Whether you’re planning to visit Vietnam or you’re already a resident, language barriers often make it hard to truly get the country’s history, culture and people. So VnExpress International asked two famous authors for their all-time favorite Vietnamese books translated into English.
“I always hesitate to prepare such a list, since any list inevitably will exclude too many authors and works,” American author, literature professor and editor of the Voices from Vietnam book series Wayne Karlin wrote in an email.
"My apologies in advance to all of them!" he added.
It is indeed a daunting task to sort out the best literary voices from Vietnam. So we also reached out to Hoang Hung, a 75-year-old Vietnamese poet, translator, former teacher and journalist, for help.
The two authors gave us this exciting list of 15 important Vietnamese titles. They are either classics written centuries ago or modern classics that touch on colonization, wars, and life after war, all told through the Vietnamese kaleidoscope.
Quynh Trang
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Ho Xuan Huong, translated by John Balaban
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Nguyen Du, translated by Huynh Sanh Thong
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Dang Tran Con, Doan Thi Diem, translated by Rewi Alley
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Bao Ninh, translated by Phan Thanh Hao, edited by Frank Palmos
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Le Minh Khue, translated by Dana Sachs, Bac Hoai Tran
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Ho Anh Thai, translated by Nguyen Qui Duc, edited by Wayne Karlin
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Ma Van Khang, translated by Phan Thanh Hao & Wayne Karlin
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Nguyen Khai, translated by Phan Thanh Hao and Wayne Karlin
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Doan Le, translated by Rosemary Nguyen, Duong Tuong and Wayne Karlin
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Da Ngan, translated by Rosemary Nguyen and Wayne Karlin
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Lam Thi My Da, translated by Martha Collins, Dinh Thuy
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Nguyen Huy Thiep, translated and edited by Dana Sachs, Nguyen Nguyet Cam
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Vu Trong Phung, translated by Peter Zinoman and Nguyen Nguyet Cam
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Paul Hoover, Nguyen Do
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Nguyen Duy, translated by Ba Chung Nguyen, Kevin Bowen