Roses from the Crimson Rock: an illustrated memoir
by Ferrante, Angelina
$16.05
Description
Told through vivid, hand-rendered illustrations and shaped by a decade of careful storytelling, this illustrated memoir traces the author's family's extraordinary, multigenerational journey from Communist Vietnam to the United States.
Spanning the brutal land reform campaigns of the 1950s, multiple escape attempts, crushing postwar poverty, and a perilous sea crossing in the 1980s-where they faced pirates, storms, and the constant threat of death-the story is one of endurance, sacrifice, and fierce love.
What begins as a harrowing flight from violence and oppression becomes, over generations, a deeply personal chronicle of reunion, healing, and the slow, uneven work of building a new sense of home in America.
This memoir will appeal to readers of literary and graphic memoirs drawn to themes of immigration, identity, and resilience. Fans of Thi Bui's The Best We Could Do, Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Art Spiegelman's Maus, and Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed's When Stars Are Scattered will resonate with its emotional depth, visual storytelling, and multigenerational journey. It also speaks to readers seeking diverse, personal perspectives on history, healing, and belonging.
About the Author
Mina Ho Ferrante is a Vietnamese-born visual artist, writer, and illustrator whose creative work is deeply rooted in her cultural heritage. Born and raised in Vietnam until the age of 21, Mina grew up in a family with a rich legacy in painting. Her great-grandfather, Nguyễn Khắc Nhân (1840-1917), served as a royal portraitist during the Nguyễn dynasty, and her maternal grandmother, Maria Mộng Hoa (Nguyễn Thị Phi Phụng, 1913-1986), is celebrated as the first female painter from the Huế-Đà Nẵng region. Several other relatives were also painters, shaping Mina's early artistic environment.
She emigrated to the United States in 1990 and later earned her BFA from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Selected for Walt Disney's Animation Training Boot Camp, she went on to work as a background designer for Disney films including Atlantis, Treasure Planet, Tarzan 2, and Lilo and Stitch 2.
Now based in Burbank, California, Mina continues to paint, write, and teach. Her work has been exhibited in both solo and group shows across Vietnam and the U.S., earning numerous awards and appearing in venues such as the Haggin Museum, the Triton Museum, and the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts.
Mina is also a published author and illustrator. Her debut, Prince of the Sea, is a bilingual fictional tale she both wrote and illustrated. Her latest work, Roses from the Crimson Rock: An Illustrated Memoir, offers a poignant visual story of war, escape, and healing.
She recently completed a master's degree in Language Arts and the History of Art and is finalizing her certification in Art Therapy. Beyond her professional endeavors, Mina remains active in community work, teaching drawing and painting to both children and adults.
Product Details
- May 5, 2025 Pub Date:
- 9798282074239 ISBN-10:
- 9798282074239 ISBN-13:
- English Language
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