Nam Le's '36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem' Explores Language and Identity

Nam Le's poetry collection '36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem' confronts the constraints of English and identity. Published by Canongate, the book costs £12.99 in hardcover. Le, who arrived in Australia as a boat refugee from Vietnam before turning one, addresses experiences of discrimination and the violence embedded in linguistic rules. The work references literary and political figures from Eastern and Western traditions, incorporating Latin and Vietnamese phrases. Humor punctuates the rage, as seen in Poem 26 'Erasive,' which uses erasure to reveal hidden text. Le's debut short story collection 'The Boat' was released 16 years ago. Based in Melbourne, the poet challenges categorization, seeking freedom from representation while acknowledging historical violence. The collection features varied poetic forms, each with a distinct theme.