Blog Tour and Giveaway: American Dreamer by Tim Tran

Join us for this tour from Jun 18 to Jul 8, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title:  American Dreamer: How I Escaped Communist Vietnam and Built a Successful Life in America by Tim Tran (Tran Manh Khiem) with Tom Fields-Meyer
Category:  Non-Fiction (18 +),  390 pages
Genre:  Memoir
Publisher:  Pacific University Press
Release date:   June 2020
Content Rating:  PG + M: The book contains some bad language and recounts episodes of murder, rape, and suicide.

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“My goal in life is to make a humble contribution to the society that accepted and helped me when I was a person without a country.” — Tim Tran

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Book Description:

"American Dreamer" is an inspirational, first-hand account of the motivating power of an immigrant’s dream for a better life. From the rural Vietnam of Tim Tran’s childhood to his eventual escape to America and his rise as CFO of a multi-billion-dollar company, Tran’s memoir is a lesson in perseverance and ingenuity. After he initially left Vietnam in 1970 to attend American universities on a USAID scholarship, Tran’s sense of commitment led him home shortly before the fall of Saigon in 1975. Suspected of being a CIA agent, he found life under Communism increasingly difficult and dangerous, and was forced to flee. During multiple attempts to escape, he encountered deceit, betrayal, and even murder. Finally, in 1979 Tran and his wife, Cathy, escaped with 350 others in a rickety, overcrowded boat, and faced pirate attacks and months in a Malaysian refugee camp before reaching their new home in Oregon. "American Dreamer," written with passion, unflinching candor, and wit, is an extraordinary debut that confirms the American dream is alive and gives hope to anyone willing to work for a better life. 

 
Release Date: Jun 20, 2020
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 Meet the Author:

In 1970, Tim (Khiem) and Cathy (Thuy) Tran were top international students from South Vietnam who were awarded scholarships to study in the United States. They studied for two years at Pacific University in Oregon, after which Tim pursued his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and Cathy finished her degree at the University of Oregon. Per the conditions of their scholarships, the two returned to South Vietnam in 1974. When Saigon was overrun by communist forces in 1975, the family endured great hardships. In 1979, Tim and Cathy managed to escape via boat. After a harrowing, life-threating voyage they were placed in a refugee camp in Malaysia.

Eventually the Trans were able to immigrate to the United States and became naturalized citizens in 1986. Tim went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of Johnstone Supply, and Cathy worked for U.S. Bank, then Standard Insurance, and became an accounting manager. In 2017, the Trans established a Library Endowment Fund at Pacific University. In honor of their gift, the library building on the Pacific University Forest Grove campus was dedicated as the Tim and Cathy Tran Library.

Connect with the author:    website

Guest Post:

Discuss the role books and libraries have played in your life, and the impact that you hope your book will have on others’ lives. 

From my early childhood, it was excellent scholastic pursuits, not sports that I aimed for. Books became my

constant companion and libraries my favorite places. At nearly every important moment in my journey through life, libraries have always had a special significance in my life. To name just a few: 

1. In high school, I discovered the Abraham Lincoln Library in Saigon, where I perused Time and Life magazines and taught myself English as I made use of the side-by-side translations and enjoyed the air-conditioning and chilled water.
2. At Pacific University, the library was where I would escape to study (and occasionally nap) when the social life of the dorm became too distracting. 
3. Just outside this library, Cathy noticed my smile in a special moment that ultimately led to our love and marriage.
4. At U.C. Berkeley, where I lived most of the time in a tiny boardinghouse room, Moffitt Library served as the comfortable spot where I could spread out and study.
5. At the Pulau Bidong refugee camp, I asked virtually every visitor to leave books or magazines and gradually helped to build up a library in the least likely of places. 
6. On my travels for business and vacations, I have savored the opportunity to visit nearly every presidential library and gained a new perspective on history.

In the words of United States Poet Laureate Rita Dove: "The library is an arena of possibility, opening both a

window into the soul and a door onto the world”. Thanks to libraries, I have broadened my arena of possibility, enriched my soul, and saw a bigger, more beautiful world through that opened door. I hope my book will help readers to keep an open mind, broaden their perspective, and see their new possibilities as well as new opportunities through the opened window and door.

Tour Schedule:

Jun 18 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Jun 19 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jun 22 – T's Stuff – book spotlight / giveaway
Jun 22 - My Fictional Oasis - book review / author interview / giveaway
Jun 23 – Literary Flits – book review / giveaway
Jun 24 – Pick A Good Book – book review / author interview / giveaway
Jun 24 - Lamon Reviews - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Jun 25 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
Jun 28 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Jun 29 – Books and Zebras – book review / giveaway
Jun 30 –La libreria di Beppe - book spotlight / giveaway
Jul 1 –Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / giveaway
Jul 2 – Svetlanas reads and views – book review
Jul 3 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / guest post / giveaway
Jul 6 – The avid reader – book spotlight / giveaway
Jul 7 – Mowgli with a book – book review / giveaway
Jul 7 - Connie's History Classroom - book review
Jul 8 – Books for Books – book review

Enter the Giveaway:

 

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My Review: 

Tim Tran’s American Dreamer: How I Escaped Communist Vietnam and Built a Successful Life in America was quite the inspiring tale. I found this memoir to be captivating and engaging. I often wondered what it was like for someone to leave their family and their home country to pursue the American dream. I always thought that would be brave and courageous to leave everything behind like that.

I enjoyed reading Tim’s story from American Dreamer: How I Escaped Communist Vietnam and Built a Successful Life in America. He did not have it as easy as he expected it would be. He struggled to fit in but he did eventually was able to find his way. I admired his spirit, determination, dedication and persistence. I loved reading the details of each place where he had been and lived. I found him to be quite the story teller, that made me want to keep reading to find out where his life would end up. I thought his tale to be so encouraging and moving. I was intrigued from start to finish and had no problem reading the whole book in one sitting.

I am giving American Dreamer: How I Escaped Communist Vietnam and Built a Successful Life in America a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy to read inspirational and uplifting true stories. I thought this memoir was a great read.

I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.