The fantastic novel, Catfish and Mandala, is about the journey of Andrew X. Pham and his search for his cultural identity. This novel is a true story of the author's life. His actual Journey initiated when he was in Phan Thiet, Vietnam. He spent most of his life in the United States but never could forget about where he really came from and memories he had from his real home town. So Andrew chooses to go back to Vietnam to search for his lost memoirs, and his cultural identity.
This was a moving and engaging memoir. Andrew Pham is very skilled at vivid description and is careful not to over-sentimentalize the often deeply personal subject matter. He is honest about his family and about his own feelings in a way that is highly admirable. His quest to explore his own identity is something that many people can relate to. Although his situation is rather specific, the book deals with themes that are fairly universal. I would strongly recommend this title to anyone that enjoys being entertained while having your own judgments logically challenged. On a scale of 1-10, I would give this novel a 8.5. Seriously, check this book out!
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