How important do you think music and poetry are in the Vietnamese culture? How important are they in your own culture?

"I was determined to sing on. I learned then that as long as I have my voice, I am still alive," says Grandma Dieu Lan. Give examples of music and poetry that are represented in the novel. How important do you think music and poetry are in the Vietnamese culture? How important are they in your own culture?

I think poetry and music is important in every culture. I am mistrustful of a person or place that doesn't resonate with one or the other. preferably always a resonation with both to develop a richness of thought.

Music, poetry and art seem highly important to the Vietnamese. It is a part of their heritage as in other countries.

Music, poetry and art are so important to all cultures. They provide invaluable insight into a country's history and belief systems throughout the years.

I feel that social media distracts so many people from taking time to listen to music - "really listen" and from looking at art, reading poetry and other historic writings. Everyone seems to be in a rush and just skims the surface, just enough to say they're familiar with other cultures, including their own.

It's so important for us all to slow down and breathe and take the time, quality time, to focus without distraction.

I honestly don't know a lot about Vietnamese culture - but after reading this book, I want to learn more.

I think music and poetry are extremely important in Vietnamese culture, perhaps more so than many other cultures. American diversity has stranded us far from our early family music and poetry. I think Amanda Gorman’s reading of her poetry at the Inauguration illustrated that we as Americans need poetry, too.

I believe that every culture has poetry and music, but sometimes other countries' music and poetry may not seem as melodious or appealing if the listeners have limited exposure. That, in turn, might create the false impression that there is a lack of these arts.

So very important and are really the history that is passed down and that is what Grandma Dieu Lan did. All cultures have a variation of this, but in this digital age much is being lost because who can preserve a text, a tweet, or a snapchat? We need to get back to storytelling be it in music, poetry or a more permanent form of writing.