This afternoon the guest bird returned.

In 2020, the short story collection "This noon, the guest bird returned" by writer Ngo Thi Ngoc Diep, member of the Vietnam Writers Association and member of the Dong Nai Province Literature and Arts Association, won an encouragement prize from the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations.

Short story collection This Noon, the Guest Bird Returns Again by writer Ngo Thi Ngoc Diep. Photo: P. Dung

Also in this year, the work was included in the Project to Preserve and Promote the Value of Literature and Art Works of Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam. Then, in 2022, this short story collection won the B prize (no A prize) of the first Binh Phuoc Province Literature and Art Award (old).

The short story collection "Today the Guest Bird Returns" (Writers Association Publishing House) consists of 19 short stories, creating a vivid picture of the richness and diversity of ethnic minority cultures. In the stories, the author skillfully incorporates customs, habits and traditions to arouse pride and awareness of preserving national cultural heritage. With a gentle and delicate writing style, author Ngoc Diep brings readers into the world of ordinary but emotional characters. The stories are not simply stories about life, but also valuable lessons about love, sharing and the will to overcome difficulties.

Writer Ngoc Diep shared: "Since I was a child, I have worked on the fields with the Stieng people. I felt their closeness, sincerity and their hearts always turned towards the revolution. The stories I heard from them became important materials in my later works. And characters such as Dieu En or Ke, the love between the border guard and the Stieng girl... "entered" the works naturally. I hope that, through the stories, everyone will see the cultural beauty of the ethnic communities living on the beloved land of Dong Nai ."

Each story in the short story collection Today the Guest Bird Returns is about familiar themes such as friendship, love, pain, loss, but especially not falling into sadness. From familiar images such as flowers, animals to characters with many thoughts..., the author has skillfully created a rich and vivid literary picture.

Commenting on the work "The Guest Bird Returns Today at Noon", poet Do Trong Khoi (Hung Yen province) said: "In most of the short stories in "The Guest Bird Returns Today at Noon", the characters do not complain or compare gains and losses with those around them. The love, sharing, and affection between people and plants, flowers, fruits, and animals bring warmth, fullness, and immense generosity."

Reading "The Guest Bird Returns At Noon" one can feel the closeness and sincerity in each word. With a feminine writing style, the author has touched the hearts of many people, making them unable to forget the images, stories and characters she has portrayed.

Phuong Dung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202507/trua-nay-chim-khach-lai-ve-4a738b7/