Kim Thúy

Kim Thúy Ly Thanh is a Vietnamese-born Canadian writer known for her French-language fiction.

Kim Thúy Ly Thanh is a Vietnamese-born Canadian writer known for her French-language fiction. Born in Saigon in 1968, she came to Quebec as a child refugee and later became an acclaimed novelist and public figure in Montreal.

Early life and immigration

Kim Thúy was born in Saigon, South Vietnam, in 1968. She left Vietnam with her family as a child refugee and settled in Quebec, where she learned French and later built her career.

Writing career

Thúy writes primarily in French and is associated with Quebec literature. Her debut novel, Ru (2009), won the Governor General’s Literary Award for French-language fiction. She has since published other novels including Mãn, Vi, and Em. Her writing often explores migration, identity, memory, and cultural displacement, and her books have been translated into many languages.

Awards and recognition

Thúy won the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2010 for Ru and has received other honours in Canada and abroad, including the Order of Canada. Her work has been widely translated and distributed internationally.

Other work and public life

Before becoming a full-time author, Thúy worked in several fields, including as a lawyer, translator, interpreter, seamstress, restaurateur, and television host. She is based in Montreal and remains active in Canadian literary life. Her career reflects the experiences of Vietnamese refugees who settled in Canada.