[RECAP] LESSONS OF LIFE, ART, AND IDENTITY: AN AMERICAN’S LIFELONG EXPERIENCE OF VIET NAM

On May 2, 2024, Prof. Dr. Robert Butler had an inspiring sharing session at the “Lessons of Life, Art, And Identity: An American’s Lifelong Experience of Viet Nam” talk show.

After more than 17 years returning to Viet Nam, he chose Hoa Sen University as the place to share interesting stories and lessons from the Vietnamese people. The talk show was attended by a large number of foreign partners, book publishers, journalists, lecturers, and students of Hoa Sen University.

At the Talk show, the professor shared about his journey in Viet Nam. He recounted his writing journey with many interesting details, one of the most fascinating stories being the serendipity that helped him win the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 – a prestigious award in the fields of journalism, literature, and publishing.

He also impressed the audiences by showcasing his Vietnamese language skills.

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His journey to be a Pulitzer Prize winner

In 1969, writer Robert Olen Butler joined the US military and was sent to South Viet Nam. He said: “Your country has become a permanent part of me and this presence continues to grow, shape, energize and guide my creative process”.

When moving to Saigon in 1971, he liked to wander every night around the alleys in the city to observe the lives and chat with the local citizens.

He shared that his time in Viet Nam helped him open up all senses when creating. Not just seeing with his eyes but feeling everything around with all senses when conveying into his works.

In 1992, Dr. Robert Olen Butler wrote one of his first short story collections titled “A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain”. After the work was published, he participated in inspiring book introduction sessions at bookstores to be easy to access with everyone.

Finally, out of 5,000 books in the competition, Robert Olen Butler’s book won the Pulitzer Prize in the fiction category in 1993.

For more information about our activities and events, please visit our website and Facebook Fanpage [click Here]. If you require further details about our SEP or wish to get in touch, feel free to contact the Office of Global Engagement at room 705B, Hoa Sen University headquarters – 08 Nguyen Van Trang, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
You can also reach us via email at phonghoptacquocte@hoasen.edu.vn.