Writing from ... Viet Nam

[BlogSpy]

In Thanh Nien Daily Thuy Linh reports that in Viet Nam they're working on Turning a new page, especially as far as promoting local literature abroad goes.
In particular, the Vietnamese Writers Association is organizing: "a major national conference to promote Vietnamese literature abroad":

The six-day conference next January envisages 300 foreign translators, publishers and others interested in Vietnamese literature, from 38 countries as well as an exhibition at the National Library in Hanoi showcasing Vietnamese works that have been translated into foreign languages and vice versa.

"I estimate only 50 foreign guests will actually attend, but that would be good enough for a start," said Hoang Thuy Toan, a veteran translator in charge of the exhibition.

Sad that they have such (realistically low) expectations. Twenty-six Americans have been invited; I wonder how many will show.
As they note, however:

It is not that local literature has been languishing in obscurity.

In its heyday, the Soviet Union did a systematic job of introducing Vietnamese writers.

Sadly -- but hardly surprisingly --, translation into Russian and publication by Soviet publishers did not help smooth the path towards further translation into other languages, or widespread international recognition.

Also: scroll down for a brief Q & A with American cultural attaché in Viet Nam, Patricia D. Norland.

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