For the Love of Hanoi - a foreigner's affection for the capital city

Tu Anh

Jul 25, 2023 / 10:16 AM

Hanoi is regarded as the muse for the author, in which the preservation of cultural heritage and economic development go hand in hand.

"For the Love of Hanoi" by Martin Rama, an economist of the World Bank, will be released on July 29, 2023.

This is the 9th book in the series "Hanoi, the Street and the People" published by Vietnam Media and Books Co., Ltd (Tri Thuc Tre Books).

The book "For the Love of Hanoi" will be released on July 29.

The book contains 45 articles divided into five chapters: Hanoi is Special, What is Heritage? Preservation Campaigns, The Bui Chu Saga, and A Project for Hanoi.

“For the Love of Hanoi” traces the author’s journey to protect and develop Hanoi’s precious characteristics. It reveals his passion and clear vision to help prosper the city while preserving its special character.

By choosing young poet Nguyen Bang Ngoc as his translator and young artist Dang Viet Loc as illustrator for the book, Martin Rama probably wished to convey his enthusiasm through different “languages”: economy, emotion, and art. Because of this diversity of perspectives, For the Love of Hanoi may touch readers’ hearts in more ways than one.

As a foreigner and an economist, Martin Rama loves Hanoi in a special way. He is not nostalgic for the past and does not try to bring Her back to her old appearance. He appreciates Hanoi in the present moment and is hopeful about Her future development. Over the years, from Hanoi Promenade to For the Love of Hanoi, from being fascinated by Her to becoming committed to Her, Martin Rama has expressed not only his views on heritage preservation and urban development but also intellectual clarity and social responsibility. His passionate, relentless journey shows that he loves Hanoi with his heart but is determined to protect Her with his reason.

Martin Rama is known to many Vietnamese for his book Hanoi Promenade, which won the Bui Xuan Phai Award - For the Love of Hanoi in 2014. Almost a decade later, Martin Rama published his second book about Hanoi. Taking its title from the Bui Xuan Phai Award, the book shows Martin Rama's ever-growing love for the city, from being enchanted while strolling through Her - as he affectionately calls Hanoi - to being deeply committed to Her.

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