The Committed Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

Print PDF

For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The Vietnamese French and our BookBrowse Review of The Committed.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The novel opens with a quote from Rithy Panh, "Nothing's more real than nothing." Discuss how this belief shapes the characters. Share what the quote means to you.
2. Discuss the relevance of the title, The Committed. Which characters in the novel show commitment? Consider whether Nguyen answers the question "committed to what?"
3. The Committed begins with several refugees stranded at sea praying for rescue. How does the tone of the prologue set the stage for the rest of the novel? Discuss how the characters carry this early experience throughout the story.

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Grove Press. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.