Andrew Lam is a Vietnamese American writer and journalist based mostly in San Francisco. Lam’s writing focuses on the Vietnamese diaspora, exploring themes of id, exile, cultural hybridity, love and loss, and the American Dream.
His notable works embody:Fragrance Goals: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora (2005), a group of essays that gained the 2006 PEN Open E book Award, delving into his private struggles as a Viet Kieu (Vietnamese residing overseas) and the warfare’s lasting affect. East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres (2010), essays analyzing cultural intersections and globalization, named a High 10 Indie by Shelf Unbound Journal. Birds of Paradise Misplaced (2013), a brief story assortment about Vietnamese immigrants within the San Francisco Bay Space, which was a finalist for the California E book Award and gained the Josephine Miles Award for fiction. Tales from the Fringe of the Sea (2025), his newest assortment of brief tales exploring longing, immigration, and generational reminiscence, praised for its poignant and common narratives.
As a journalist, Lam started writing for Pacific Information Service whereas in class, incomes the 1993 Excellent Younger Journalist Award from the Society of Skilled Journalists. He co-founded New America Media, served as its internet editor till 2017, and was a commentator on NPR’s All Issues Thought of for eight years. He has additionally contributed to Huffington Put up and lectured at over 40 universities and establishments just like the Asia Society and Smithsonian. His essays and fiction and articles have been broadly revealed an anthologized. .
Lam’s work is well known for its poetic but sincere model, mixing memoir, fiction, and cultural critique. His tales and essays bridge East and West, providing insights into the Vietnamese American expertise whereas addressing common themes of loss, belonging, and resilience. He has spoken about how his writing, usually in English, has helped second-generation Vietnamese People join with their dad and mom’ refugee experiences, fostering intergenerational dialogue.
