Kim Dong Publishing House has released a book collection with novels, poetry, short stories and literary studies to mark the 100^th anniversary of Vo Quang (1920-2007) who was a children's writer.

Vo Quang – Life of Verse and Prose, compiled by the author’s son, Chau Tan. — Photo courtesy of Kim Dong Publishing House

The collection comprises five books including selected works from the author’s career, including novel Que Noi (Father’s Village) which was translated into French by writer Alice Kahn.

The highlight of the collection is the book Vo Quang – Mot Doi Tho Van (Vo Quang – Life of Verse and Prose), compiled by the author’s son, Chau Tan. The book includes some short stories that haven’t been released before, some writings of Quang on children’s literature and comments of critics, researchers and other writers about Quag.

“Readers in the Europe may be amazed with the diverse culture of Vietnamese people, the way people enjoy stage arts, how the wartime and poverty inspired folk songs,” said translator Kahn.

“For me, I just want to help French readers understand more about Viet Nam through the stories of Cục and Cu Lao, two characters in Que Noi (Le village paternel). I think it's a Tom Sawyer version in Vietnamese.”

Quang was born in 1920 in the central province of Quang Nam. He participated in the revolution since he was a student. He has been arrested and tortured many times.

He became the first editor-in-chief of Kim Dong Publishing House in 1957 and director of the Viet Nam Animation Studio in 1964. He released the first book for children at the age of 38. Since then, he spent time creating stories, poems and cartoons for children.

His poems and short stories have been introduced in pre-school and primary education. The verse and prose of Quảng are familiar to Vietnamese children in different periods.

Apart from writing, Quang is the first Vietnamese author who translated Don Quixote and Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest to Vietnamese.

Source: VNS