This short piece reproduces Prof Nancy K. Napier’s book review posted on Amazon. The references are added for clarity

Napier, Nancy K.

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 Mindsponge https://mindsponge.info/posts/164 Last updated:02/17/2023An American professor’s review ofThe Kingfisher Story CollectionNancy K. NapierBoise State University1910 W University Dr, Boise, ID 83725, United StatesFebruary 16, 2023*Editorial note: This short piece reproduces Prof Nancy K. Napier’s book review posted onAmazon.com. The references are added for clarity.Figure. The review on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG2NNHY6Fables have a long history, possibly thousands of years. Common elements are the use ofsymbolism, moral lessons, animals as the primary characters, and humor. They continue tofascinate: Master Class even has a class on learning to write fables.Quan-Hoang Vuong’s book [1], The Kingfisher Story Collection, joins this long-running genreand offers a Vietnamese slant. Vuong’s main character in a series of twenty-one short stories,what Vuong calls “snippets,” is a bird. The sage Kingfisher lives in a village of birds and otheranimals and, over time, helps his colleagues learn lessons about society, relationships,pride, decency, and more. The stories are short, snappy, and feel like fables of old, with theirlessons and humor. As with other fables, Kingfisher exemplifies the sage village elder (ornear elder) who stops and thinks and offers the best responses he can to challenges,problems, and deep questions.I’ve spent years working in Vietnam and trying to understand the people and culture [2].This book, which I read when I returned home from a trip to Hanoi, made me a littlehomesick for Vietnam. It is a lively read and offers a charming peek into Vietnamese culture,delightful for a person who knows a lot—or nothing—about Vietnam.References[1] Vuong QH. (2022). The Kingfisher Story Collection. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG2NNHY6[2] Napier NK, Hoang VQ. (2013). What we see, why we worry, why we hope: Vietnam goingforward. Boise State University CCI Press. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0985530588 ©2023 AISDL - Science Portal for the SM3D Knowledge Management Theory

An American professor’s review of The Kingfisher Story Collection

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An American professor’s review of The Kingfisher Story Collection

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