West and where his progeny would finally make their own futures. In his acknowledgments, placed last, greene writes that the book is dedicated to his daughter. Lam is another giller prize winner, albeit for a very different kind of book, a short story collection. He was able to keep my interest and helped me enjoy the book even more. Different vietnam war perspective where does the headmasters wager rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far. The headmaster s wager is a novel full of surprises and excitement. Vincent lam on his new novel the headmasters wager youtube. There was a lot of money to be made as a result of the war, but the stakes were high, and certain classes of people were destined to lose regardless of who won the war.
I am sure there will be plenty of people that will try and pigeon hole this book, as literary or psychological thriller but i am adding a new pigeon hole. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam kevinfromcanada. The headmasters wager by vincent lam, paperback barnes. What has been your own greatest wager in life so far. The orchardist, by amanda coplin, and more the new york times. He is also a bon vivant, a compulsive gambler and an. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam national post. Ten tips for starting and running a successful book club offers guidance and instructions on how to start and maintain a functional book club. The headmasters wager ebook por vincent lam 9780307367914. Percival chen is the headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon. I cant stop talking or thinking about this novel, set, mostly, in saigon in the 1960s.
The sympathizer is a remarkable and brilliant book. The headmaster s wager longlisted for 20 andrew carnegie medals for excellence in fiction american library association, april 23, 20. Chen, the protagonist of this novel set during the vietnam war, is a. Compulsive gambler and womanizer percival chen is the headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon and fiercely proud of his chinese heritage. Welcome to all of my fellow book club continue reading. The headmasters wager hardcover garden district book shop. 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. Reading guide for the headmasters wager by vincent lam discussion guide for book clubs. The headmasters wife simply stunning like all good stories this has a beginning a middle and an end and have called the three parts. The headmaster s wager kindle edition by lam, vincent. Fiercely proud of his chinese heritage, and quick to spot the business opportunities rife in a divided country, percival devotedly ignores all news of the fighting that swirls around him, choosing instead to read the faces of his opponents at.
Bringing up bebe pride and prejudice death comes to pemberley the cats table state of wonder steve jobs the headmasters wager the marriage plot the virgin cure sweet tooth if a member is unable to attend, please let the hostesses know so they know how many guests to prepare for. Reading guide for the headmasters wager by vincent lam. Oct 21, 2012 lam does a great job of showing the consequences of greed and injustice and the impact on a single person who comes to represent either a cultural group or entire nation. Nov 15, 2012 from left to write november 15, 2012 book club days, literary fiction no comments america started because people left their country to seek a better life. The montreal gazette it s the streetlevel view of a story were more accustomed to viewing in panorama that ultimately makes lam s novel so effective and affecting. The orchardist, by amanda coplin, and more the new. Lee the headmaster s wager por vincent lam disponible en rakuten kobo. The headmasters wager book hamilton public library. The headmasters wager ebook by vincent lam rakuten kobo. 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 kindle edition by lam, vincent. Lee, author of the new york times bestseller the piano teacher.
The headmaster s wager is shortlisted for 20 commonwealth book prize commonwealth writers, april 09, 20. Any page references refer to a usa edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other. You wrote this novel about the experience of the chinese community in saigon. This initiated my research phase, which ive already mentioned. Fiercely proud of his chinese heritage, and quick to spot the business opportunities rife in a divided country, percival devotedly ignores all news of the fighting that swirls. From left to write november 15, 2012 book club days, literary fiction no comments america started because people left their country to seek a better life. Sep 21, 2012 the headmasters wager by vincent lam published by doubleday canada publication date. Apr 27, 2012 the headmaster s wager, by vincent lam open this photo in gallery. From giller prize winner, internationally acclaimed, and bestselling author vincent lam comes a superbly crafted, highly. Nov 15, 2012 i read the headmasters wager as a member of the from left to write book club. While vietnam might not be a westerners vision of prosperity and success, it was the land of dreams for percival, the headmaster in vincent lams the headmasters wager hogarth. The headmasters wager, book by vincent lam paperback. In your opinion, which is the most significant of the headmasters wagers. A superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting debut novel about one mans loyalty to his country, his family and.
In my mind, lam s novel is the better of the two, and. Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of hogarth books. The end of your life book club vintage by will schwalbe. A colourful, suspenseful depiction of chinese living in vietnam during the war. Chen pie sou, also known as percival, is supremely aware of being an outsider. The headmasters wager, by vincent lam the globe and mail. The first one is what i like to call the great canadian nature book. The headmasters wager longlisted for 20 andrew carnegie medals for excellence in fiction american library association, april 23, 20.
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. By vincent lam there are several love stories in vincent lams extraordinary novel, the headmasters wager, a book set principally in saigon in the 1960s. Praise for the headmasters wager a sumptuously plotted first novel. From internationally acclaimed and bestselling author vincent lam comes a superbly crafted, highly suspenseful, and deeply affecting novel set against the. Book club trinity united church smiths falls, ontario. Buy the paperback book the headmaster s wager by vincent lam at indigo.
Author vincent lam poses for a portrait on gerrard st. 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. Sep 12, 2012 the headmaster s wager by vincent lam published august 2012 by crown publishing group source. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Apr 27, 2012 the latest example is the headmasters wager by vincent lam. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the headmaster s wager. One, a group of old friends who had lived through the vietnam war years or as they say in vietnam, the. It s the kind of historical novel that first made me love fiction, chronicling decades in the lives of its complex, fascinating, very flawed characters. The book s protagonist, percival chen, is headmaster of a respected english school in saigon. The headmasters wager has the makings of a masterpiece. Graced with intriguingly flawed but wonderfully human characters moving through a richly drawn historical landscape, the headmasters wager is an unforgettable story of love, betrayal and sacrifice.
In the headmasters wager, lam has created a genuine pageturner. He enjoys the citys pleasures, gambling and visiting the local brothels. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The headmasters wager is shortlisted for 20 commonwealth book prize commonwealth writers, april 09, 20. Vincent lam, author of bloodletting and miraculous cures and the headmasters wager. The chinese headmaster of an english language academy tries to keep body, soul and school together in saigon during the vietnam war. Lam goes for the jugular, combining an operatic love story. But the one that affected me most was the story of the love of the main character, percival chan, for his son.
Its the kind of historical novel that first made me love fiction, chronicling decades in the lives of its complex, fascinating, very flawed characters. However, 419 was shortlisted for the 2012 scotiabank giller prize. The narrator was very skilled at reading what could have been a very complicated book. In your opinion, which is the most significant of the headmaster s wagers. 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.
If there was ever a book club selection that crosses ages, gender, and reading interests, this is the. From 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. I love this books vivid realization and its deft weave of conspiracies. The headmasters wager book club kit strathcona county. Percival is accustomed to bribing government officials, but he faces the limits of his connections and wealth when his son gets into trouble with the vietnamese authorities and percival is. Book movement contains a list of the most current most popular book club titles. I especially admire lams ability to transport a reader. These are books either about the pristine beauty of the rugged awesomeness. Vincent lam is a page turner project bookmark canada, april 10, 20. The headmaster of the most respected english school in saigon, percival chen is also a bon vivant, a compulsive gambler and an incorrigible womanizer. The need to react to changing outside threats is always present and chen is powerless to change them his personal concerns and.
Novemberthe headmasters wager by vincent lam october. You grew up in canada, but your parents are of chinese descent and emigrated from vietnam. Despite his flaws, hes a compelling character, and caring about what happens to percival makes the reader keep reading, despite the difficulty of some of the events in the. Cultural, fiction, historical in 1930 percival chens father left him and his mother in mainland china to go to vietnam and seek his fortune. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the headmasters wager. Jan 01, 2012 the headmaster s wager gives us a picture of life for the common people in and around saigon during the war. The author takes full advantage of the inherent suspense as the fall of saigon looms and chen finally realizes that he and his family may not survive the violence of the viet cong.