With limited editions of Vietnam’s Truyen Kieu and Luc Van Tien, alongside two world classics, The Godfather and How the Steel Was Tempered, the meticulous journey behind these beautifully crafted books is filled with stories being revealed for the first time.
On the morning of July 26, at FAHASA Tan Dinh Bookstore in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation (FAHASA), in collaboration with Dong A Culture JSC, officially launched a special-edition book collection featuring Truyen Kieu by Vietnam’s great poet Nguyen Du; Luc Van Tien by Nguyen Dinh Chieu (edited and annotated by Nguyen Thach Giang); together with two world-renowned classics, The Godfather by Mario Puzo and How the Steel Was Tempered by Nikolai Ostrovsky.
Created for book lovers and collectors, the four limited editions are produced to premium specifications, featuring cloth-bound hardcover cases, clamshell boxes, gold-gilded page edges, Dong A’s embossed Limited Edition seal, full-color printing on 150 gsm Ford paper, and a large 25 × 30 cm format. Each title is limited to 500 individually numbered copies, appealing to readers who value collectible editions designed for long-term preservation.
More than books to be read, these editions have been crafted as works of art, with meticulous attention to every detail of their design and production. They celebrate the enduring value of literary classics while commemorating the 50th anniversary of FAHASA.
The Story Behind the Rare Editions
At the launch event, collector Duy Le and Tran Dai Thang, Director of Dong A Culture JSC, shared behind-the-scenes stories about the selection, editing, and production of these special editions.
Among the highlights, The Godfather features the celebrated Vietnamese translation by Ngoc Thu Lang, complemented by 15 illustrations by artist Art Werger. Truyen Kieu is presented with the edited and annotated text of Associate Professor Nguyen Thach Giang, accompanied by 16 illustrations by artist Dang Xuan Hoa. Luc Van Tien also includes Nguyen Thach Giang’s annotations, together with 19 illustrations by artist Nguyen Cong Hoan. Meanwhile, How the Steel Was Tempered uses the classic Vietnamese translation by Huy Van and Thep Moi, which has been carefully edited, proofread, and standardized for this edition.
According to Tran Dai Thang, the production team spent approximately six months completing the collection. For The Godfather, the publisher worked directly with the overseas rights holder of Art Werger’s illustrations to secure permission for their use in Vietnam. Truyen Kieu, meanwhile, was the last volume to be completed, as Dang Xuan Hoa devoted considerable time to refining each illustration.
“Many artists can create paintings, but illustrating a book is a very different task. It requires the artist to understand the spirit of the work and create images that inspire the reader’s imagination,” Tran Dai Thang said.
He also explained that the decision to use Associate Professor Nguyen Thach Giang’s edited and annotated versions of Truyen Kieu and Luc Van Tien was based on the enduring scholarly value of his work, which has been recognized by generations of readers. In particular, his annotated editions of Truyen Kieu have been reprinted numerous times and have had a lasting influence on Vietnam’s reading culture.
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