In the Shadow of Green Bamboos

. Winner, 2020 Best Indie Book Award (Short Story)
. Finalist, 2021 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards (Short Story Collection)
. Former Amazon #1 New Release in Vietnam War History

Remarkable Tales of Love and Hope, Resilience and Survival, from the Vietnam War:

"In the Shadow of Green Bamboos" is a series of snapshots in the lives of a cross-section of people, Vietnamese and American, whose worlds were torn asunder by the Vietnam War:

A fortuitous encounter at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; a father-and-son outing that echoes a childhood trauma; a harrowing haunting finally laid to rest; two young brothers at their innocent play; the recovery of a lost family keepsake; Grandma sharing a fairy tale with her granddaughter.

These captured moments, ordinary though they may seem, reveal the blessings of love and hope in the course of everyday life. The stories they tell also stand as testaments to the resilience and courage of survivors struggling to rebuild from the ashes of war.

REVIEWS

". . . Deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and inherently engaging, 'In the Shadow of Green Bamboos' is a compelling literary experience that will be especially appreciated and recommended for community, college, and university library Asian American Literature & Fiction, Cultural Heritage Fiction, and War Fiction collections."
―Midwest Book Review

". . . Beautifully written, (this collection of stories) reaches out and touches the soul, lingering with the reader long after the pages of the book are closed!"
―Melanie Newton, InD'tale Magazine
". . . For those directly affected by armed conflict, be it a soldier or an innocent civilian, finding peace proves to be much difficult. That search for harmony or, at the least, a semblance of inner peace, is at the heart of C. L. Hoang's books. Whether it's his first novel, his travel memoir, or his most recent collection of short stories, 'In the Shadow of Green Bamboos,' the writer seems to specialize in what it means to search for catharsis among the trauma of conflict. . . ."
―Seth Combs, San Diego Union Tribune

"Few writers have the graceful and poetic sensitivity to ponder the past and allow it to bubble to the surface with the serendipity that C. L. Hoang continues to gift us in his writings. His life experiences, of being born in Vietnam and witnessing the war there, then moving to the United States to live, enable him to reflect the impact of time, cultures, and memories in this striking collection of stories, 'In the Shadow of Green Bamboos'. Revolving around the family and the bonding that grows out of dark times into moments of light, these stories journey back and forth between war-torn Vietnam and the U.S., and between the now and the then―a veritable Pandora's Box of gems that invite introspection and healing."
―Grady Harp, MD, author of "War Songs: Metaphors in Clay and Poetry from the Vietnam Experience", Amazon Hall-of-Fame reviewer, Goodreads Top-50 reviewer
"C. L. Hoang is a superb storyteller who weaves deeply emotional tales enhanced by rich memories of his childhood in Vietnam. He has a gift for describing a setting in such a way that one can almost taste the mung bean cookies, breathe the heavy, damp air of the monsoon season, or feel the vibration through the ground of bomb chains striking near Saigon. Yet the families and villages strive to carry on, with themes of love and family underpinning each story in this memorable collection, 'In the Shadow of Green Bamboos'. For one who grew up in America during the 1960's, these stories, set in both Vietnam and the U.S., resonated powerfully. Be sure to have plenty of tissues on hand."
―Lynne M. Spreen, award-winning author of "Dakota Blues"