A journalist takes us on a colorful and spicy gastronomic tour through Viêt Nam in this entertaining, offbeat travel memoirGrowing up in a small town in central England, Graham Holliday wasn't keen on travel. But in his early twenties, he saw a picture of Hà Nội that sparked his curiosity and propelled him halfway across the globe. Graham didn't want to be just a tourist in a foreign country, though; he was determined to live in it. An ordinary guy who liked trying interesting food, he moved to the capital city and embarked on a quest to find real Vietnamese food. In Eating Việt Nam, he chronicles his odyssey in this enticing, unfamiliar land infused with sublime smells and tastes.Traveling through the back alleys and across the boulevards of Hà Nội--where home cooks set up grills and stripped-down stands serve sumptuous fare on blue plastic furniture--he risked dysentery, giardia, and diarrhea to discover a culinary treasure trove that was truly unique. Graham shares every bite of the extraordinary fresh dishes--pungent and bursting with flavor--that he came to love in Hà Nội, Sài Gòn, and the countryside. Here, too, are the remarkable people who became a part of his new life, including his wife, Sophie.Funny, charming, and always delicious, Eating Việt Nam will inspire armchair travelers, those with curious palates, and everyone itching for a taste of adventure.