Seeking a book from the perspective of a French planter during the colonial era of Vietnam. The closest I been able to learn about it is the brief section in the film "Indochine". Unfortunately, the actual era is not covered with any depth. There was a viable subculture pre WWII but I've yet to discover any works -fiction or non fiction - available. Perhaps someone here knows of something. TIA for any assistance.
If you're interested in reading a work of fiction, here are two recommendations:
The Quiet American, by Graham Greene. About an American bumbling around Indochina pre-Vietnam war and generally misunderstanding things. He's kind of become symbolic of clueless American foreign policy. It takes place during the 1950s and was published in 1955, so not affected by what the US subsequently did in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Lover, by Marguerite Duras. Based on a true story, as Duras grew up in Indochina in an impoverished family--she was born there in 1912. At a really young age (12?) she became the lover of a Vietnamese man. This is more an interpersonal drama and less a political issue.