Bridge from Saigon: A Memoir of War, Identity, and Healing by Mai Pham
In Bridge from Saigon, Pham confronts the personal and collective weight of displacement with a narrative that is at once lyrical and intellectually probing — a landmark contribution to immigrant literature that resonates far beyond its pages.
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This spring, readers will be introduced to a compelling new voice in contemporary memoir with the release of Bridge from Saigon: A Viet-American Memoir of Family and Mind, the debut book by Hoangmai (Mai) Pham — a physician, artist, and daughter of Vietnamese refugees whose life journey spans continents, cultures, and inner worlds.
Born in war-torn Vietnam, Pham and her family fled Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War when she was just six years old. That abrupt leap from upheaval to an unfamiliar new world left lasting emotional imprints, and Bridge from Saigon explores how those early experiences shaped not only her sense of identity but also her later life as a healer and thinker.
Unlike traditional immigrant narratives that focus solely on resilience in the face of external challenges, Pham’s memoir delves into the internal terrain of psychological survival — including confronting hidden facets of self that only emerged decades later. The book weaves together family history, ancestral voices, fragments of war memory, and the novelist’s own psychological labyrinth to offer a multidimensional portrait of what it means to belong, break, and heal.
Critics and fellow authors have already highlighted the depth and originality of Pham’s voice. Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftover Woman, praises the book for its vivid blend of historical sweep and intimate self-exploration, while others commend its unflinching honesty and dreamlike narrative style.
Set for official release on March 3, 2026, Bridge from Saigon will be available at major retailers as well as independent bookstores. The author will also appear on radio platforms such as a March interview on Takoma Radio.
Beyond her work as a memoirist, Hoangmai Pham is known for a distinguished career in medicine and health innovation. A graduate of Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University, she has held significant roles in improving healthcare delivery in the U.S., including serving as Chief Innovation Officer for Medicare and Medicaid — experience that informs her unique perspective on healing and human complexity.
