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"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930-1954

"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954, translated by Quan Manh Ha and Paul Christiansen, with an essay by Ngô Văn Giá, is the first anthology in English of colonial Vietnamese literature written by canonical authors. Light Out depicts colonial exploitation, impoverished peasants at the mercy of precarious crop cycles, and institutionalized corruption that pits peasants against village officials. Set over the course of a few days, the novella presents an intimate look into the rural society in northern Vietnam during the height of French colonialism, exposing the brutal realities of the period and the impact such deprivations have on the human spirit.

The eighteen short stories included in this book thematically delineate colonial abuses, class discrimination, patriarchal expectations, and livelihoods tethered to an unstable environment. Aesthetically, they illuminate the impact of French literary traditions and Western thought on Vietnamese traditions of storytelling.

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"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930-1954

"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954, translated by Quan Manh Ha and Paul Christiansen, with an essay by Ngô Văn Giá, is the first anthology in English of colonial Vietnamese literature written by canonical authors. Light Out depicts colonial exploitation, impoverished peasants at the mercy of precarious crop cycles, and institutionalized corruption that pits peasants against village officials. Set over the course of a few days, the novella presents an intimate look into the rural society in northern Vietnam during the height of French colonialism, exposing the brutal realities of the period and the impact such deprivations have on the human spirit.

The eighteen short stories included in this book thematically delineate colonial abuses, class discrimination, patriarchal expectations, and livelihoods tethered to an unstable environment. Aesthetically, they illuminate the impact of French literary traditions and Western thought on Vietnamese traditions of storytelling.

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"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930-1954

"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930-1954

Overview

"Light Out" and Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954, translated by Quan Manh Ha and Paul Christiansen, with an essay by Ngô Văn Giá, is the first anthology in English of colonial Vietnamese literature written by canonical authors. Light Out depicts colonial exploitation, impoverished peasants at the mercy of precarious crop cycles, and institutionalized corruption that pits peasants against village officials. Set over the course of a few days, the novella presents an intimate look into the rural society in northern Vietnam during the height of French colonialism, exposing the brutal realities of the period and the impact such deprivations have on the human spirit.

The eighteen short stories included in this book thematically delineate colonial abuses, class discrimination, patriarchal expectations, and livelihoods tethered to an unstable environment. Aesthetically, they illuminate the impact of French literary traditions and Western thought on Vietnamese traditions of storytelling.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781501778049
Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press
Publication date: 11/15/2024
Series: NIU Southeast Asian Series
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 228
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Quan Manh Ha is Professor of American Literature at the University of Montana. He is a co-translator of Other Moons, Hanoi at Midnight, The Termite Queen, and Longings.

Paul Christiansen is a former Fulbright fellow and writer and editor residing in Sài Gòn, Vietnam. He is the author of Beneath Sài Gòn's Chò Nâu.

Table of Contents

Introduction by Quan Manh Ha and Paul Christiansen
Part I: Light Out
Light Out by Ngô Tt T
Light Out: Contexts and an Overview of Criticism by Ngô Văn Giá
Part II: Modern Vietnamese Stories, 1930–1954
1. Carrion Eaters by Nguyn Công Hoan
2. The Teeth of an Upper-Class Family's Dog by Nguyn Công Hoan
3. Hunger by Thch Lam
4. An Early Morning by Thch Lam
5. Moonlit Nights by Thch Lam
6. Two Sisters by Nht Linh
7. An Insipid Life by Nht Linh
8. Two Eyes by Khái HƯng
9. You Must Live by Khái HƯng
10. From Theory to Practice by Vũ TrỌng Phng
11. Overweening Pride by Vũ TrỌng Phng
12. The Gold Teeth by Vũ TrỌng Phng
13. A Poor Family by Tô Hoài
14. The First Love Letter by Tô Hoài
15. Bright Moon by Nam Cao
16. The Eyes by Nam Cao
17. A Mistress's Son by Kim Lân
18. Common-law Wife by Kim Lân

What People are Saying About This

Phan Nhiên Hạo

This is an excellent book for the study of Vietnamese literature, culture, and history, including some of the best literary works from a significant period when many political and cultural changes took place.

Ben Tran

This is a much-needed translation of a gripping, impactful literary work from one of Vietnam's rich literary periods. The translators also include short stories that, along with the footnotes, provide context and points of comparison.

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