For anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong, Sigh, Gone shares an irreverent, funny, and moving tale of displacement and assimilation woven together with poignant themes from beloved works of classic literature. In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, Phuc Tran immigrates to America along with his family. By sheer chance they land in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a small town where the Trans struggle to assimilate into their new life. In this coming-of-age memoir told through the themes of great books such as The Metamorphosis , The Scarlet Letter , The Iliad, and more, Tran navigates the push and pull of finding and accepting himself despite the challenges of immigration, feelings of isolation, and teenage rebellion, all while attempting to meet the rigid expectations set by his immigrant parents. Appealing to fans of coming-of-age memoirs such as Fresh Off the Boat, Running with Scissors, or tales of assimilation like Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Displaced and The Refugees , Sigh, Gone explores one man’s bewildering experiences of abuse, racism, and tragedy and reveals redemption and connection in books and punk rock. Against the hairspray-and-synthesizer backdrop of the ‘80s, he finds solace and kinship in the wisdom of classic literature, and in the subculture of punk rock, he finds affirmation and echoes of his disaffection. In his journey for self-discovery Tran ultimately finds refuge and inspiration in the art that shapes―and ultimately saves―him. An Amazon Best Book of April 2020: Sigh, Gone is a stunning memoir about refugees, racism, displacement, the lifeline of literature, fitting in—and fighting to do so. When Phuc Tran was just a boy, he and 11 family members survived the Viet Cong, fled Vietnam, and landed in their new home: the small town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, which “seemed like a slice of American pie a la mode.” As his parents struggled with English and used violence for discipline, Tran wrestled with fitting in at school. Thankfully he developed the plan , a self-described “war of assimilation.” Operation one: be smart, learn perfect English. Operation two: “look punk. You know one way to show that you fit in? By not fitting in.” And that’s exactly what he did. With a measured, comedic voice saturated with introspection, Tran bravely lays his life (the beatings, the poverty, the vicious taunting) on the page without judgment and without rose-colored glasses. Literally fortified by literature (which he fell in love with), he uses the classics to explain his own childhood and adolescence to great effect. Read this book; it’s an important story of immigration, America, and the disconnect between generations, cultures, and how to find connection. And, if you’re like me, you will be in awe of his words, humor, insight, and dedication to sharing his experience in all of its glory and hurt. Plus, even though you might cry, you will definitely laugh out loud. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Book Review An Amazon Best Book of the Year On Marie Claire 's "The Best Memoirs of 2020 Are Too Good Not to Read” Editor's Pick at Audible An April Must-Listen at Apple Books "The best, the funniest, and the most heartfelt memoir of the year." ― BookPage (starred review) Kirkus "13 Diverse Nonfiction Books to Read Now" BookPage "27 Asian and Pacific American authors to read this May" "In actuality and on the pages of this memoir, Tran's life goes off-road, defies reading plans or most other kinds of plans. Which makes SIGH, GONE a congenial read for our chaotic time ." ―Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air "As the title implies, Sigh, Gone , with its wistful pun on the erstwhile capital city of his native country, is built around Tran’s devotion to and curiosity about language ― the friction between English and Vietnamese, the Western literary canon he fell in love with, the said and the unsaid both within his family and in the wider world. The book powerfully explores themes of assimilation, racism, complex and abusive family dynamics, and the challenge of coming into one’s own. In other words, Sigh, Gone is like all great works of literature ― it asks big questions, universal in their specificity. " ―LA Review of Books "Tran also makes his narrating debut―prefaced by an actual drumroll, yes!―with energy, empathy, and plenty of curse words, as he shares his no-holds-barred coming-of-age journey in small-town Carlisle, Pennsylvania." ― Booklist (starred review for audiobook) "[ Sigh, Gone ] recounts in stunning detail [Tran's] coming of age in white, small-town America... [and] in laying out his childhood around themes and metaphors, Tran makes his own Great American Memoir." ― The Seattle Times "A heartfelt and ambitious memoir." ―Tobias Carroll, Portland Press Herald "Affecting, deeply-felt...a compelling story of an outsider discovering himself and a world where he fit in." ― Booklist (starred review) "Funny, poignant, and unsparing, Tran’s sharp, sensitive, pun