(VOVworld) – To Hoai was one of Vietnam’s greatest writers in the 20th century, particularly during the 1930-1945 period. One of his most famous works is “The Adventures of a Cricket”, which has been loved by generations of Vietnamese readers. Ha Thuy Anh reports:
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His writing career started with literary texts in “Ha Noi Newspaper” and “Saturday Novel” in the late 1930s. In 1938, To Hoai joined in the Fellowship of Workers and Anti-imperialist movement. He took part in the Association of Culture for National Salvation in 1943 and it was during this time that he published the book “The Adventures of a Cricket”. In the resistance war against French colonists, he worked for “National Salvation” newspaper as an editorial director. In 1957, he was elected Secretary General of the Vietnamese Writers' Association. From 1958 to 1980, he continued participating in the Executive Committee as Vice Secretary General of the Vietnam Writers' Association. Between 1966 and 1996, he was chairman of the Hanoi Literature and Arts Association. Writer Hoang Quoc Hai says: “During field trips to the northwestern region, writer To Hoai noted down everything he saw and heard and lived with the locals. He even described the sounds of birds in the woods, in the plain and in cages. He often read his writings to us. Everything he did was very detailed.”
During his 60-year career, To Hoai published more than 200 works, including novels, short stories, memoirs, film scripts and essays. One of his most famous works is “The Adventures of a Cricket”, which has been loved by generations of Vietnamese readers. Le Huong is one of them: “This book of adventures brought my childhood far away. Because there was no TV at that time, through this book, we could travel to the many beautiful parts of Vietnam and we loved our country more.”
The book is not only a tale for children it also evokes the ideals of young people. It has been translated into nearly 40 languages and remains a beloved children's book in many countries throughout the world. In 2006, the Vietnam Records Book Center honored writer To Hoai for “The Adventures of a Cricket” - the most translated story in Vietnam.
Another well-known work in the writing career of To Hoai, “Husband and Wife A Phu”, an excellent short story in “Northwest Stories” (1953), won the First Prize of the Literature and Arts Association in 1954-1955. This is a touching and truthful story about the miserable lives of people in Vietnam's northwestern mountain area under the yoke of feudalism and colonialism. Professor of Literature Phong Le says: “Husband and wife A Phu was one of the first story in the resistance period. Together with “Northwest Stories” and “Rising nation”, it represented Vietnam’s literature during the years of resistance from 1945 to 1954.”
Husband and wife A Phu and the Adventures of a Cricket were adopted to movie script and appeared in textbook in high school.
To Hoai was presented the Ho Chi Minh Award, one of the government’s highest honors given to authors of influential scientific, educational, art and literary works, in 1996 and the Grand Prize – Bui Xuan Phai - Love for Hanoi in 2010.