McSweeney's Presents "The Make Believers"
May 15, 2025 • 5:00-7:00 pm CDT • Chicago, IL
At this event Vu Tran and Thi Bui—co-editors of a special issue of McSweeney’s magazine featuring work from writers and artists in the Vietnamese diaspora—will be joined by fellow contributor Isabelle Pelaud for a reading and celebration of the issue’s publication on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. As part of the “New Directions in Contemporary Literary Publishing” initiative organized by the Neubauer Collegium Arts Labs research project, the event will also include a roundtable discussion on the issue’s innovative art design, its thematic engagement with the Vietnamese diasporic experience, and the unique art residency in France that inspired the issue and brought together all the featured writers and artists.
“The Best We Could Do” Reading and Signing at University of Texas
April 3, 2024 • 6:00-7:30 pm • Austin, TX
The Center for Asian American Studies, American Studies, Department of English and New Writers Project welcome Thi Bui for a reading and book signing.
2024 Kim T. Adamson Lecture: The Best We Could Do with Thi Bui
April 2, 2024 • 5:00 pm • Salt Lake City, UT
In this presentation, artist Thi Bui discusses her powerful, award-winning graphic novel, The Best We Could Do, which chronicles the anguish of immigration during her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s.
Echoes of the Past: Viet Thanh Nguyen on Writing the Vietnamese-American Story | Moderated by: Thi Bui
March 16, 2024 • 10:00–10:45 am • New Orleans, LA
The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University brings the world’s leading authors to the university’s uptown campus for a multi-day celebration for book lovers of all ages. Viet Thanh Nguyen will be speaking about his work with Thi Bui on Saturday, March 16th.
An Evening with Author and Illustrator Thi Bui
February 22, 2024 • 7:00 pm EST • Wilmington, DE
New Castle County Libraries is thrilled to bring the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read Program to our community. Author and illustrator Thi Bui will discuss her work. Author signing to follow.
Immigration, Identity, and the Arts: The Best We Could Do
June 1, 2023 • 4:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm CT • Saint Paul, MN + Virtual Appearance
Bao Phi and Thi Bui will be our featured guests for this event (Bui participating virtually). They will be joined by Chinese pipa player and composer Gao Hong and Hmong composer Kevin Phoojywg Xiong, who will share their own musical responses.
Book in Common: Thi Bui
April 5, 2023 • 7:30 pm • Chico, CA
Artist and author Thi Bui will speak about her debut graphic novel memoir, The Best We Could Do. Tickets free for Chico State and Butte College students.
48 Years After the End of the Vietnam War: A Continued Conversation About Empathy & Healing
March 17, 2023 • 6:00 pm • Oakland, CA
Join us at OACC for a powerful author talk and reading with author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and her new novel, Dust Child. Author Thi Bui will moderate a discussion with Quế Mai about intergenerational trauma, racism, the cost of war, and healing and reconciliation among the Vietnamese community and between Vietnam and the United States.
Angela Pham Krans and Thi Bui — “Finding Papa” Book Launch
February 19, 2023 • 5:00 pm • Decatur, GA
Help Angela Pham Krans and Thi Bui celebrate the release of their beautiful new picture book, Finding Papa.
NEA Big Read: Columbus — Master Class: Thi Bui
February 18, 2023 • 9:00–10:00 am • Columbus, GA
Our NEA Big Read author Thi Bui will lead a master class on using the graphic novel form as a structure for memoir and a device for familial healing.
NEA Big Read: Columbus — An Evening with Author Thi Bui
February 17, 2023 • 7:30–9:00 pm • Columbus, GA
Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet our NEA Big Read author Thi Bui.
Books on the Garden: Chicken of the Sea with Viet Thanh Nguyen, Thi Bui, Ellison Nguyen and Hien Bui-Stafford
November 19, 2022 • 1:00 pm • San Francisco, CA
Join us for a story time and conversation with Chicken of the Sea coauthors, father and son team Viet Thanh Nguyen and Ellison Nguyen, and the book's illustrators, mother and son team Thi Bui and Hien Bui-Stafford.
The Big Read: Thi Bui in Conversation With LeUyen Pham
April 30, 2022 • 1:00 pm PT / 4:00 pm ET • Virtual
The Los Angeles Public Library is proud to present Thi Bui, author of this year's Big Read book, The Best We Could Do. She will be in conversation with children's book illustrator and writer LeUyen Pham.
2022 Big Read Keynote Address: Thi Bui, author of The Best We Could Do in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Viet Thanh Nguyen
April 5, 2022 • 3:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm ET • Virtual
Join us for a virtual talk and Q&A with this year’s Big Read featured author, Thi Bui as she discusses this award-winning graphic memoir.
Reading Together 2022 — Meet the Author: Thi Bui
March 22, 2022 • 4:00 pm PT / 7:00 pm ET • Virtual
Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce its Reading Together 2022 title, The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by award-winning author and cartoonist Thi Bui. Meet the author virtually on KPL’s live streaming event site, KPL Live.
Eastern 21 Big Read — Keynote by Thi Bui
November 10, 2021 • 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET • Virtual
Welcome to our Keynote address by Thi Bui, author of the award winning graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do, sponsored, in part, by the award from the NEA Big Read.
46 Years After the End of the Vietnam War: A Conversation About Empathy & Healing
May 1, 2021 • 5:30 pm PT / 8:30 pm ET • Virtual
In commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Quế Mai, author of The Mountains Sing, and Thi Bui, 2018 Caldecott Honor winner and Eisner Award finalist for her illustrated memoir, The Best We Could Do, will join in a special conversation with Philip Nguyen, President of the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA).