When “The Sorrow of War” was honoured by Vietnam’s government as one of the 50 greatest works of literature and art since reunification, some conservative figures reacted with fury – suggesting the novel’s unvarnished depictions of the war diminished the victors’ heroism.

  • impudentmortal@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    4 days ago

    “This book has been debated for ages,” said Nguyen, a bookseller on Hanoi’s Nguyen Xi book street, who gave only his first name for fear of inviting backlash against his store.

    Funnily enough, this could be more identifying than if he gave his last name. There are more Nguyen last names than first names.