March 29, 2011 ive been lucky enough to do a lot of traveling. The year is 1548, and the chinese empire faces an imminent mongol invasion. I loved this book, and cared deeply about the characters brought to life by shors clear sensitivity to the plight of the unseen and unwanted in. A time existed, after i graduated from college, when i taught english in japan and then backpacked around asia. While exploring vietnam, shors felt connected to its people as most of them were quite hospitable to him. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and besi. Shorss third novel tells an absorbing story weakened by. Unbound by john shors meet your next favorite book. Cross currents john shors author 2011 beside a burning sea john shors author 2008 dragon house john shors author 2009 beside a burning sea john shors author richard poe narrator 2009 dragon house john shors author jennifer ikeda. Tuesday at the highlands ranch tattered cover, 9315 dorchester st at 7.
John has also spoken via speakerphone with more than 3,000 book clubs. Even now after finishing it these children are still on my mind. Set in modernday vietnam, dragon house tells the tale of iris and noahtwo americans, who, as a. Critically acclaimed novelist john shors travels in asia add texture to this affecting tale of two americans in vietnam. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview john as well.
There arent too many books about vietnam barring war stories, so for many readers, dragon house will provide a unique glimpse into a. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and beside a burning seathe new novel from a master storyteller, set in contemporary asia. Iris is just one of the main characters in john shors dragon house and shes had a tough childhood with a mostly absent vietnam veteran father. Guided travel in india with bestselling author john shors. Shors claims that he never writes novels to pass his personal thoughts to the readers.
This part of the world is known well by john shors. Author interview with john shors paperbackswap blog. From john shors comes an unforgettable story of redemption set in modernday vietnam. Lafayette author shors returns with more scenery, textured. This book shines with love,forgiveness,hope,sorrow and beauty. Noah, her childhood friend and also a veteran but of the iraq war, accompanies her to vietnam as iris strives to fulfill her fathers dream. The fall 2011 one book one community selection is dragon house by john shors. Behind the book dragon house by john shors bookpage.
He journeyed through many asian cities after college. After graduating from colorado college, john shors lived for several years in kyoto, japan. Were you aware that so many children around the world are homeless. John not only painted the picture perfectly of the needs of these misplaced children, but is actively helping them through awareness and financial support. The author was able to travel to vietnam several times as in his other travels in asia was impressed with large numbers of street children. The story focuses a lot on the street children in vietnam and i found even when i put this book down in between reading it that i thought of these children. The story takes place in vietnam, ho chi minh city. All that prevents the violent end of a dynasty is the great wall. Dragon house is mainly about the street children in ho chi minh city. In the slums of a city that has known little but war. In the slums of a city that has known little but war for generations, iris and noah. An exhilarating tale with an engaging protagonist that will have readers eagerly anticipating sequels. In his book, john shors explores the idea of true love and dedication in a world where individuals are bound by servitude, gender, labels, and circumstance.
I found beside a burning sea by john shors, a novel set during world. City, in dragon house and tsunamis in thailand cross currents. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and beside a burning seathe new novel from a master storyteller amy tan set in contemporary asia. Dragon house tells the tale of iris and noahtwo americans who, as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open a center to house and educate vietnamese street children. John shors is one of my most favorite authors and dragon house is a wonder. The cover of john shors new novel, the demon seekers.
Dragon house by john shors is a wonderful story of healing, redemption and love. Unbound transports one back to the great wall of china when the chinese were defending their country from the mongols. John shors books list of books by author john shors thriftbooks. Dragon house by john shors is a book that i can honestly say has affected me. If you go what local author john shors speaks and signs his new novel, dragon house. Ambition is not uncommon in the world of young writers, but john shors still manages to stand out as an author unlike any other.
John shors has written a wonderful novel about two american lives shaped by an encounter with the lives of the vietnamese people in this present age, decades. Now he is traveling all over the country to promote his critically applauded debut by personally visiting local. With unbound, shors recreates an ancient and celebrated chinese legend about a pair of young lovers separated by war and the great wall. His descriptions of the sights and sounds of vietnam were vivid, i can still feel the thrill of being on a scooter in ho chi minh city. Interview with john shors, author of the dragon house. In dragon house john shors paints such a vivid picture of the lives of vietnamese street children and the tourists they need in order to survive, you would swear it was written by one of them. Colorado author john shors first two books, beneath a marble sky and beside a burning sea, have been national bestsellers and local favorites. Boulder novelist john shors fans are following him around the world. The story of vietnams street children bookpage behind the book by john shors. This page provides resources for more information vietnamese culture and history, as well as the plight of these children. At the outset of a book, i always have certain characters in mind, and i write from their perspectives.
The rescue of mai and minh belatedly transforms the book into a thriller, complete with cameraready scooter chase scenes, as noah and thien pursue loc. It is wonderfully written and touched me personally on many levels and made me cry at least twice. John shors books list of books by author john shors. Dragon house by john shors meet your next favorite book. Dragon house is themed around vietnam street children. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and beside a burning seaa new novel set in modernday vietnam. See all books authored by john shors, including beneath a marble sky, and.
Dragon hacker dragon nest indonesia pages directory. John shors in order to deal with their painful pasts, two americans open a center to house and educate vietnamese street children, and amidst all the suffering and poverty, learn the true meaning of sacrifice. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and beside a burning seathe new novel from a master storyteller, set in. From the critically acclaimed author of beneath a marble sky and beside a.
In addition to these two works, john is the author of dragon house. The fascination also led shors to travel across the country, extensively. First, he spent five years writing the authentic, romantic beneath a marble sky, a novel narrated by jahanara, the daughter of taj mahal creator shah jahan. Proceeds will go to a childrens charity in cambodia. Do you think john shors tried to draw comparisons between the. When iris father, a vietnam vet, makes a dying wish that she take over the operation of a shelter for street children in ho chi minh city, she. A tale of sacrifice, rebirth, and above all inspiration, dragon house connects with readers on the most human of all levels. John shors reimagined one of the worlds greatest love storiesthe romance that inspired the taj mahalin his critically acclaimed, international bestseller beneath a marble sky.
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