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One day at the Saigon zoo
Originally published by the Shanghai Literary Review, this updated essay takes readers on a walk through history at the Saigon Zoo & Botanical Gardens …
Jan 28
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Connla Stokes
10
5
The man who had seen one too many wars
When the veteran journalist Homer Bigart arrived in Saigon in December 1961, it took him less than six months to conclude that the United States was…
Jan 9
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Connla Stokes
7
3
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The Light at the End of the Tunnel
From 1967 to 1971, a recurring New Year’s Eve party in wartime Saigon proved to be an ironic, irreverent, and legendary interlude for those who knew the…
Dec 26, 2025
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Connla Stokes
8
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An American in Hanoi, Christmas 1966
On December 23, 1966, the celebrated American journalist Harrison Salisbury arrived in the Vietnamese capital. Within days, his reporting would shock…
Dec 15, 2025
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Connla Stokes
9
3
5
Far and away: An interview with Andrew Lam
Last March, as his latest collection of stories hit the shelves, I penned a short profile of the Vietnamese-American writer Andrew Lam for Mekong…
Nov 22, 2025
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Connla Stokes
4
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When Somerset Maugham cruised through Vietnam as fast as he possibly could
May 15, 2024
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Connla Stokes
13
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The life and times of ‘Madame Canon’
Jun 16, 2025
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Connla Stokes
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15
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Kipling in Saigon - and his curious afterlife in Vietnam
Oct 19, 2025
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Connla Stokes
13
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The ballad of Apo, B. and Clair de Lune
Apr 16, 2023
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Connla Stokes
15
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In search of Soul Alley – and Soul Food – in wartime Saigon
In the late 60s and early 70s, Black American soldiers could dig into authentic Soul Food in Saigon. But where were these restaurants and what can they…
Nov 7, 2025
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Connla Stokes
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The Peace Plane flies again by Connla Stokes
An essay about an art installation created for peace by an American and a Vietnamese artist, whose fathers fought in the war in the Vietnam.
Published on Pandan Weekly
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Oct 30, 2025
Kipling in Saigon - and his curious afterlife in Vietnam
Once upon a time, Saigon had streets named after several Britons, including Rudyard Kipling. Naturally, I had to find out why, and the digging led me…
Oct 19, 2025
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Connla Stokes
13
5
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Stuck in Khe Sanh
For newer subscribers, I'm re-posting this short story (slightly updated) about an old Vet who gets stuck in Khe Sanh all over again.
Oct 15, 2025
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Connla Stokes
11
2
Vivid sketches of a vicious war
The British illustrator Gerald Scarfe came to Vietnam for about a year in the mid 1960s. Here's what I know about his time in the country, which he…
Oct 11, 2025
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Connla Stokes
11
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A brief return to Tự Do Street in the year of '69
A short piece that was inspired by Yusef Komunyakaa's poem "Tu Do Street”.
Sep 25, 2025
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Connla Stokes
6
2
An actual newsletter
Breaking my promise that this would be a news-free newsletter to send out a quick update. Please forgive the interruption.
Jun 22, 2025
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Connla Stokes
6
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A story from Connla
Stories by Connla Stokes, mostly set in Vietnam
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