Structure

This book is divided into three major sections, “Ethics,” “Industries,” and “Aesthetics,” which are furthered divided into three chapters each. Though thematically linked, each section stands mostly independently in exploring its topic. The Ethics section primarily addresses Nguyen’s conception of the ethics of remembering one’s own and the ethics of remembering others, both of which Nguyen argues are insufficient for just memory. The Industries section discusses industries of memory and their relationship with war machine. The constituent chapters of this section are the most distinct; each covers the industry of a different country. The Aesthetics sections addresses artists, focusing on writers, and the role they play in memory. The book begins and ends with smaller sections titled “Just Memory” and “Just Forgetting,” respectively. These summarize and condense Nguyen’s primary arguments. Within each chapter, Nguyen shifts fluidly between direct argument, quoting other literature, and the...