Thursday, February 13, 2014

April Rain: author review


Recently Jenna and I checked some books out from the library.  One of these books was called Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Tai – a story written in a free verse and dated as would a journal or diary.  The experience of Ha (the narrator) reminds me of Thuan Huynh’s own life as recorded in April Rain – a book I received for a birthday almost seven years ago. 

At the time Thuan was working at the same office as Roland.  He autographed the book for me and I started reading it and was intrigued with his life’s journey and for the huge sacrifice that his mother had made for him and his sister and for the love he had for his family members – particularly his mom and his sister.  And for the courage that each of them endured


Though it is an easy book and can hold the reader’s interest to move quickly through the pages, I am still quite a slow reader (though I did read it quicker than most books while it was in my possession).  I shared the book with others that I knew would be able to read it faster, and so it wasn’t until Thuan and Roland were no longer working together when I came across the photo at the end of the book.

The photo shows Thuan with his wife and son.  It appears that all three are dressed in white.  I had no clue that Thuan even had a son.  For the wife in the photo is not the same wife I had been introduced to at the company barbeque.  I was later told that he had divorced the wife that I met.  And really, I don’t know the circumstances of either partner or why he is no longer with either of them. 

I believe it was rumored that Thuan had had an affair in another state.  His boss had tried to get in touch with him to close a deal – but Thuan hadn’t answered his phone.  His boss ended up doing the majority of the work and so gave Thuan only a small percentage of the sale.  I think Thuan should have been grateful – if it hadn’t been for his boss, the deal would have never gone through and no money would have been made for either one of them.  But Thuan took him to court to claim a larger percentage of the sale – and walked away with more than he himself had earned.  It put a huge damper on the relationship he had had with his boss – both professionally and personally.

Now as for the wives or the rumor of the affair, I don’t know.  I suppose I don’t really KNOW about the sale and percentage dispute either – only what I have been told by others who were involved – hearsay – but not from Thuan himself.  I don’t really know him.  Only what is written in his book.  And I still think it’s a marvelous achievement and should probably be a required reading with every youth in America.  I respect who he was and the accomplishments he has made.  But I have lost respect about some things – but as I said I don’t know the accuracy of what I was told.  And even if I were to hear from Thuan Huynh himself, I still wouldn’t know the accuracy.  I think his words in April Rain are quite truthful, but I don’t know if they are anymore.

Thuan actually does not go by the name of Thuan nor has for some time.  I started this post with his American name, but decided to change it as he is in currently in a position in which scandal could be harmful.  And because I don’t KNOW, it’s not my place to turn others against him.  Not that I’m against him.  I’m not.  He’s human.  He may have made mistakes.  He may have been in a financially tight situation in which he felt he had no alternative but to take his boss to court.  Still, I wonder if he had even bothered to involve God in his decision.

Regardless of who is now, April Rain really is an awesome autobiography that I highly recommend.  Inside Out and Back Again is also good reading.  We can learn history through the survivors.   It’s important that we learn.  It’s also important to forgive.

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