Thoug Vuong—Riddick was born in Hanoĥ in 1940151;during the French regime. Under Ng244;-Dinh Diëm, she moved to Saĥgon and obtained her BA degree, but was soon caught up in the war of political factions. In 1962 she went to Paris where she acquired a second BA, and MA and her Doctorate. She taught French in both Saĥgon and Paris. In 1969 she emigrated to Canada where she taught literature at McGill and the University of Montreal. In 1981 she moved to Victoria, BC, where she taught at the University of Victoria until 1989. Vuong—Riddick currently lives in Vancouver where she is a full—time writer and is at work on a history of her life in Vietnam.