The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Tran, Phuc. Sigh, Gone. Flatiron Books, 2020.

Phuc Tran hated Hoang Nguyen, the new kid in eleventh grade, because he was used to being the only Vietnamese student at his school. Phuc had lived in the mostly white town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania since his family immigrated there in the 1970s during the war. In 1978, Phuc was four years old. He learned how to pronounce his name in English. In 1979, Phuc and his younger brother Lou played with a blond boy in his backyard, having mistaken it for a playground. Phuc’s family visited a church in Philadelphia to pray for Phuc’s mother, who needed surgery for cancer. Phuc’s parents gave him a Big Mac container to reuse for his school lunch and his classmates made fun of him. Phuc’s grandmother Ba Ngoai yelled at 10-year-old Uncle Thai for losing his bike. Some kids had beaten up Thai and stolen his bike, but he stole the bike back with his brothers. Phuc pinched Lou after his mother told him to stop, so she hit him with a magazine. She cut him and apologized.

In 1980, Phuc wanted to buy Star Wars trading cards but Ba Ngoai said they could not afford it. He stole the cards and a pack of gum anyway. She hit his hands with scissors when she found out. Phuc’s father often beat him. One day, the beating hurt so bad that Phuc could not sit down in class. His teacher visited home to tell his parents that they could not beat him so much in America. Phuc’s classmate Derek bullied him, making fun of his appearance and calling him racial slurs. Phuc won a contest for writing about being thankful that his grandparents were safe in America.

In 1981, Phuc and Lou played at church. Angry, their father abandoned Phuc on the side of the road during their drive home. Eventually, Phuc’s mother convinced him to turn back and pick Phuc up. Phuc and Lou played a game with their great-grandmother Ba Co where she pretended to be a witch. There was a fire in her apartment and she died from the smoke inhalation. Phuc thought he had seen her ghost that night. In 1982, Phuc’s father brought Phuc and his friend to the movies, but both boys fell asleep in the theater.

In 1983, Phuc and Lou were pillow-fighting in their room past their bedtime. Their parents left the house when the boys refused to listen to them. In 1984, Phuc wanted to change his name to Peter after Spiderman’s Peter Parker. He had his teacher announce it to the class, but then changed his mind when one of his peers told him that Peter was another word for penis. Phuc’s older cousin Thuan showed him adult magazines. Then his friend Max let him borrow an erotic book about a hooker. The book discussed the stereotype that Asian men have smaller penises, which made Phuc feel embarrassed.

In 1985, Phuc noticed the racism in the movies he watched that included Asian characters. In 1986, Phuc’s family moved across town and he went to a new school for eighth grade. Excited to leave his childhood friend group of nerds, he became a part of the punk skater group. His friends Liam and Dylan inducted him into the group. In 1987, the vice principal had to cancel a fight planned between Phuc and his classmate Travis. Liam and Dylan shared punk rock tapes with Phuc. Phuc went to the library to learn more about the music. He sold his comics to buy shirts and records of his favorite bands. For Halloween, he egged people’s houses with his friends and Lou. He had a brief sexual relationship with an older girl Charlotte at school, before realizing that he did not have romantic feelings for her. In 1988, Phuc and his family looked through old family photographs to save them from a flood in their basement.

Phuc learned that his friend Philip Lehmann took Advanced Placement classes. Philip gave Phuc a copy of The Stranger by Albert Camus. Phuc loved the book and read more of Camus’ works. He spoke about the books in English class. Phuc’s parents gave him a stereo system for Christmas. Phuc failed gym class for not wearing his full uniform, which prevented him from making the honor roll on his report card. Phuc’s father was so angry that he broke all of Phuc’s records. Fearful for his life, Phuc left the house and stayed with his friends and uncle for a few weeks. Eventually, Phuc’s mother called and convinced him to return home. Phuc’s father had left his stereo untouched. Phuc received straight A’s and honor roll on his next report card.

Phuc and his friend Pauly got caught by police officers for skating on a college campus. Phuc began working at the library. He found The Lifetime Reading Plan by Clifton Fadiman and bought dozens of books from the list at the library’s fundraiser sale. He attended a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest at a local college with his English teacher and loved it. A group of white power skinheads emerged in town. Lou punched one of them for being a Nazi.

Phuc read The Autobiography of Malcolm X and thought about racism. While Phuc worked at the gas station, a man made a racist comment about Asian people. Phuc wrote an editorial about it for the school paper. He applied to college. During an interview, the alumnus made a generalized statement about Asian students. Phuc decided to go to Bard College on a scholarship. His peers elected him to give a speech at graduation. Travis bullied Phuc again, but Phuc’s friend volunteered to fight him to save him from getting suspended. A local reporter interviewed Phuc and his parents about graduating and Phuc could tell that his father was proud of him. After the graduation ceremony, Phuc went to the All-American Diner with his girlfriend.