The genre of memoirs about war is booming.

Leading up to the 50th anniversary of national reunification, many books on war memoirs have been released, receiving positive responses from readers.

A wide variety of books

Following the success of his work , "Letters to My Wife," a collection of letters from Major General Hoang Dan to his wife, which has been reprinted 10 times over the past year, his recently published memoir, "From the Ben Hai River to the Independence Palace ," has also been introduced. This work recounts the heroic years of the nation, especially the period of 1974-1975. Besides portraying the heroic and indomitable spirit and sacrifices of many individuals and families, the work also offers lessons on leadership and tactics passed down from previous generations to the younger generation in peacetime.

Two works are attracting a large readership: From the Ben Hai River to the Independence Palace and Family, Friends and Country.

PHOTO: Provided by the publisher

Another equally captivating work is the memoir of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, former Vice President, the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs , and head of the negotiating delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam at the Paris Peace Talks – titled "Family, Friends, and Country." Although reprinted after more than 10 years, the book still captivates readers, taking them from her childhood to her revolutionary activities. In it, she highlights the sources of strength in her life: her family, her close friends, and her entire life dedicated to her country.

In preparation for a series of books commemorating the 50th anniversary of national reunification, Tre Publishing House has continuously reintroduced outstanding titles over the past period. These include memoirs and war-related essays such as *Memories of Saigon During the War* (Trieu Quoc Manh), *Tanks in the Vietnam War*, *Journey to the Independence Palace* (Nguyen Khac Nguyet), * Saigon Commandos* (Nguyen Duc Hung), * From Buon Ma Thuot to Saigon* (Huynh Nghi)... Works portraying prominent figures have also been reprinted, such as *The Gem of Vo Van Kiet* (Nguyen Chien Thang), *Vo Van Kiet - The Firestarter*, *Nguyen Van Linh - A Journey with History*, *Tran Van Giau - A Hundred-Year Legacy*, *Tran Bach Dang - Life and Memories*…

The theme of old Saigon also attracted attention with a series of works such as "Saigon Through Memories" by writer Le Van Nghia, " Questions and Answers about the Geography of Saigon - Gia Dinh" by researcher Nguyen Dinh Dau, as well as many works by scholar Vuong Hong Sen: "Saigon of Yesteryear," "Saigon Miscellaneous Writings ," etc. The famous espionage novel "The Cards Are Stacked Against You " by Nguyen Truong Thien Ly was also reissued on this occasion after many years of absence.

A special series of books from Tre Publishing House.

PHOTO: Provided by the publisher

Besides domestic authors, this occasion also features many works from foreign researchers, adding unique perspectives on the past. These include "Ho Chi Minh City - Hour Zero": Reports on the end of the 30-year war, comprising accounts from Western journalists present during those historic days. Kim Dong Publishing House also recently released "The Mekong River in Smoke and Fire - Sketches and Poems" compiled by Sherry Buchanan, featuring stories, sketches, poems, and letters from wartime artists. " Together with Vietnam" is another unique work, featuring a selection of works by international poets protesting the war, compiled by poet Angelina Gatell…

Positive reception

Following their release, the aforementioned works were positively received. For example, "From the Ben Hai River to the Independence Palace" reached 1,000 pre-orders in just 5 days, and has continued to grow ever since. This demonstrates the special interest of readers, including many young people, in the history of their country. The recent book launch seminar saw the participation of a large number of young people eager to learn more about the arduous yet heroic days of their ancestors.

A distributor said that the memoir " Family, Friends, and Country " has also been consistently selling out over the past week. According to this distributor, most buyers are young readers who sought out the book after previously watching clips of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh's dialogues in Paris on social media. These clips were reposted by many accounts and quickly became a sensation due to Ms. Binh's dignified and strong demeanor. This attracted the attention of many young people, and upon learning that the memoir was back in stock, they wanted to buy it to learn more.

For the younger generation, besides the literary value of the works themselves, the popularity and level of discussion on social media are also among the reasons they seek out history books. This is largely due to the widespread influence of recent films like "The Tunnel - The Sun in the Darkness," as well as works that have resurfaced in the "Cine 7 - Vietnamese Film Memories" program such as "Don't Burn," "The Wild Field," "Until We Meet Again," "When Will It Be October," "The Scent of Burning Grass," and "The 17th Parallel Day and Night"... These factors, combined with the upcoming special anniversary celebration, have created a wave of interest in history books.

Many readers also said they chose to read these works to better understand the arduous journey the entire nation has gone through. Reflecting on the present, they also help each person appreciate every moment of peace, thereby drawing many lessons for themselves from the way previous generations lived and fought.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/soi-dong-dong-sach-hoi-uc-ve-chien-war-185250425222109915.htm