Pocket book across Truong Son

He looked very carefully at the small books the size of his hands, his eyes filled with emotion. When we asked, we learned that it was the writer Nguyen Nhuan Hong Phuong. This year, the writer turned 79, but the memory of the small books that accompanied the soldiers throughout the years of resistance is still intact in him.

A small book accompanying soldiers in the resistance war against America to save the country. — Some small books accompanied the army in the resistance war against America to save the country.

Writer Nguyen Nhuan Hong Phuong recalls that in 1968, after 3 months of training new soldiers, he and his comrades received orders to march across the Truong Son mountain range to Laos to join the engineering unit "Construction Site 80" of Group 500, stationed in Khammouane province.

Writer Nguyen Nhuan Hong Phuong said: “I remember, when I set off on a march, I carried in my backpack several small books the size of a hand, published by the People's Army Publishing House. In addition to Uncle Ho's "Prison Diary" and two poetry collections "From Then On" and "Wind" by poet To Huu, there were also "We Are in Con Co" by Ho Phuong, "The Girl from Ham Rong" by Mai Vui, "Fighting in the Enemy's Heart" by Thanh Giang... So we passed them around to read. Then the spirit of literature spread, and my comrades and I encouraged each other to write prose and poetry.

Not only writer Nguyen Nhuan Hong Phuong but also in the memories of many soldiers at that time, the small, hand-sized books were closely associated with their daily life and fighting. Such books were also a new idea of the People's Army Publishing House. Remember, after the event of August 5, 1964, when the US imperialists escalated their attacks on some localities in the North, the People's Army Publishing House organized two delegations of cadres to go to the places where the anti-destructive war took place to learn about the reality. The field trips were full of challenges, the means of transport was a personal bicycle, and they had to bring along tools and equipment to repair themselves when the vehicle had problems.

Book production also had innovations to meet the needs of readers. This period really needed books published quickly to reach readers in time, the thinner the book the better, smaller size to be convenient to carry in the backpack of soldiers when marching long distances, fighting in distant battlefields. So the idea of small books 10x14.5cm, fitting in the palm of the hand was formed. This change was not simple, because it required changing all regulations, working methods, from editing, presentation to printing, editing... However, with the spirit of overcoming difficulties, all for the front line, the People's Army Publishing House promptly published meaningful books, accompanying soldiers on all battlefields.

The compact, pocket-sized books were truly a great source of encouragement and motivation for soldiers during the resistance war against the US to save the country. In the small books, knowledge and combat experience were quickly conveyed, and the timely writings encouraged the spirit, fostered ideals, and the desire to live and fight beautifully for officers and soldiers.

(According to QĐNDĐT )

Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/van-hoa/202505/sach-bo-tui-vuot-truong-son-2226059/