The Lotus and the Storm (49 page)

This moment we want to prolong soaks in the shadows of life, then. The future bends backward to mirror the past. We can almost see our sister and mother and father, in a row, all dead but not. Mai thinks of James. She knows I do too. And the name alone makes her smile.

To my parents, and to John Fritz Freund, Margaret Freund, and Christine Wolf, whom I remember with love and gratitude; the Vietnamese International School, which gave me a treasured repository of memories and dreams and an understanding of that which is true and lasting (Rat and Buffalo).

I thank Le Phuong Mai, Jessica Fraser, William W. Van Alstyne, and William C. Gordon for their thoughtful reading of manuscript drafts, their encouragement, and their steadfast presence in my life. I also acknowledge with gratitude these friends for fidelity and enduring friendship through crises, transitions, and the ordinary passage of time: Nancy Combs, Khoi Nguyen, Himilce Novas, Arthur Pinto, Peg Wagner, and Cynthia Ward.

For historical details and insightful analysis, I relied on the following excellent books on the war in Vietnam: Mark Moyar, Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954–1965 (2006); Bui Cong Minh, A Distant Cause (2005); General Bruce Palmer Jr., The 25 Year War (1984); and Lewis Sorley, A Better War (1999). I also learned much about the treatment of trauma from Dr. Sarah Krakauer, whose work reflects not just wide-ranging professional knowledge but also deep wisdom and sensitivity.

I thank Rosemary Ahern and Marjorie Braman for their keen and superb editorial eyes, as well as the many people at Viking who have contributed to the advancement of this book, particularly Chris Russell and Randee Marullo for meticulous reading and attention to details.

As always, I am fortunate to have Ellen Geiger as my agent. We met serendipitously almost twenty years ago on a beach in East Hampton and I am thankful for her fierce advocacy, sharp mind, and literary smarts. Heartfelt thanks and appreciation go of course to my editor, Carole DeSanti, who edits with singular sensitivity and perception and has passionately championed my work over the years.