Sigh, Gone: A Misfit’s Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight To Fit In

Tran takes readers on a personal journey through his life after resettling to a small town in Pennsylvania from Vietnam following the fall of Saigon. The author describes being harassed by racists, and most important, by attempts to fit in, to be American. Tran’s struggle to be accepted is two pronged: he delves into books, reading voraciously, and also restyles his appearance, becoming a “skater kid.” His love of classic novels, the “great books” referenced in the book’s subtitle, is evident as each chapter title recognizes a book that has influenced his life, and academic success helped Tran adjust to his new life. Tran combines funny moments with heartbreaking stories; his explanations to his parents about why he wants to buy his clothes at Goodwill rather than the mall are laugh-out-loud funny, and readers will respond with compassion as he and his family deal with his mother’s cancer diagnosis.