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The works selected for this publication are all famous works by the writer Kim Lân. These may include poignant realistic portrayals of Northern Vietnamese villages engulfed in poverty and suffering, such as in...The child of a concubine, The child of a courtesan, The wife picked up from somewhere.…It could also be a glimpse into the beauty of a bygone era, with elaborate "pastimes" like dog hunting, cockfighting, bird keeping, or cultural landmarks such as traditional theater…The Old Actor, The Pair of Birds, The Horse and the Hen, The Hunting Dog, The Wrestling Bridge...Later, there are writings about the revolution, about land reform, with no shortage of pain but also no shortage of faith, inThe Village, Getting Married, The Old Neighbor.
In particular, among the 18 short and medium-length stories, there are two works often considered to be for children, namely:Mr. Can NguandThe Wooden KnightThese two works shine with the light of humanism, depicting people always striving for goodness, full of strength and pride.
The stories in "The Old Actor" are illustrated by artist Thanh Chuong. As one of the leading artists of contemporary Vietnamese painting, and the son of writer Kim Lan, artist Thanh Chuong and his illustrations in this book act as a bridge, connecting the writer and the reader, past and present, tradition and modernity.
"The Old Actor" is a 340-page book, printed entirely in color using bio-ink technology on high-quality paper, in a 16x24 cm format. In addition to the standard hardcover editions, there will be 370 limited editions numbered from DA 001 to DA 365. Notably, Dong A Publishing House is also releasing 101 commemorative copies marking the 100th anniversary (1920-2020) of writer Kim Lân's birth, housed in a lacquer box with a lid featuring an illustration of "The Old Actor," accompanied by a lacquer painting of "The Wooden Knight" by artist Thành Chương.
"All forms of society are constantly changing, but the essence of human existence remains unchanged; all languages may change, but the essence of human love and goodness never changes. The literature of writer Kim Lân belongs to those unchanging things" - quoted from the introduction by writer Nguyễn Quang Thiều.
About the author
The writer Kim Lân (1920-2007), whose real name was Nguyễn Văn Tài, was born in Phù Lưu village, Tân Hồng commune, now Đông Ngàn ward, Từ Sơn town, Bắc Ninh province.
In 1942, Kim Lân published his first short story.The child of the concubineFrom there, he quickly established his name in the literary world and became a familiar writer for the Trung Bac Sunday and Tieu Thuyet Thu Bay newspapers. Some of Kim Lan's representative short stories include:Village, The Picked-Up Wife, which is included in the curriculum of secondary schools…
In his later years, Kim Lân found his calling in cinema and left an indelible mark with his portrayal of Lão Hạc in the film.Vu Dai Village in those daysand the role of Ly Cuu in the filmMrs. Dau.
In 2001, writer Kim Lân was awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts for his contributions to national literature.
