Project Description
The Other Side of Heaven: Postwar Fiction by Vietnamese and American Writers includes stories about the aftermath of the Vietnam War as told by thirty-seven American, North Vietnamese, and South Vietnamese writers. The book's editors, now all writers, stood on opposing sides during the war: A Vietnam veteran, a female soldier for the North Vietnamese, and an expatriate former South Vietnamese soldier. By giving equal voice to the Vietnamese and Americans, the anthology sought to establish the human effects of the aftermath of war for both sides and to create a reconciliation through literature. In 1995 the book and its editors and authors went on national tour to colleges and community settings in hopes of facilitating a healing discussion. The anthology was published and the tour mounted by Curbstone Press, of Willimantic, Connecticut, a nonprofit publishing house dedicated to literature that reflects a commitment to social change.

Civic Engagement/Dialogue Activities
The month-long book tour of The Other Side of Heaven was hosted largely by colleges and universities and consisted of readings, signings, and discussions. Curbstone Press frequently "piggybacked" discussions at public libraries, high schools, and bookstores. Curbstone worked to gain significant attention in the media at tour locations, including print media coverage and radio call-in shows when appropriate. The tour had the effect of personalizing the Vietnam War. Le Minh Khue, the North Vietnamese writer/coeditor, found that many American veterans were deeply moved by her writing. She observed that the enemy, suddenly personified, was no longer an invisible demon but someone who experienced the same suffering they had.

Information Sources
Information Sources: Karlin, Wayne. "Travel to the Other Side of Heaven." The WA Veteran, March 1996. LaSalle, Peter. "Both Sides Now: A Gathering of Fictional Perspectives on the Unforgettable War." The Texas Observer, January 26, 1996. Blumenthal, Ralph. "After Vietnam War, A Literary Healing." The New York Times, October 21, 1995.