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For US author, Vietnam symbolises forgiveness
Fri-Mar 07, 2008
New Delhi / Press Trust of India
He has traversed the vast expanse of this world from Europe to the Middle East to Asia, but for American travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux there is one nation that stands apart for its forgiving attitude towards America's imperialist misadventure into its land -- Vietnam.
The author also gives India full marks for its tendency towards retaining its traditional style of dressing.
In India recently, as part of a 'Penguin India' initiative, Theroux who is best known for writing 'the Great Railway Bazaar', an account of his train journey from Britain to Japan in 1975, says Vietnam as a country had the most profound impact on him, particularly as an American.
"We (USA) dropped seven million tons of bombs on Vietnam, more than what the two sides fighting the Second World War dropped on each other, yet the Vietnamese people are forgiving, compassionate and forward looking", he said.
"They welcome you with a gesture that says 'welcome to the country you flattened'. For an American it is a very humbling experience", he added.
Known for his rich descriptions of people and places as a travel writer, the writer said it was 'human architecture' rather than magnificent objects that grabbed his attention in any part of the world.
"As a travel writer, I am least interested in monuments, buildings and wealth. I would never even turn my eyes to look at a millionaire's palatial house in India", says Theroux, whose last book 'the Elephanta Suite' published in 2007 gave an account of the lives of some Westerners transformed by their sojourns to India.
The author also gives India full marks for its tendency towards retaining its traditional style of dressing.
In India recently, as part of a 'Penguin India' initiative, Theroux who is best known for writing 'the Great Railway Bazaar', an account of his train journey from Britain to Japan in 1975, says Vietnam as a country had the most profound impact on him, particularly as an American.
"We (USA) dropped seven million tons of bombs on Vietnam, more than what the two sides fighting the Second World War dropped on each other, yet the Vietnamese people are forgiving, compassionate and forward looking", he said.
"They welcome you with a gesture that says 'welcome to the country you flattened'. For an American it is a very humbling experience", he added.
Known for his rich descriptions of people and places as a travel writer, the writer said it was 'human architecture' rather than magnificent objects that grabbed his attention in any part of the world.
"As a travel writer, I am least interested in monuments, buildings and wealth. I would never even turn my eyes to look at a millionaire's palatial house in India", says Theroux, whose last book 'the Elephanta Suite' published in 2007 gave an account of the lives of some Westerners transformed by their sojourns to India.
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