Economics books are becoming increasingly interesting.

The 2026 National Book Awards, as well as many recently published economics books, demonstrate the increasing diversity and interest of this genre. In particular, purely Vietnamese economics books are gaining popularity among readers.

From Adam Smith…

The 2026 National Book Award recognizes efforts to bring classic economics books to Vietnamese readers.

The book "The Essence of Economics ," by authors Paul Krugman and Robin Wells, translated by Nguyen Truong Phu and Ho Quoc Tuan, was published by the Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House and the PACE Institute of Management. Paul Krugman is the sole recipient of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics. Together with his collaborator Robin Wells, he wrote "The Essence of Economics," which presents numerous stories in the form of economic models about how the world 's economy operates. This translated book received the C Prize at this year's National Book Awards.

At the same time, another third prize winner of the 2026 National Book Awards was Chris Miller's *The Microchip War* (The World's Most Powerful Tech Competition), translated by Kim Luyen (published by The World Publishing House and Nha Nam Company). The book has been reprinted three times within six months of its release. Although categorized as a technology book, its interdisciplinary nature also makes it an economic book with many geopolitical stories.

The book The Chip Wars (The World's Most Powerful Tech Competition)

Photo: Publisher

These two awards are also based on many well-known economics books that have been translated recently. Among them is Ben S. Bernanke's *Monetary Policy in the 21st Century*, translated by economist Dr. Vu Hoang Linh. "The good news is that Bernanke's *Monetary Policy in the 21st Century* has been reprinted for the second time in just over a month since its initial release. The total number of copies sold to date is 5,000, a surprisingly high number for a book of such in-depth expertise (even though it's written for a general audience)," Dr. Linh shared in 2024 when the book was first published. Just one month later, the book by the Nobel laureate and former Fed Chairman was reprinted for the third time.

The general public seems to have been reading more economics books. Economics books themselves have also been translated more frequently, including classics and thus books by Adam Smith. Among these, *The Prosperity of Nations* has even been translated in multiple editions. The edition published by The Gioi Publishing House and Nha Nam Company is translated by Ta Ngoc Thach and Pham Thi Ngoc Tram, edited by Dr. Vu Hoang Linh. The edition published by The Gioi Publishing House and Omega Company is translated by Nguyen Hoang Giang, Phan Thi Thanh Huyen, and Minh An, with an introduction by Dr. Vu Thanh Tu Anh, an economist. Both editions are hardcover, showing the "respect" for a book considered a foundational study in economic history, as well as a cornerstone of modern economics.

...Towards "purely Vietnamese" economics books

" Clever with Money " is a book that won a double award at the 2026 National Book Awards. This work also received the B prize and the award for the most popular book, with over 30,000 copies sold within a year of publication, and subsequently reprinted numerous times. Besides classic economic works that are mostly translations, this is a purely Vietnamese economic book. It can be said that this is the first unique and creative popular comic book about finance and banking in Vietnam. According to illustrator Thăng Fly, the manuscript of this comic book was constantly revised due to frequently changing information on inflation and Bitcoin. Therefore, this 300-page comic book consumed thousands of drawings.

The book *The Prosperity of Nations* has many translations.

PHOTO: PUBLISHER

In particular, author Le Thi Thuy Sen uses a great deal of "purely Vietnamese" information alongside economic concepts such as money, domestic and foreign currencies, exchange rates, inflation, etc., such as stories about the architecture of the national bank building and the drawings printed on Vietnamese banknotes. In addition, about 80 Vietnamese folk songs, proverbs, and idioms are included in the book as a bridge for "economic" proverbs and sayings to continue flowing in daily life. Regarding savings, Ms. Sen uses the sayings: " Save money so that when you are in need you won't bother anyone," and "Clever eating leads to satiety, clever saving leads to warmth ." Regarding money, there are sayings like: " Money is like a piece of your own flesh," and "You get what you pay for." Regarding insurance, there is the saying: "Work when you are healthy, save when you are sick." Regarding investment: "Put your money wisely," "Choose wisely," and "Money at home is like a pregnancy, money at the door is like a milling mill"...

Another book that won the National Book Award this year is distinctly Vietnamese in a different way. It's the book that won the B prize – "Semiconductor Battlefield : Strategic Competition and Independent Innovation in 21st Century China" by Pham Sy Thanh and Nguyen Tue Anh. Authors Dr. Pham Sy Thanh is currently the Director of the Center for China Economic and Strategic Studies (CESS), while Dr. Nguyen Tue Anh is a senior research fellow in public policy in the UK. The book offers a Vietnamese perspective on the semiconductor industry and a redrawing of its landscape. It examines the historical context of American dominance, the strong intellectual property holdings of the US and Europe, and China's technological advancements. They also question whether Vietnam can capitalize on the opportunities in this new era.

Associate Professor Tran Duc Cuong, Chairman of the Vietnam Historical Science Association and Head of the subcommittee on political, economic, social science and humanities books, highly appreciates the current trend in publishing economic books. According to him, economic books can be divided into two distinct trends: one is classic works on economic theory, and the other is works that are close to the reality of Vietnam. "This trend in economic books is very welcome, and among the more than 200 books competing for the award in the economic, political, social science and humanities categories, economic books are all very appealing. It also shows the market trend, with many books selling well and being loved by readers," Associate Professor Cuong said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/sach-kinh-te-ngay-cang-thu-vi-185260311203305296.htm