The Lotus Eaters (2010) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters/People edit see section history

• Helen Adams: An American photojournalist
• Nguyen Pran Linh: AKA Linh. Changed his name from Tran Bau Linh. Helen's companion
• Sam Darrow: A war correspondent, formerly Helen's lover and competitor
• Robert: Add a description of this character.
• Tanner
• Matt
• Mr. Bao
• Samuels
• Gary
• Annick: French expat who owns a store and befriends Helen.
• Michael: Helen's brother, killed in Korea.
• Captain Olsen
• Horner
• Ngan
• Jack
• Veasna
• Maccrae
• Medlock
• Mrs. Xuan
• Khue
• Molina
• Thao
• Tom
• Nichols
• Gwen
• Costello
• Grandmother
• James
• Tong
• Frank
• Arnie
• Duke
• Chan
• Anderson
• Kirby

Quotes edit see section history

• “And then she closed her eyes, and they could no longer touch her. She no longer embraced what they threatened. Linh was there, and when she reached for his hand, her own had become stiff and brittle, her arms become branches, and from her knees to her groin to her belly to her breasts came a covering, an armor of gnarled bark, and her hair, when she reached for it, had the aspect of leaves. She opened her eyes, alive and she turned to look deeply and without fear into her boy soldier's face.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• He was like one of Homer’s lotus eaters. He simply forgot all thoughts of return.”

  Highlighted by 104 Kindle customers

• Once a picture was taken, the experience was purged of its power to haunt.

  Highlighted by 74 Kindle customers

• This is what happened when one left one’s home—pieces of oneself scattered all over the world, no one place ever completely satisfied, always a nostalgia for the place left behind.

  Highlighted by 67 Kindle customers

• This is how history unfolds: a doubt here mixed with certainty there. One never knew which choice was the right one….

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• Pictures could not be accessories to the story—evidence—they had to contain the story within the frame; the best picture contained a whole war within one frame.

  Highlighted by 65 Kindle customers

• One stayed at first for glory, then excitement, then later it was pure endurance and proficiency; one couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But there was something more, hard to put her finger on—one felt a camaraderie in war, an urgency of connection impossible to duplicate in regular life. She felt more human when life was on the edge.

  Highlighted by 60 Kindle customers

• More and more he believed detachment the only answer to the constant onslaught of loss.

  Highlighted by 59 Kindle customers

• She had reached a point of absolute stillness in her life, empty of wanting. Nothing could be added that would not unbalance the perfection of the present.

  Highlighted by 58 Kindle customers

• One fell in love with geography through people, and when the people were gone, the most beloved place turned cool and impersonal.

  Highlighted by 57 Kindle customers

• Helen didn’t yet understand that conjuring up the future was the duty of the living, what they owed to the dead.

  Highlighted by 55 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Saigon
• Angkor Wat
• South Vietnam
• Cholon
• Cambodia
• America
• California
• Danang
• States
• Thailand
• Tan Son Nhut
• Laos
• Pleiku
• Los Angeles
• Central Highlands
• New York
• Switzerland
• Middle East
• Charlotte
• Mekong
• Hanoi

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Tatjana Soli (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• James Tait Black Memorial Prize (2010: Fiction)
• Dana Award (2003: Novel, winner)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.6

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › War
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Historical