The Tale of Kieu: A Bilingual Edition of Nguyen Du's Truyen Kieu

Since its publication in the early nineteenth century, this long narrative poem has stood unchallenged as the supreme masterpiece of Vietnamese literature. Thông’s new and absorbingly readable translation (on pages facing the Vietnamese text) is illuminated by notes that give comparative passages from the Chinese novel on which the poem was based, details on Chinese allusions, and literal translations with background information explaining Vietnamese proverbs and folk sayings.
 

"This English version of Vietnam’s national poem will contribute to a better understanding of the people of Vietnam and of their traumatic experience in death and war, in exodus and separation."―Nguyen Dinh-Hoa, Washington Post Book World

"The Tale of Kieu occupies a very special place in Vietnamese literature… Thông should be commended for a very close rendering of the original. His understanding of the Vietnamese language, its subtleties, and its nuances apparently has no equal."―Truong Buu Lam, Journal of Asian Studies

"Near perfect. . . . Should be read by those who want to know the heart and mind of the Vietnamese people."―Tran Van Dinh, Asia

"The new notes add immensely to the richness of the translation, allowing the careful reader a detailed glimpse into the author’s world of literary images and deepening one’s appreciation for his subtle skill of expression. Anyone seeking to understand the Vietnamese people, their cultural outlook and mentality, can profitably begin with this book."―K. W. Taylor, JSEAS (Singapore)

"Huynh Sanh Thông’s splendidly controlled blank verse is as close a representation as one could ask for of the concise, tightly balanced, epigrammatic quality of the original poem; and his marvelously thorough notes and introductory material plus the bilingual text make this edition a continuous joy to use."―Eric Henry, University of North Carolina

Since its publication in the early nineteenth century, this long narrative poem has stood unchallenged as the supreme masterpiece of Vietnamese literature. Huynh's new and absorbingly readable translation (on pages facing the Vietnamese text) is illuminated by notes that give comparative passages from the Chinese novel on which the poem was based, details on Chinese allusions, and literal translations with background information explaining Vietnamese proverbs and folk sayings.