Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In

For anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong,Sigh, Gone shares an irreverent, funny, and moving tale ofdisplacement and assimilation woven together with poignant themesfrom beloved works of classic literature.In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, Phuc Tran immigrates toAmerica along with his family. By sheer chance they land inCarlisle, Pennsylvania, a small town where the Trans struggle toassimilate into their new life. In this coming-of-age memoir toldthrough the themes of great books such as The Metamorphosis, TheScarlet Letter, The Iliad, and more, Tran navigates the push andpull of finding and accepting himself despite the challenges ofimmigration, feelings of isolation, and teenage rebellion, allwhile attempting to meet the rigid expectations set by hisimmigrant parents.Appealing to fans of coming-of-age memoirs such as Fresh Off theBoat, Running with Scissors, or tales of assimilation like VietThanh Nguyen's The Displaced and The Refugees, Sigh, Gone exploresone man’s bewildering experiences of abuse, racism, and tragedy andreveals redemption and connection in books and punk rock. Againstthe hairspray-and-synthesizer backdrop of the ‘80s, he finds solaceand kinship in the wisdom of classic literature, and in thesubculture of punk rock, he finds affirmation and echoes of hisdisaffection. In his journey for self-discovery Tran ultimatelyfinds refuge and inspiration in the art that shapes—and ultimatelysaves—him.