In Memory of Andrew Xuan Pham
(1967–2025)
Author, Teacher, Visionary
A tribute by VONA alum, Nahshon Dion
Andrew X. Pham, the award-winning Vietnamese American author, journalist, translator, and engineer, passed away on April 30, 2025. A funeral service was held in Thailand, and his ashes were scattered in the ocean on May 6. His death is a profound loss to the literary world. Andrew was a brilliant storyteller and a generous spirit—a rare gem in an often-cruel industry.
Born in Vietnam in 1967, Pham immigrated to the U.S. with his family, initially settling in Shreveport, Louisiana. He earned a degree in aerospace engineering from UCLA. He worked as an aircraft engineer at United Airlines while simultaneously pursuing dual graduate degrees—an M.B.A. and an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, focusing on orbital debris.
But a devastating personal tragedy changed the course of his life: the suicide of his beloved trans sibling, Minh. That loss became the catalyst for his departure from engineering and a transformative journey back to Vietnam, chronicled in his groundbreaking memoir Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam (1999). The book received widespread acclaim, earning the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize, the QPB Nonfiction Prize, and the Oregon Literature Prize. It was named a New York Times Notable Book and recognized by The Guardian, Barnes & Noble, and Borders for its lyrical prose and originality.
His second book, The Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars (2009), was a National Book Critics Circle finalist and honored by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association. He also translated Last Night I Dreamed of Peace (2008) and authored A Theory of Flight: Recollections (2012). His first novel, Twilight Territory, was published in 2024.
Andrew also received a Whiting Writers' Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Montalvo Fellowship. He lived simply along the Mekong River on the Thai-Laos border, in a wooden bungalow he built himself. He led cycling tours through Southeast Asia, taught writing, and launched a Kickstarter-backed culinary-literary project, A Southeast Asian Love Affair: My Cookbook Diary of Travels, Flavors and Memories.
I met Andrew in 2015 at the Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA) writing workshop in Miami. I had submitted a deeply personal piece called Morphine, about my first love who died by suicide. Andrew called it “heart-wrenching and powerful.” Studying with him that summer, just weeks after the Charleston church massacre, changed my life. Andrew offered thoughtful guidance, introduced me to his literary agent, and wrote a glowing recommendation for my Camargo Fellowship application later that year.
What struck me most about Andrew wasn’t just his literary genius—it was his generosity. He followed up on my writing, asked about my well-being, and shared updates on his own work. I remember him saying, “Writing the last chapter of my book. And then editing the huge bugger... 60 chapters, some 500-pages.” He loved his students, the VONA community, and remained committed to supporting emerging writers despite challenges. When I asked him about VONA’s future, he replied:
“I love VONA, the students, the spirit, and the community. Fingers crossed. There are good people in VONA. I hope they'll rise to the top.”
On Thursday, May 8th, my friend and fellow writer Jackie Reason, whom I met in Andrew’s VONA class, shared the heartbreaking news with me. Andrew's passing feels personal, like a chapter closing too soon. But his words, wisdom, and spirit remain.
Perhaps it’s only fitting to remember him in his own words, a credo that reflected his ethos as a writer and a man:
“My life is my own. At times, I am the most demanding boss and the most diligent worker. I write for myself, at my own leisure. The act of writing is a journey and like all journeys, it will come to an end someday. Meanwhile, I intend to enjoy it.” – Andrew X. Pham
Here are a few tributes to honor his life and legacy:
“Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Andrew X. Pham, the stunning author of the memoir Catfish and Mandala. I was Andrew’s paperback editor at Picador USA. His book was phenomenal.” – Alicia Brooks
“If you can buy one book, buy this masterful memoir by Andrew X. Pham. May he rest in peace. His work will live on and in our hearts. He taught me at VONA what memoir could be. You've changed your students’ lives, Andrew, and all of your readers’ hearts. The heavens have their scribe.” – Juanita E. Mantz Pelaez
“I vividly recall my time in VONA and my elation when I learned I was selected to attend Andrew X Pham's memoir workshop. Initially, I was unfamiliar with his work, but soon learned he was a humble, unassuming, and gifted teacher. Every artist should encounter someone in their life who believes in their abilities. Over the years, Andrew continued to encourage and support my writing aspirations. I will always treasure his influence and honor his memory.” – Jackie Reason
Rest in power, Andrew Xuan Pham. Your pen lit paths through memory, war, grief, and joy—and we are better for having read your words and known your heart. – Nahshon Dion