Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Măn
Măn | Kim Thuy
Following on the Giller Prize-nominated and Governor General's Literary Award-winning success of Ru, Kim Thúy's latest novel is a triumph of poetic beauty and a moving meditation on how love and food are inextricably entwined. Măn has three mothers: the one who gives birth to her in wartime, the nun who plucks her from a vegetable garden, and her beloved Maman, who becomes a spy to survive. Seeking security for her grown daughter, Maman finds Măn a husband--a lonely Vietnamese restaurateur who lives in Montreal. Thrown into a new world, Măn discovers her natural talent as a chef. Gracefully she practices her art, with food as her medium. She creates dishes that are much more than sustenance for the body: they evoke memory and emotion, time and place, and even bring her customers to tears. Măn is a mystery--her name means "perfect fulfillment," yet she and her husband seem to drift along, respectfully and dutifully. But when she encounters a married chef in Paris, everything changes in the instant of a fleeting touch, and Măn discovers the all-encompassing obsession and ever-present dangers of a love affair. Full of indelible images of beauty, delicacy and quiet power, Măn is a novel that begs to be savoured for its language, its sensuousness and its love of life.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
suvata
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Panpan

Continuing my TBR project:
This is one of the oldest selections on my TBR list - Originally added July 28, 2015.

Well, the language was beautiful.
The story, not so much.

Shley9225 I guess that‘s why you kept putting it off? 6y
suvata @Shley9225 Good point 6y
50 likes2 comments
review
Jolynne
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

“the room was aglow with red-not the red of love but that of luck. Superstition dictated that each gift be be wrapped in that colour, which represents good fortune, because newlyweds need a lot of luck to find the balance that allows two individuals to build a single shared life.”

review
xicanti
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Kim Thúy's writing is just so ELEGANT, y'all. She offers the reader a wealth of vignettes that slip around and through one another to create a portrait of Mãn's emotional life, limned by the foods that call to mind particular experiences and relationships. There's almost no plot, but that doesn't matter. Each scene forms a complete world.

readordierachel Great review! 6y
42 likes2 comments
quote
RealLifeReading
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

Reading Mãn by Kim Thuy and thinking about the durian party at my auntie‘s house in Singapore some weeks back when we were visiting. I fled indoors, away from the smell, but of course can one really hide from the pungent odor?

Lindy Sorrows hermetically sealed under a thorny carapace — great imagery. 6y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Ive only eaten freeze-dried durian and it was hell as it got stuck in my molars and I couldn‘t get the taste out of my mouth 🤮 6y
104 likes2 stack adds2 comments
blurb
writerlibrarian
Maan | Kim Thuy
post image

Last days of the year and we are all #survivingdecember as best we can. Two wonderful, quick read to discover an amazing writer, another culture and how one survives despite great odds. I love Kim Thuy. #openyourmindtoothers

review
writerlibrarian
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

This has to be read in book format. The way the text is printed, the typography, the layout are essential for the experience of reading about the heroine's journey from war torn Vietnam to Montreal. Thuy is able to make you smell, almost taste the food her character prepares with so much love.

This is also a journey for the reader through the many forms of love. Family, frienship, comfort, tenderness, passionate love.

31 likes2 stack adds
blurb
writerlibrarian
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

#maybookflowers #mothers #booksaboutmothers

Novella that packs so much love ❤️

29 likes1 stack add
blurb
auntie_jenn
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

late to the party, but i'm here! #litsypartyofone

26 likes1 stack add
blurb
Nicolesnotes88
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

French Canadian beef stew with a Vietnamese twist. Great pairing for book club discussion of Man by Kim Thuy

2 likes1 stack add
review
megsb23
Măn | Kim Thuy
Pickpick

A slim novel. The chapters were short, no word was unnecessary. Read it in a few hours

review
Lacythebookworm
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Quiet book that tackles immigration, family, marriage. Great passages on food and language. I will definitely be reading Thuy's Ru. 📚😍

Lacythebookworm Quick read that would be perfect for a readathon like #24in48 😉 8y
britt_brooke Nice photo. 📷👌🏻 8y
109 likes9 stack adds2 comments
blurb
Lacythebookworm
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

#litsypoetry365 Today's poem brought to you my current read, a quiet, touching story of a Vietnamese woman in Montreal.

Suet624 Wow. I've had a moment like that but never would have been able to describe it like that. Beautiful. 8y
andreadmw That is beautiful. ❤ 8y
Gleefulreader I love Kim Thuy's books - they are so gorgeous! 8y
See All 8 Comments
TheLondonBookworm Beautiful, I'll have to find this!! 8y
SharonGoforth Lovely! 8y
Lacythebookworm @Suet624 @andreadmw @TheLondonBookworm @SharonGoforth 🙌😍❤ Great poem, great book! 8y
Lacythebookworm @Gleefulreader This was my first! What do you recommend? 😊 8y
Gleefulreader @Lacythebookworm I believe she has only one other book published in a English - Ru - which won one of our big awards here in Canada. I've read it and it is fantastic. I do believe she has another book coming out soon though. 8y
107 likes6 stack adds8 comments
review
writerlibrarian
Maan | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

This has to be read in book format. The way the text is printed, the typography, the layout are essential for the experience of reading about the heroine's journey from war torn Vietnam to Montreal. Thuy is able to make you smell, almost taste the food her character prepares with so much love. This is also a journey for the reader through the many forms of love. Family, frienship, comfort, tenderness, passionate love.

29 likes2 stack adds
quote
Jaimelire
Maan | Kim Thuy
post image

Lovely

14 likes2 stack adds
review
Jaimelire
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Almost finished. I much preferred her first book, Ru. So for anyone who has not read her, I would recommend reading Ru first. That being said, this was a good read. Her books consist of one page chapters that weave together to create a beautiful picture of her life experiences. Great author.

blurb
Gleefulreader
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

Given everything that happened this month, not a bad tally. I have a couple of really good books I'm working on that will show up in next month's totals (Notorious RBG and A Gentleman in Moscow).

Question: if you read a book in multiple formats, how do you choose to tally it? I have 0 e-books listed, but in reality 6-7 of the books I read I bounced between hard copy and e-book format. Curious how others handle. #photoadaynov16 #bestofnovember

DebinHawaii Great job! I had a book that I read the first 1/2 then listened to the other 1/2 on audio. It could have gone either way but I ended up just counting it as 1 audio book. 😀👍 8y
32 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
Gleefulreader
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

I had the privilege of hearing Kim Thuy speak tonight. She was, by turns, incredibly funny and charming, but the most compelling moment came when she described her time as a refugee (her family were "boat people" who fled Vietnam in 1978). "A refugee has no past and no future. They live only in the moment." She also noted that refugees will continue to risk the boats, despite the odds, because "they are dead either way". A timely reminder.??

Gleefulreader This short novel is the lyrical story of a half American/half Vietnamese woman who is adopted by her "second mother" in Vietnam, and moved to Canada when she marries. She finds security in her quiet marriage and her career as a chef. The story, though, is about love - love in the families we choose and create, the love between friends, passionate versus steady love - and the ways we demonstrate that love. I've read this twice it is so sublime. 8y
42 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Gleefulreader
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

Cold and blustery out tonight, as winter has descended on southern Canada, and unfortunately I have to go out in it to take my daughter to her trampoline practice. So I'm squeezing in some cozy couch cuddles with the dog and speeding through a re-read of this book in anticipation of an author event tomorrow night.

RealLifeReading Lucky!! I haven't read Man yet but loved Ru. She writes so beautifully! 8y
mjdowens I need to read this one soon. Food and love in one book? Perfect👌 8y
49 likes6 stack adds2 comments
review
Moray_Reads
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Spare and understated, I love Kim ThĂşy's prose and her ability to draw her characters and events with a few deft strokes. Be warned though, you WILL crave Vietnamese food!

LindsayReads That is a risk I'm willing to take! 8y
Moray_Reads It's with it, I promise 8y
Moray_Reads @lindsayreads worth it, I mean! 8y
Jaimelire Love her books. My husband has a similar story to hers, came to Canada as child. He says her book Ru really captures the experience. 8y
29 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

An arranged marriage makes her Canadian. Her Vietnamese cuisine makes her famous. A French chef makes her adulterous. Thuy's lyrical prose was often breathtaking but I must also admit this sparse, fragmentary novel made me crave Vietnamese food far, far more than it made me care about any of its characters.

ReadingEnvy I crave Vietnamese food without reading about it. 😋 8y
Gleefulreader I'm hearing her read and speak about this book next week! I can't wait. 8y
Lindy I loved this book. So much. ❤️ 8y
53 likes1 stack add3 comments
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

For me, this one's not so much a #MisogynyMinute as it is an eyerolling #SliceOfSexism...

quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

aloslibrary Omg 😭 8y
tpixie 💝. Wow that's love! 8y
Hobbinol Aw! 💕 8y
21 likes2 stack adds3 comments
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

17 likes3 stack adds
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

26 likes2 stack adds
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

20 likes1 stack add
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

16 likes1 stack add
quote
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

review
tysephine
Măn | Kim Thuy
Pickpick

What a beautiful book! The prose is so lyrical and packs so much emotion into such a small book. Highly recommended.

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
shawnmooney
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

SASKATCHEWAN BOOK HAUL - BOOK #9

I finally got one of her books! I remember hearing Rebecca and Liberty rave about this Vietnamese-Canadian writer quite a while back; if memory serves, it was on one of their very first All The Books podcasts, and I remember thinking how impressive it was that these two American book experts knew about her, and how depressing that I was hearing about her for the very first time.

Lindy This one is a treat. So beautifully written & so full of heart. ❤️ 8y
33 likes5 stack adds1 comment
review
Jessicav
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Lovely, sparely written. It's amazing how much you can understand about life and love and longing from a single well-written paragraph. Highly recommended.

blurb
Jessicav
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

I'm not officially participating in #24in48, but do have some reader problems to address. I'm 3 books behind in my reading goal and need to catch up this weekend! I keep short books on my TBR for just such an occasion. Looking for to seeing what everyone is reading for readathon!

review
bookriot
Maan | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

"Sad and poetic book about love and loneliness and Vietnamese food." - @Amanda

ulejo Love it! 8y
balletbookworm Loved that one :) Good pick if someone needs a book for the SE Asian author challenge 8y
jveezer Ru is amazing as well. I'll add this to my tbr stack! 8y
bookjunkie1975 I loved Ru! Can't wait to check this one out. :) 8y
117 likes38 stack adds4 comments
review
Amanda
Maan | Kim Thuy
post image
Pickpick

Sad and poetic book about love and loneliness and Vietnamese food

tysephine I bough this a while ago and I have no idea why I haven't read it yet 8y
58 likes11 stack adds1 comment
quote
suzieq
Măn | Kim Thuy
post image

"I offer you
The life I have not lived
The dream I can but dream
A soul I've left empty
During sleepless nights,

As I go to you I hold as an offering
The poem I have not written
The ache towards which I strain
The colour of the cloud I haven't known
The longings of silence."

1 like2 stack adds