Critical Evaluation "In films like 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Platoon,' the Vietnamese (often other Asians portraying Vietnamese) are never more than walk-ons whose principal roles seem to be to die or wail in the ashes of incinerated villages. Which brings me to Viet Thanh Nguyen’s remarkable debut novel, 'The Sympathizer.' ­Nguyen, born in Vietnam but raised in the United States, brings a distinct perspective to the war and its aftermath. His book fills a void in the literature, giving voice to the previously voiceless while it compels the rest of us to look at the events of 40 years ago in a [...]