Published January 21, 2014
Genaro K峄� L媒 Smith, the author of 鈥淭he Land Baron鈥檚 Sun: The Story of Ly Loc and His
Seven Wives,鈥� will speak at the University of Louisiana of Monroe as a guest of the
School of Humanities and the English Department, at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Jan. 29,
in Hemphill Hall, Room 134 on the 四色AV campus.
The event is free and open to the public.
Smith, an instructor of literature, composition, and creative writing at Louisiana
Tech University, wrote the story鈥� which is told through poetry鈥� after speaking to
his family about his grandfather鈥檚 life as a major commander in the South Vietnamese
Army.
鈥淭he Land Baron鈥檚 Sun鈥� chronicles the life of Smith鈥檚 grandfather Ly Loc. Loc was
a landowner, a father, a husband to seven wives, and a successful soldier.
After the Fall of Saigon, Ly Loc was captured and placed in a hard labor re-education
camp. Smith鈥檚 poems delve into L媒 Loc鈥檚 childhood and adult life, his years spent
in the re-education camp, and his wives鈥� and children鈥檚 fate鈥攂oth in Vietnam and in
America.
Genaro K峄� L媒 Smith was born in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and earned a bachelor of arts in
English from California State University, Northridge, and an M.A. and M.F.A. in creative
writing from McNeese State University.
His works have been published in numerous literary journals and magazines. He currently
resides in Ruston with his wife and their two daughters.
