Heartwarming "True Stories"

"True Stories" (Hong Duc Publishing House - 2025) is a collection of short stories by author Vu My Dung, a member of the Dak Lak Provincial Association of Literature and Arts. Using a narrative, relatable style, the author recounts stories from everyday life, about family and neighbors, with sincere and warm feelings.

Perhaps this is a rather special collection of stories, containing only four short stories across nearly 240 pages. More accurately, these short stories resemble the author's memoirs, distilled from beautiful memories and unforgettable impressions of events and people intertwined in the author's life. Therefore, the author recounts these stories intimately and freely, pouring out their heart through the pages.

The story begins with a gentle, endearing tale about the family's special pets: three dogs, one cat, and one squirrel. They are all very clever and affectionate. Readers are delighted that the dogs and cats are not only good at catching mice and guarding the house, but also act like "living clocks," waking their owners up on time every morning. On one occasion, they even alerted the family in time to find the mother unconscious, allowing for timely medical attention. The little squirrel, on the other hand, loves to play tricks and often accompanies the siblings to school or to the market… So intelligent and lovable, everyone feels regret and sorrow when these animals leave the family one by one for various unfortunate reasons…

Reading the stories, readers realize that love is the red thread running throughout the works, connecting the narratives. Whether writing about people or animals, about family members or neighbors, the author highlights warm love, care, sharing, and mutual support. For example, regarding two neighboring children abandoned by their parents, the author and his wife, without hesitation, took care of and raised the two sisters for a month, waiting for their mother to return. Or when COVID-19 occurred, the author joined hands and contributed money to help those in need in many ways… (the story “Thanks to my grandchild, Grandma is happy”). Or the story of neighborly love in the story “The Crazy Old Woman” touches the reader's heart. They feel both sympathy for Grandma Tư's unfortunate life and are moved by the kind neighbors who always cared for and helped her in times of difficulty.

The love becomes even deeper when the author writes about her children, grandchildren, and other family members. It's not just about mother-child or grandmother-grandchild relationships, but also about how mothers and grandmothers nurture and educate their children, teaching them good values ​​and avoiding bad influences. Through personal experiences, everyday stories, and small joys, readers can feel the range of emotions that Vu My Dung shares on each page. She is a sensitive, refined, compassionate, and tolerant person. Perhaps this is partly due to her personality and partly due to her qualities as an educator, leading to her careful and exemplary actions and behavior.

Despite occasional misunderstandings and false accusations, the author, with her compassion and optimism, always brings positive energy to the reader with the spirit of "an upright tree fears no storm," emphasizing that as long as one has a clear conscience, everything is fine. As the author says on the final page: "Never mind, forget everything, just look towards a bright future, your soul will blossom, and spring will always be within you, ha ha ha" (page 237).

Text and photos: CAT DANG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/am-ap-nhung-cau-chuyen-that--a188884.html