Social Affairs
Writer launches new book with musical performance
Sweet childhood memories, amazing feelings of vital springs, nostalgia for her native land, and a great passion for charming Paris – those are the different emotions that female writer and poet Vi Thuy Linh reveals in her newly-published book, Ho Chieu Tam Hon (Passport of the Soul).
The three-part book features 34 essays, which the author wrote since 2012.
In the first part, entitled Lien Xuan (Spring), Linh exposes her endless emotions about the spring, which, according to the author, is "the season of love, hope, and belief".
Commenting on this part, literature critic Pham Xuan Nguyen said: "Linh was blessing by not only having all the very sensitive senses, which help her to feel full of the nature's quintessence, but also to have a writing talent that helps her to be able to preserve that natural essence with her words."
Comprised of 11 pieces, the second part – entitled Link – focuses on her tightened connection with different regions of Viet Nam.
Linh wrote about Ha Noi – her birthplace, her mother's homeland in Hai Phong, her father's native land in Trung Khanh in Cao Bang northern border province, about her most visited cities, Da Nang and HCM City, and the inviolable Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.
Especially, in this part, Linh has narrated her meetings with two famous late writers, Thach Lam and Nguyen Hong, in two fictional essays, Gap Thach Lam o Cam Giang (Meet Thach Lam in Cam Giang) and Nguyen Hong – Tren Chuyen Tau Doi (Nguyen Hong – On the Train of Life).
The female author said this is the first time that Vietnamese fictional essays have been presented to local readers.
In the third part, Linh presents 13 essays revealing her nostalgia about her childhood, her concern about the human future when people tend to be fake and selfish, as well as her strenuous journey in searching for the true values of the soul.
"Unlike the legal passport issued by authorities, the Passport of the Soul is created by its owner. For me, literature is my soul's passport. Each story in this book unveils a part of my soul. I hope any reader reading this book can feel and understand my emotions. Once they can do that, I believe that they will have a new ‘visa' in their soul's passport," Linh said.
She has not only attracted readers with her passionate words, Linh's book also impresses them with beautiful illustrations.
Linh said she wanted to offer a chic publication to her readers, which is why she invited seven famous painters to produce illustrations for the Passport of the Soul.
The in-vogue artists of Vietnamese contemporary painting, including Vi Kien Thanh, Dao Hai Phong, Bui Mai Hien, Dang Xuan Hoa, Nguyen Thi Hien, Pham Ha Hai, and Pham An Hai, contributed 17 of their works for the book.
To promote the book, as well as to honour literature, Linh will organise a performance of different art genres, including drama, opera, quan ho (love duet), concert music and prose readings, at L'Espace on Thursday night.
Entitled Linh's Night – Passport of the Soul, the event will bring together several talented artists to perform, including drama actor Hoang Dung and actress Thu Ha, soprano Vanh Khuyen, quan ho artist Thuy Huong, pianist Nguyen Thu Dong, violinists Le Tuan Anh and Duong Minh Chinh, cellist Doan Huong Khanh and flutist Le Thu Huong.
This is the second time an art performance honouring literature is being held. Earlier, in December 2012, Linh hosted a similar performance when she introduced her debut prose collection, ViLi's Essays, at the same time as her sixth poetry collection, ViLi&Paris.
Additionally, the writer hasn't hidden her intention to become a playwright, as she has produced the script for both performances.
Tickets for Linh's Night cost VND120,000 and can be purchased at L'Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street.
Creating a literature phenomenon with her 1999 debut poetry collection, Khat (Thirsty), Linh gained more fame when her poems were performed in diva Tran Thu Ha's live show in 2002.
Born in 1980, Linh has been considered one of the most accomplished writers of her generation.
