Lam published a biography of canadian politician tommy douglas, as part of penguin canadas extraordinary canadians series of historical biographies. The novel was a finalist for the 2012 governor generals prize. Buy the paperback book the headmasters wager by vincent lam at indigo. Giller prizewinner vincent lams novel is a colourful but flawed tale of chinese expatriates in saigon. Percival chen is the headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon. But as it turned out, i didnt know nearly enough about vietnam to do it initially, so i had to go out and learn all of that. The headmaster s wager is shortlisted for 20 commonwealth book prize commonwealth writers, april 09, 20. Although lam did not grow up in vietnam, his parents were born there, and his grandfather lived and worked there. Vincent lam is from the expatriate chinese community of vietnam, and was born in canada. The chinese headmaster of an english language academy tries to keep body, soul and school together in saigon during the vietnam war. Get free ebook the headmasters wager, by vincent lam.
Vincent lam has written a mature and rewarding novel of the highest quality, and percival chen will remain with you. In this revealing and fastpaced book, a chinese man, chen pie sou, flees the tyranny of japanese in china to eventually. Lams hugely impressive first novel, the headmasters wager, has all the markings. Author vincent lam poses for a portrait on gerrard st. The headmasters wager has the makings of a masterpiece. Vincent lam the headmasters wager prepared by kathleen sandusky may 4, 2012 fin author interview. Vincent lam the headmasters wager prepared by kathleen sandusky may 4, 2012 fin book should feel like. Vincent lams the headmasters wager takes us through a doorway into the lives of people living through the pain, upheaval and turmoil in the county.
The headmasters wager by vincent lam, paperback barnes. Read or download the headmasters wager book by vincent lam. The toronto star its the streetlevel view of a story were more accustomed to viewing in panorama. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam open this photo in gallery. A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty. Chen, the protagonist of this novel set during the vietnam war, is a. Percival, a chinese expatriate in vietnam, makes bad bets with tragic consequences. From giller prize winner, internationally acclaimed, and bestselling author vincent lam comes a superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting novel set against the turmoil of the vietnam war. Inspired by lams own family history, the headmasters wager tells the story of chen pie sou, a man who can exercise the power of privilege but who also indulges recklessly in privileges vices. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam kevinfromcanada. I borrowed this book from the library after reading and enjoying the headmasters wager. Vincent lam, author of bloodletting and miraculous cures and the headmasters wager. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.
Book club in a bag titles held by thunder bay public. The headmasters wager is an unforgettable story of love, betrayal and sacrifice. The headmasters wager kindle edition by lam, vincent. The book is inspired by the experiences of lams grandfather. Andrew davidson, author of the gargoyle a first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, the headmasters wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime saigon in the story of percival chen, a chinese schoolmaster in vietnam. The story was inspired by the story of his grandparents and. The latest example is the headmasters wager by vincent lam. You grew up in canada, but your parents are of chinese descent and emigrated from vietnam. Buy a cheap copy of the headmasters wager book by vincent lam. Lam writes tellingly about intrigue, political collusion and the clash of cultures.
But the novel starts with a short memory passage from 1930. Checking out a publication the headmasters wager, by vincent lam is kind of easy task to do each time you desire. Vincent lams first novel, about vietnam, has makings of a. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read to have and to hold. A superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting debut novel about one mans loyalty to his country, his family and his heritage. Percival chen is the headmaster of the most respected english academy in 1960s saigon and is well accustomed to bribing a foreverchanging list of government.
You wrote this novel about the experience of the chinese community in saigon. Vincent lams detailed account at the end of the book of his visits with his chinese grandfather, the model for the protagonist, makes this book seem even more like a historical account of the war. This initiated my research phase, which ive already mentioned. Also reading each time you really want, this activity will not disturb your various other activities. The headmasters wager does what only the very best literature can do. Vincent lams the headmasters wager is a suspenseful character study set mainly in vietnam during the civil war, told from a perspective that is unfamiliar to most americans, that of a chinese expat, perceval chen, who has lived in vietnam for decades. The sympathizer pulitzer prize winner by viet thanh. To have and to hold ebook written by mary johnston. Lam is another giller prize winner, albeit for a very different kind of book, a short story collection. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam the globe and mail. This book is one of the most interesting books i have read in a long time.
From internationally acclaimed and bestselling author vincent lam comes a superbly crafted, highly suspenseful. The headmasters wager is a wellcrafted, deeply engaging book one that i read in only two sittings because it was that hard to put it downits my favorite book of the. The headmasters wager, book by vincent lam paperback. The sympathizer is a remarkable and brilliant book. The sympathizer ebook epubpdfprcmobiazw3 download by. The headmasters wager by vincent lam the home for unwanted girls by joanna goodman hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford a house in the sky by amanda lindhout a house without windows by nadia hashimi. Vincent lam will read from and discuss his first novel, the headmasters wager, about a chinese compulsive gambler who is headmaster of an english school in saigon during the vietnam war. The headmasters wager by vincent lam i recently saw an interview of vincent talking about this new book of his. Headmasters wager vincent lam house in the sky amanda lindhout house of silk anthony horowitz. The writing life with vincent lam pubmed central pmc. Vincent lams the headmasters wager is a top choice among bookbrowse readers.
Kien works in a unit that recovers soldiers corpses. A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, the headmasters wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime saigon in the story of percival chen, a chinese schoolmaster in vietnam. Vincent lams debut novel the headmasters wager hogarth is suspense, humor, and tenderness set against the backdrop of 1960s saigon. By following four young medical students and physicians ming, fitz, sri and chen this debut collection from 2006 scotiabank giller prize winner vincent lam is a riveting, eyeopening account of what it means to be a doctor. Revisiting the sites of battles raises emotional ghosts for him and the memory of war scenes are juxtaposed with dreams and remembrances of his childhood sweetheart. A superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting debut novel about one mans loyalty to his country, his family and his heritage percival chen is the headmaster of the most respected english academy in 1960s saigon, and he is well accustomed to bribing a foreverchanging list of government officials in order to maintain the elite status of his school. Pillow book of the flower samurai barbara lazar poles apart terry fallis prison book club ann walmsley.
Vincent lam is a page turner project bookmark canada, april 10, 20. Lam can accelerate a story to a heartpounding blur of events and slow it down to reveal the intimate details of an everyday medical event. In a departure from his first book, bloodletting and miraculous cures, vincent lam mines his family background for his second novel. An unforgettable story of love, betrayal and sacrifice set in 1960s saigon. Vincent lam creative writing, 2003 author and physician a celebrated writer and emergency room doctor, vincent was the winner of the 2006 scotiabank giller prize for his book of short stories, bloodletting and miraculous cures, which has been on several canadian bestseller lists including the globe and mail and macleans.
The headmaster s wager longlisted for 20 andrew carnegie medals for excellence in fiction american library association, april 23, 20. It is a project he has nurtured since his teens the epic story of his own people, ground almost to oblivion. The headmasters wager is shortlisted for 20 commonwealth book prize commonwealth writers, april 09, 20. Vincent lam, elaine lainey lui, george elliott clarke. Indeed, the main character in the novel was inspired by lams own gambling, womanizing grandfather whom we first met in one of the stories of bloodletting. The headmasters wager by vincent lam book cover, description, publication history. The headmasters wager by vincent lam penguin random house. Avaliable format in pdf, epub, mobi, kindle, ebook and audiobook. See all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon, percival chen is also a bon vivant, a. Kirkus a first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, the headmasters wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime saigon in the story of percival chen, a chinese schoolmaster in vietnam. The present tense of vincent lams the headmasters wager opens in 1966, the most recent vietnam war already under way and american involvement beginning to increase. The headmasters wagernew august 2012 by vincent lam. By turns harrowing, and cut through by shards of unexpected and telling humor, this novel gives us the conflict in vietnam, and its aftermath, in a way that is deeply truthful, and vitally important.
The headmasters wager longlisted for 20 andrew carnegie medals for excellence in fiction american library association, april 23, 20. A superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affectin. The globe and mail a novel of many twists and turns, full of people who arent what they appear to belam has created a hypnotically tragic tale, epic in scope. Enjoy this complex book that stirs emotions of longing, joy, and unmeasurable sadness. The headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon, percival chen is also a bon. His parents were originally part of the ethnic chinese population of vietnam that is the focus of the headmasters wager. A masterful new novel from the winner of the 2009 nobel prize. In his longawaited new novel, vincent lam seems to argue that there can be. The reader knows what is going to happen but somehow the story forces you to keep reading on the offchance that it may indeed be different. How to write a novel about your family publishers weekly. Lam did his medical training in toronto, and worked for thirteen years as an emergency physician in toronto. Names, characters, places and incidents are products.