Brinson Demery '98 on Daily Show
7 November 2013 Brinson Demery 98 on Daily Show
Monique Brinson Demery 98 recently appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, discussing Finding the Dragon Lady: The Mystery of Vietnams Madame Nhu, which was published in September.
Demerys first book, Finding the Dragon Lady chronicles her search for Madame Nhu, the infamous and controversial first lady of the former Republic of South Vietnam. Nhu is remembered for her fiery attitude and controversial politics, particularly during the time leading up to the Vietnam War, earning her the nickname Dragon Lady in Western media.
Stewart and Demery discussed her interactions with the Dragon Lady, including her difficulty earning Nhus trust and how she managed to do so. Demery also discusses why Nhu was an important historical figure, noting she was pretty astute as a politician and among those who directly influenced President John F. Kennedys decisions.
Demery graduated from William Smith with a bachelor of arts in French and political science. She was a recipient of a U.S. Department of Education grant to attend the Vietnamese Advanced Summer Institute in Hanoi, and in 2003 she graduated from Harvard University with a masters degree in East Asia regional studies.
Her segment on Jon Stewart can be seen online.
A Daily Update article featured Demerys work.