Worlds Apart: My Personal Life Journey through Transcultural Poverty, Privilege, and Passion

Worlds Apart is a deeply personal and beautifully written narrative about being plunged into a new culture as a child - and daring to emerge as a unique presence in an adopted
society. Moving from war-torn Vietnam to the United States, the author’s uniquely uninhibited voice delivers blunt honesty and new insights regarding the power of human resilience and love. Raw and real, Mai Le’s journey will resonate for so many people, offering reflections on family, identity, love and financial struggles. Her story transcends all the things that we think make us different, showing how they can actually help to bring us together. I’m very happy that my friend Mai could be so brave, authentic and emotionally naked in her book Worlds Apart. Her story is fascinating, heart-wrenching, astounding - and ultimately inspiring. Born on a muddy river-bank in Vietnam, Mai at times feels emotionally bankrupt and heartbroken - but there are also many uplifting moments of insight, forgiveness, and even euphoria.

John Templeton Director of Admissions (retired) Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs

In this quite startling account, Mai Kim Le reveals her most vulnerable self as she strives to transcend unspoken traumas that still haunt her - and she discovers her true self in the process. Worlds Apart will help us to comprehend what our ever-evolving American society is really all about.

Loan Dao, PhD Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies Saint Mary’s College of CA

Worlds Apart is a moving memoir that grapples with racism, immigration, poverty, movement up the economic ladder, friendship, family, and mental health. By exploring challenging issues, Mai Le renders the invisible visible.

Shelly Tenenbaum Professor of Sociology Clark University