“Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters” kicks off Season 4 with Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Sympathizer which was adapted into an HBO limited series and released in April 2024.

The Sympathizer is described as an espionage thriller and cross-cultural satire about the struggles of its narrator, a half-French half-Vietnamese communist spy or double agent, known only as “the Captain” during the final days of the American war in Vietnam. A “man of two minds,” the Captain arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon. While building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles he is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam. The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, and a powerful story of loyalty, love and friendship.

0:01 Introduction to podcast

1:20 Introduction to THE SYMPATHIZER2

:06 Cast and Creative Team for HBO series

3:11 Viet Thanh Nguyen, author introduction

5:04 Adapting THE SYMPATHIZER for TV/collaborating with Park Chan-wook

8:54 Representation and Pop Culture in THE SYMPATHIZER 

11:53 Satirizing Pop Culture and Hollywood (in THE SYMPATHIZER)

17:21 Multiple Identity and Historical Understanding

20:44 Podcast Subscriber Question: What makes The Captain "the sympathizer?"

23:18 The Boston Sisters reflect on Viet Thanh Nguyen conversation and THE SYMPATHIZER

25:58 Library of Congress Book Festival James Baldwin Panel

32:47 Where to watch THE SYMPATHIZER series and purchase the novel

33:01 Appreciation to Library of Congress

33:40 Where to watch THE SYMPATHIZER series and purchase the novel

35:52 Disclaimer

STAY ENGAGED with HISTORICAL DRAMA WITH THE BOSTON SISTERS

SUBSCRIBE to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform

ENJOY⁠ past podcasts and bonus episodes

⁠SIGN UP⁠ for our mailing list

SUPPORT this podcast ⁠ SHOP THE PODCAST⁠ on our affiliate bookstore

Buy us a Coffee! You can support by buying a coffee ☕ here — ⁠buymeacoffee.com/historicaldramasisters⁠

Thank you for listening!