, Immortals - Migrants, Nature, Colors 18 - Nuts, Guts, Offices, Stones - November, Talents, Journeys 19. Eulogy to Yvonne |