Apocalypse Hotel: A Novel (Modern Southeast Asian Literature) (23 page)

6
.   A revolutionary song by composer Huy Thục.

7
.   It is believed that if the whole pot burns, then the soul has agreed to whatever was requested.

8
.   This name is meaningful.
Mai
means “tomorrow” or “near future” and
Trừng
means “punishment.”

9
.   Literally “black society gangs.”

10
. Usually test-prep classes—known in Vietnam for being the main source of income for many teachers. There are constant criticisms of how teachers see these as cash cows and will purposely leave important things out of their regular classes so that students will be forced to pay often-exorbitant prices for their private classes.

Chapter 7

1
.   Pen, Inkslab, and Blackboard Mountains.

2
.   “Struggle decisively” here is “
chống chọi quyết liệt
,” which is the kind of government propaganda-speak that would be ubiquitous in all kinds of government announcements, speeches, and similar attempts at social engineering during this period of the planned economy.

3
.   A traditional
Tết
(Lunar New Year) food. Cooking it usually involves frying it in very hot, splattering oil in a large shallow pan. It is usually done outside in front of peoples’ houses or in their kitchens—not, obviously, on the wooden floor of a shared hallway.

4
.   
Đánh gió
: literally to beat or hit the wind, a method of getting out the bad wind from someone who has caught a cold or flu. It usually involves pinching and applying pressure to certain points on the head, chest, and back of the patient. It’s a common home remedy for many illnesses in Vietnam and is based upon the idea that the patient’s body has been invaded by some kind of bad force (or wind) that has upset the balance of yin and yang and the circulation of chi.

5
.   A big park area in District 11.

Chapter 8

1
.   An expression of homage to Amitābha.

2
.   A popular brand of Czech-made footwear.

3
.   The Minsk is a rugged brand of Eastern-European motorcycles that are produced in Belarus. They are ubiquitous in the highland areas of Vietnam because of their notorious simplicity in terms of repair and maintenance. Also, since they use two-stroke engines, they can generate the necessary torque to climb muddy hills and haul bulky things such as pigs and timber.

4
.   There is a Vietnamese belief that when something happens to a blood relative, it causes you to shudder and stumble, and your eyes to blink abnormally.

5
.   
Công quả
: a term for volunteer work specifically performed for the temple or pagoda.

6
.   Literally “seeing to know.”

7
.   Literally “hatred to the point of insanity.”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Born in Hanoi in 1960,
Ho Anh Thai
is one of the most prolific writers in Vietnam. He has published more than twenty novels and short story collections, which have been translated into ten languages.

Wayne Karlin
, professor of languages and literature at the College of Southern Maryland, has written ten novels and nonfiction books, and edited numerous works about Vietnam.