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Last Night I Dreamed of Peace (Abridged): The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram Audiobook
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(3.01) - 353 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
At the age of twenty-four, Dang Thuy Tram volunteered to serve as a doctor in a National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) battlefield hospital in the Quang Ngai Province. Two years later she was killed by American forces not far from where she worked. Written between 1968 and 1970, her diary speaks poignantly of her devotion to family and friends, the horrors of war, her yearning for her high school sweetheart, and her struggle to prove her loyalty to her country. At times raw, at times lyrical and youthfully sentimental, her voice transcends cultures to speak of her dignity and compassion and of her challenges in the face of the war’s ceaseless fury.The American officer who discovered the diary soon after Dr. Tram’s death was under standing orders to destroy all documents without military value. As he was about to toss it into the flames, his Vietnamese translator said to him, “Don’t burn this one. . . . It has fire in it already.” Against regulations, the officer preserved the diary and kept it for thirty-five years. In the spring of 2005, a copy made its way to Dr. Tram’s elderly mother in Hanoi. The diary was soon published in Vietnam, causing a national sensation. Never before had there been such a vivid and personal account of the long ordeal that had consumed the nation’s previous generations.Translated by Andrew X. Pham and with an introduction by Pulitzer Prize winner Frances FitzGerald, Last Night I Dreamed of Peace is an extraordinary document that narrates one woman’s personal and political struggles. Above all, it is a story of hope in the most dire of circumstances—told from the perspective of our historic enemy but universal in its power to celebrate and mourn the fragility of human life.
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"This is the translated diary of a North Vietnamese woman doctor written in 1969-70. She writes about her experiences and feelings as she works at a clinic in South Vietnam. It gives a good perspective of the war from the non-American side and humanizes those who fought on that side."
— Jackie (4 out of 5 stars)
Last Night I Dreamed of Peace Listener Reviews
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" Just started this - realized I can't read it on the bus, I find myself getting teary-eyed. My review coming. "
— Mary, 2/5/2014 -
" sl disappointed-expected more historical war info-was just what it says it is! A diary of a young female vietnamese doctor-she talks about her loves, people, her feelings, but not alot of real "facts". Very touching though.... "
— Lori, 1/30/2014 -
" New perspective for me on the Viet Nam war... it is peaking into someones personal life (diary) to understand the emotion of that perspective. Plus, I really like how the author added in as footnotes the historical details so you could understand where & when these things took place. Rather sad but, diverting. HA! "
— Aimee, 1/29/2014 -
" It was very interesting to read about someone on the "other side" of the Vietnam war, and parts of the diary were very poignant. The footnotes provided a lot of educational information as well. Of course, since Thuy Tram didn't intend to write a memoir but was simply writing about her days, there is no story arc and most plots are left unfinished. "
— Valarie, 1/29/2014 -
" A two year diary of a North Vietnamese doctor working in the South 1968-1970...While many of us were protesting during those years, she tried to save lives....under the most difficult circumstances. A diary of love, searching for peace, anger, understanding. A really touching read. "
— Marty, 1/24/2014 -
" After reading twenty or so pages of this diary I got the idea that it was written by a highly idealistic, overly-romantic young girl, and the rest of the book became too repetitive to offer further interest. It was only in the last few months of her life, as the US forces zoned in on her location that her writings changed enough to hold interest again. Overall, the diary is a worthy war artifact, and Thuy Tram's writing is accomplished, but I didn't find it satisfying in the way one expects of a biography or novel. "
— Stephen, 1/24/2014 -
" I so wanted to read this book, being fascinated with everything Vietnam War....but was exceptionally disappointed. This person, (a doctor for heaven's sake!) did nothing but whine and pine for an unrequited love like a 12 year old school girl....I hated all of it! "
— Kathie, 12/29/2013 -
" So eerie to read this diary of a time that I also lived through (albeit as a child and in North America). It was fascinating, tragic, illuminating. "
— Judy, 12/16/2013 -
" Poignant for anyone who lived through this fiasco. I gained an appreciation of the qualities which they possessed and we lacked.... as well as a poignant glimpse of my enemy's humanity. A primary source document. "
— Steve, 10/17/2013 -
" Powerful diary of a Vietnamese woman during the "American War." Eye-opening to another side of a war in which our country was involved. "
— Kate, 9/22/2013 -
" This is the journal found on the body of a North Vietnamese nurse that reminds you that there are two sides to every story. Beautiful. "
— Bethany, 4/13/2013 -
" Took a long time to read and did not enjoy it at all. "
— Anita, 2/5/2013 -
" Really nice read, deep, historical, personal "
— Bruce, 10/2/2012 -
" very interested in the topic of this book, and it was a sad and moving story of a very young and sweet Vietnamese girl so the writing is typical of a diary, which it is. "
— Shirlyn, 3/26/2012 -
" This book read like a diary but sometimes the translation was sketchy. "
— Meg, 1/22/2012 -
" This book is just diary entries and therefore very difficult to follow. Much of the time you are having to refer to the footnote to get a back story. I wish they would have put in some background information. I could not finish the book so I really have no idea how it all ended up. "
— Monica, 6/1/2011 -
" I was hoping for more details about her life working as a doctor in North Vietnam and less repetitive waxing about her position in the Communist Party. "
— Lynne, 4/10/2011 -
" Really nice read, deep, historical, personal "
— Bruce, 3/5/2011 -
" So eerie to read this diary of a time that I also lived through (albeit as a child and in North America). It was fascinating, tragic, illuminating. "
— Judy, 2/2/2011 -
" Poignant for anyone who lived through this fiasco. I gained an appreciation of the qualities which they possessed and we lacked.... as well as a poignant glimpse of my enemy's humanity. A primary source document. "
— Steve, 12/22/2010 -
" I love book about peace !! This is a great story!! :D "
— Amanda, 5/22/2010 -
" I was hoping for more details about her life working as a doctor in North Vietnam and less repetitive waxing about her position in the Communist Party. "
— Lynne, 9/17/2009
About Kim Mai Guest
Kim Mai Guest is an award-winning voice actor for audiobooks and video games. She can also be heard on television shows, such as G.I. Joe: Renegades, Batman: the Brave and the Bold, and Avatar, and in movies such asChill Out Scooby Doo and Dead Space: Aftermath. Her video game work includes Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and The Lord of the Rings.