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Dragon House
by John Shors

Published: 2009-09-01
Paperback : 354 pages
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Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members
Set in modern-day Vietnam, DRAGON HOUSE tells the tale of Iris and Noah-two Americans, who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children. Irish and Noah find themselves reborn in an exotic land filled with corruption and chaos, sacrifice ...
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Introduction

Set in modern-day Vietnam, DRAGON HOUSE tells the tale of Iris and Noah-two Americans, who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate Vietnamese street children. Irish and Noah find themselves reborn in an exotic land filled with corruption and chaos, sacrifice and beauty. Inspired by the street children she meets, Iris walks in the footsteps of her father, a man whom Vietnam both shattered and saved. Meanwhile, Noah slowly rediscovers himself through the eyes of an unexpected companion. Resounding with the powerful themes of suffering, sacrifice, friendship, and love, DRAGON HOUSE brings together East and West, war and peace; and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

Sahn walked toward the center. The squat building soon confronted him. Stepping past the gate, he moved inside. No noises came from upstairs. Curious where everyone was, he walked through the kitchen and into the playground. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1. What compelled you to read Dragon House?
2. What did you enjoy most about the novel?
3. Were you aware that so many children around the world are homeless?
4. Which character did you like the most? Why?
5. Do you think John Shors tried to draw comparisons between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War? If so, why?
6. If you have read John Shors's earlier novels (Beneath a Marble Sky and Beside a Burning Sea), how do you think he has changed as a writer, if at all?
7. What did you think of Loc? Why do you think the author chose to make him a former street child?
8. Could you tell that John Shors had traveled extensively in Vietnam? Do think it's important for writers to visit the places that they bring to life?
9. The author talks a lot about "dragons" in his novel. What do you think dragons symbolize in the story?
10. Did you enjoy Minh's character more when he was silent or when he spoke? Why?
11. Would you like to read a sequel to Dragon House? If a sequel were written, what do you think would happen in it?
12. What do you enjoy most about John Shors's writing style?

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

A note from the author to BookMovement readers:

I've been lucky enough to do a lot of traveling. A time existed, after I graduated from college, when I taught English in Japan and then backpacked around Asia. I had little money and tended to stay in rooms that cost a few dollars a night. With nothing more than a couple sets of T-shirts and shorts in my backpack, I visited places such as Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Korea. Some of these countries I grew to know quite well. I'd find a cheap room, rent a scooter, and explore as much of an area as possible. Sometimes my future wife or my friends were with me, though I was often alone.

I saw so many beautiful things throughout these adventures, sights such as the Taj Mahal, the Himalayan peaks, and white-sand beaches unspoiled by humanity's touch. But I think that I witnessed the most beauty within the street children I encountered. These children seemed so similar, country to country. They were out at all times of day and night, selling their postcards, their fans, their flowers. For many nights in Thailand, I played Connect Four with a boy who wasn't older than seven or eight. Some travelers told me not to play with him, convinced that his parents were nearby and were sending him out at night to work. But I never saw his parents, and one night I spied him sleeping on a sidewalk, a piece of cardboard his bed. I don't think I ever beat him in a game.

Throughout these travels I met hundreds, if not thousands, of children who lived on the street. Sometimes they were sick or had a physical deformity. But most of them were simply homeless-abandoned into extreme poverty. Bright, eager, and unafraid to laugh with a stranger, they taught me so much. I owe them so much.

It is my hope that Dragon House will be a success, and out of that success something good can happen. I plan on donating some of the funds generated from my book to an organization called Blue Dragon Children's Foundation. This group works with children in crisis throughout Vietnam. Blue Dragon offers disadvantaged children a wide range of services and support to help them break out of poverty, forever, by getting them back to school and helping them achieve their best.

Book Club Recommendations

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
  "Opened a new world for me"by Janet F. (see profile) 11/03/10

This novel is about two Americans who travel to modern-day Vietnam to start an orphange for homeless children. This novel made me laugh and cry and smile. I won't forget it.

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