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DHARMA HERITAGE PROJECT
Taking Refuge in L.A.
Photography by Don Farber, Text by Rick Fields, Introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh. 108 pages,
11 x 9, 42 b&w photographs, softcover. (Aperture, Inc., 1987)
A testament o the regenerative power of the human spirit, Taking Refuge in L.A. explores the experiences of the Vietnamese Buddhist refugees in America. In the tradition of great documentary photographers, Don Farber shares an intimate view of the Vietnamese people and their spiritual way of life. Author Rick Fields illuminates the tragic and moving history of Vietnamese Buddhists, both before, during, and after the Vietnam War, focusing on their courageous attempt to sustain their rich cultural and spiritual heritage in America.”
~ from the back cover of Taking Refuge in L.A.
“The photographs, the text, and the letter from Nhat Hanh are deeply moving. A fine useful dharma-spreading book.”
-- Gary Snyder, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
"A very significant study. A perfect ethnography."
-- John Collier, Jr., FSA photographer and author of Visual Anthropology: Photography as a Research Method.
“Illustrates stunningly the tangled karma of America and Vietnam. But the photographs are much more than documentary. The best of them are eternal. They capture the peace that - in spite of these people’s suffering, their loneliness and struggle for survival in a new land - is at the center of this community’s tranquil heart."
- LA Weekly
“One of the very best interpreters of the Vietnamese experience in America.” --Francis H. Cook, Buddhist scholar
“Include Don Farber’s endearing photographs, Rick Fields’ cogent text, and Thich Nhat Hanh’s stern appeal to conscience in any assessment of the Vietnam War and it’s aftermath.” -- Robert Aitken-roshi, Zen teacher
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