Saigon (Grey novel)

Saigon is a novel by Anthony Grey.^[1] Saigon follows the lives of three families, one American, one French, and the other Vietnamese, from the French colonial era in the early 1920s until the last helicopter left Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War.

Publisher's description: 'An epic saga of love, blood, and destiny in twentieth-century Vietnam: “This superb novel could well be the War and Peace of our age” (San Francisco Chronicle).

Joseph Sherman first visits Saigon—the capital of French colonial Cochin-China—as a young man on his father’s hunting trip in 1925. But the exotic land lures him back again and again as a traveler, soldier, and reporter. He returns because of his fascination for the enchanting city—and for Lan, a mandarin’s daughter he cannot forget.

Over five decades Joseph’s life becomes enmeshed with the political intrigues of two of Saigon’s most influential families, the French colonist Devrauxs, and the native Trans. In this sweeping saga of tragedy and triumph, Joseph witnesses Vietnam’s turbulent, war-torn fate. He is there when millions of coolies rise against the French, and during their bloody last stand at Dien Bien Phu. And he sees US military “advisors” fire their first shots in America’s hopeless war against the Communist revolution.

A story of adventure, love, war, and political power, Saigon presents an enthralling and enlightening depiction of twentieth-century Vietnam.'

The novel was published in 1982 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in London^[2] and Little, Brown in Boston. It is currently published by Open Road Integrated Media.^[3]

Anthony Grey spent four years writing Saigon from 1978-1982. He lived in Paris for six months to research the first five sections of the novel set in French colonial Vietnam. He spent time at the archives of the old French Ministry of Colonies in the Rue Oudinot, and at the colonial newspaper archive in Versailles, as well as the Bibliotheque Nationale in central Paris. He then moved to Washington for eighteen months to research and write the last three sections dealing with America's involvement with Vietnam, writing daily in one of the offices then made available to scholars, researchers and writers at the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill. He also spent a lot of time at the National Archives in Washington.

Anthony Grey wasn't able to visit Vietnam during his research as he wasn't able to get a visa.^[4]

Saigon is Anthony Grey's fourth novel and became an international bestseller. His novels, short stories and non-fiction books have been translated into 16 languages worldwide.^[5]