Owe a promise

Short story "Owe a Promise" by author Nguyen Ngoc Dung. Photo: P. Dung

As the first collection of short stories by author Nguyen Ngoc Dung, Debt of a Promise (Writers Association Publishing House) consists of 24 stories, addressing many issues of life such as: family, love, teacher-student relationship and community sentiment in times of trouble. As a literature teacher who has lived for many years in Dong Xoai, Ngoc Dung's hometown and teaching profession are deeply imprinted in her writings. Although they are not the pages that immediately leave an impression on readers, the author's stories express the breath of life in the land she is attached to.

The collection of short stories "Owe a Promise" with more than 200 pages has works written about family and homeland, truly a place to express the deep feelings of the writer. Short stories such as: Big Mom, Owe a Promise, My Uncle, Where the Footprints Are Marked... praise the revolutionary sentiment of soldiers, gratitude for the silent sacrifices of the previous generation in the war. No matter the circumstances, the soldiers still maintain the heroic qualities and sense of responsibility of Uncle Ho's soldiers. Although they did not directly witness the heroic battles because they were too young at that time, the shadow of war, though fleeting, still left its mark on Ngoc Dung's writings.

Not only helping readers know the place name Dong Xoai with its proud revolutionary tradition, the author also vividly reflects the changes of his homeland during the development process through many stories such as: Purple Spring, Missing Dong Xoai, Loving the Yellow Mai, Garden Corner, Human Love...

Commenting on the work "Owe a Promise" by author Ngoc Dung, writer Bui Thi Bien Linh, member of the Vietnam Writers' Association, member of the Dong Nai Province Literature and Arts Association, said: "Not only Ngoc Dung, but every writer who writes about their homeland records the most truthful things. They write with all their heart. Therefore, no matter how quickly time passes, beautiful things always remain and have meaning, especially when they are truly cherished from the heart and mind to nurture life. Ngoc Dung has been diligent in writing and her writing is becoming more and more "quality". Her works published in magazines inside and outside the province help readers understand more about Binh Phuoc in the past - a land of sweet and fragrant cashews, rubber forests reaching to the horizon, a land of rich sediments and heroes in two long marches to defend the country".

“Owe a Promise is a rather attractive and engaging short story, a remarkable initial success of author Ngoc Dung. Without discussing the artistic style, just reading the writing, many readers have read the author's heart in each page. Not only reflecting the reality of life, the work also has educational meaning, profound humanistic meaning, a work filled with human love, love for the homeland" - writer Nguyen Phuong Ha, member of the Literature and Arts Association of Phu Yen province, shared.

Phuong Dung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202507/no-mot-loi-hen-cf31646/