Read 2024
THE BEST WE COULD DO
An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui (Abrams ComicArts, 2017)
This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.
At the heart of Bui’s story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent—the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.
In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls “a book to break your heart and heal it,” The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Bui’s journey of understanding.
ABOUT THI BUI
Thi Bui was born in Vietnam and came to the United States in 1978 as part of the “boat people” wave of refugees fleeing Southeast Asia at the end of the Vietnam War. Her debut graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do (Abrams ComicArts, 2017) has been selected for an American Book Award, a Common Book for UCLA and other colleges and universities, an all-city read by Seattle and San Francisco public libraries, a National Book Critics Circle finalist in autobiography, and an Eisner Award finalist in reality-based comics. It made over thirty best of 2017 book lists, including Bill Gates’ top five picks. She illustrated the picture book, A Different Pond, written by the poet Bao Phi (Capstone, 2017), for which she won a Caldecott Honor. With her son, Hien, she co-illustrated the children’s book, Chicken of the Sea (McSweeney’s, 2019), written by Pulitzer winner Viet Thanh Nguyen and his son, Ellison. Her short comics can be found online at The Nib, PEN America, and BOOM California. She is currently researching and drawing a work of graphic nonfiction about immigrant detention and deportation, to be published by One World, Random House.
Where to get a copy of The Best We Could Do?
New Haven Free Public Library
Barnes & Nobles (The Yale Bookstore)
Possible Futures
Fair Haven Branch Library
RJ Julia Booksellers
Hamden Public Library
Upcoming Events
NEA Big Read Kick-Off
Join us for our 2024 NEA Big Read Kick Off celebrating Thi Bui's "The Best We Could Do"! Meet us at the Stetson Library Branch for activities, grab your complimentary copy of the book, and mingle with our partners. It's an evening of community, literature, and camaraderie!
Fair Haven Book Club: The Best We Could Do
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join the club for a discussion of “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui. This graphic memoir, which is this year’s city-wide selection of the NEA “Big Read” program, concerns her family’s escape from war-torn Vietnam and their search for a better future while longing for what they once had. Copies available from the library.
Building Your Family Tree
Workshop
Calling all history buffs, genealogy enthusiasts, and curious minds! Join our special event inspired by Thi Bui's "The Best We Could Do" as we explore the importance of knowing your roots and uncovering the stories that shape us. Discover practical tips for tracing your lineage and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Let's embark on this exciting journey together!
The Best We Could Do & AAPI Activism in CT
Author Talk
Listen to a special episode of our Podcast, Great Art, Big Ideas, showcasing a conversation with Thi Bui.
Then, mark your calendar for April 10th to see in an engaging virtual panel discussion featuring UConn AAASI Activist in Residence Jennifer Heikkila Diaz discussing AAPI activism in Connecticut and how it relates to our NEA Big Read Book, The Best that We Could Do.
The event will be streamed live on Facebook, YouTube, and ARTIDEA.ORG/virtualstage.
Download Podcast
Building Peace Across Generations Conference
Summit/Conference
This conference inaugurates a new initiative on Peacebuilding at Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs. Spanning two days, participants will discuss attempts to realize peace in a range of contexts, drawing examples from a diverse range of countries around the world (including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, and others) while also considering how “peace” is understood and sought at Yale and in New Haven.
Celebrating Stories and Culture (Fair Haven Branch Library)
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join us for a special story time featuring books and songs focused on immigration, inclusion, and celebrating the diversity in our community. We will feature stories highlighting the immigrant experience and hold space for families to share their own stories.
Exploring Vietnamese Block Printing
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
The Best We Could Do is a graphic novel memoir by Vietnamese-American author-illustrator Thi Bui. To tie in with the book’s themes about identity and discovering her heritage, we’ll explore the traditional Vietnamese art of wood block printing. Devin Fitzgerald, a lecturer at Yale, will present a history of this art form, including showing several Vietnamese wood blocks from his collection. Afterward, participants will engage in a creative activity by using Tinker Lab supplies to explore the process of block printing.
Shun Li And The Poet/Io Sono Li
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Io sono Li is about how a Chinese barmaid (Tao Zhao) and a Slavic fisherman (Rade Serbedzija) find friendship and more in an Italian fishing village.
The Storytelling of Bollywood
With 2.7 billion movie tickets purchased annually, Bollywood is the most widely consumed form of fiction in India. How has the industry used its reach? What themes has it imparted, both past and present? Join us as we explore Bollywood’s unique style of storytelling, from early film classics like “Mother India,” to more recent controversial films like “Padmaavat.”
Nita Prasad is Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at Quinnipiac University. She has published on various aspects of Indian history, including women and the law, religious schisms, and the history of Bollywood.
Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes + What Could Have Been - Film Screening
A special screening on the Beinecke Library mezzanine of two films that activate essential archives of New Haven, Yale, and national history - “Gina’s Journey: The Search for William Grimes” and “What Could Have Been.”
Iraqi Odyssey
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Tracing the emigrations of his family over more than half a century, this riveting 3D documentary epic from acclaimed expatriate Iraqi filmmaker Samir pays moving homage to the frustrated democratic dreams of a people successively plagued by the horrors of dictatorship, war, and foreign occupation.
Chinese Immigration Story Time
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join Yale Repertory Theatre for a special story time and kite-making activity. We will be reading Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki, which tells the story of Chinese-American illustrator and kite-maker Tyrus Wong. Inspired by Wong’s work as a kite-maker, each child will get a chance to construct and take home their own paper kite.
Celebrating Stories and Culture (Mitchell Branch Library)
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join us for a special story time featuring books and songs focused on immigration, inclusion, and celebrating the diversity in our community. We will feature stories highlighting the immigrant experience and hold space for families to share their own stories.
Ghost Mountain
Film Screening/Q&A
Brace yourself for an unforgettable journey as we present the screening of "Ghost Mountain"! Follow the incredible story of Bunseng Taing, a resilient Cambodian refugee who triumphed over unimaginable horrors to find sanctuary in Connecticut. Discover his gripping tale, including a harrowing escape from the Killing Fields and a lesser-known ordeal. Stick around for a captivating Q&A session with Mae Bunseng Taing and James Taing, authors of "Under the Naga Tail." Join us for an evening of inspiration and reflection!
The Journey of Vaan Nguyen
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Hoiami Nguyen never imagined that he will end up so far from his home village of Bong Son in central Vietnam. Political circumstances and the roulette of life have washed him to the shores of Israel. The penniless Vietnamese refugee became a father of 5 Hebrew speaking Israeli daughters. His daughter - Vaan, describes her parents' ordeal using a razor sharp language in her blog. She feels trapped in circles of identity which will never meet.
Celebrating Stories and Culture (Stetson Branch Library)
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join us for a special story time featuring books and songs focused on immigration, inclusion, and celebrating the diversity in our community. We will feature stories highlighting the immigrant experience and hold space for families to share their own stories.
The Great Migration & New Haven
Talk/Conversation
Delve into a lively conversation about the Great Migration, exploring its profound connection to New Haven and the pivotal role the Q House played for Southern migrants. Let's uncover stories, share insights, and celebrate the rich tapestry of history that continues to shape our community.
Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna)
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
After his grandmother passes away, a young Mexican boy illegally travels across the border to search for his undocumented mother living and working in the U.S.
Pushing The Elephant
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
When war came to Rose’s village, she was separated from her five-year-old daughter, Nangabire. Rose managed to escape with nine of her ten children and was eventually resettled in Phoenix, Arizona. Over a decade later, mother and daughter are reunited in the US where they must face the past and build a new future. As mother and daughter get to know one another, they must come to terms with a painful past, and define what it means to be a survivor, a woman, a refugee and an American.
Urban Life Experience Book Discussion:The Best We Could Do By Thi Bui
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
New Readers Welcome Saturdays at 12 noon at Wilson Library. This month we discuss The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. This book has also been selected for the City of New Haven's NEA Big Read.
The Best We Could Do – A Book Talk
In Partnership With New Haven Free Public Library
Join Teen Librarian Emily to discuss the NEA's Big Read, The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui. Open to New Haven teens. Snacks and a zine about the book will be provided.
What Does Legacy Mean To You?
NXTHVN's 2023-2024 Apprentices present their culminating exhibition, Legacy, What Does it Mean to You? to be displayed in the mobile art museum, cARTie, with tour stops throughout the New Haven area. The exhibition includes original pieces created by NXTHVN's High School Apprentices as well as residents from the Hannah Gray Home in Dixwell that focus on the topic of legacy. In partnership, the Arts & Ideas High School Fellowship Program students will host a panel on the topic of legacy during the exhibition opening on June 22, 2024 at NXTHVN.
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
