Review
With 22 out of 23 reviewers rating it 4 or 5 stars, The Beauty of Humanity Movement
is a top pick among BookBrowse readers! Here's what they have to say:
I loved this book! Gibb writes with great sensitivity about some very difficult issues, and I was impressed by her ability to weave together the stories of her various characters. Even the minor characters are memorable and add to the richness of the novel. I would definitely recommend it to readers who are interested in the people, rather than the politics or the battles, of the Vietnam War (Kathleen W). I recently read
The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli, which takes place during the Vietnam War, and I found
The Beauty of Humanity Movement to be a lovely follow-up (Carrie D). The story touches on political upheaval, repression, and poverty, which might be difficult for some to read, but it also...
Beyond the Book
In Camilla Gibb's novel
The Beauty of Humanity Movement, Old Man Hung is the resourceful owner of a rickety pho stand, and, in many ways, he holds the community together throughout Vietnam's political turmoil, one bowl at a time.
Pho (pronounced "fuh") is a Vietnamese rice noodle soup that is eaten at any time of day (breakfast, lunch, or dinner). It is usually made with some kind of meat - rare steak slices (
pho tái), tripe (
pho sách), chicken (
pho gà), or often beef meatballs (
pho bò viên) - and is served with basil, bean sprouts, fresh...
