The Book of Salt

For this week’s library book selection, I have The Book of Salt that tells the story of a Vietnamese cook employed by Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.

The time-period of the book was the 1920s and 1930s during a time of war, political and economic instability, that also produced new and modern forms of artistic expression.

The women were part of the literary and art scene in Paris. From the point-of-view of Binh, he becomes part of the nightlife of salons that gathers together artists, outsiders, and exiles.

Binh himself lived in Saigon during the colonial rule. He spent time as part of the crew on a ship. In Paris, he would meet the musician Paul Robeson, and the future revolutionary, Ho Chi Minh.

Truong wrote two more books of fiction, and the most recent children’s book, Mai’s Ao Dai published in 2025.

Originally Published on December 4, 2025