Linda Trinh’s Listening Recommendation:
Life happens in motion. I began to listen to audiobooks during those moments in motion, as I washed dishes, folded laundry, and used the step machine at the gym.
I found audiobooks became a great way to for me to focus on my auditory skills. I’ve always been more of a visual learner, enjoying the look of words in a book (I read both physical books and electronic books). Listening to audiobooks, my experience and relationship to the text felt different, as I tried to focus on the sound and the rhythm of the words, the pacing, and the silences of the narrator.
I recently listened to Mãn by Kim Thúy, trans. from the French by Sheila Fischman. The audiobook is narrated by the author reading the English translation of the book she wrote originally in French.
In this novel, Mãn is the main character whose name translates to “perfectly fulfilled.” She finds herself far from her homeland of Vietnam, landing in Montreal and in an arranged marriage to a quiet Vietnamese restaurant owner. As Mãn makes food, she also creates a community around her, those searching for what has been lost. As she travels further away, a new love also emerges, with all the happiness and heartbreak it brings.
Listening to the author move between English, French, and Vietnamese seamlessly as is naturally spoken, not caring or knowing if any foreign words are italicized, was a liberating experience. Sometimes Kim Thúy spoke with longing and loss and sometimes with energy and joy. I was able to follow the sound of her voice through Mãn’s journey and I cherish that experience, while I was I’m on the move.
Linda Trinh is a Vietnamese Canadian author who writes nonfiction and fiction for adults and children. She explores identity, cultural background, and spirituality. Her work has appeared in anthologies and literary magazines, including The Fiddlehead's BIPOC Solidarities issue, and has been nominated for two National Magazine Awards. She lives in Winnipeg / Treaty 1. Twitter: @LindaYTrinh
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