The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam

Bao Ninh, born Hoang Au Phuong in 1952 in Hanoi, Vietnam, is a critically-acclaimed Vietnamese novelist and short story writer. Known for his stark and poignant storytelling, Ninh served as a soldier during the Vietnam War, drawing from his own experiences to portray the trials and tribulations of a war-torn nation in his writing. His vivid depiction of the Vietnamese perspective has given a unique voice to the country’s history. The centerpiece of Ninh's literary stature is his novel, "The Sorrow of War," published in 1990, which remains a landmark in war literature. The book won the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 1994 for its authentic and haunting portrayal of the Vietnam War from the view of an ordinary soldier. The novel is now considered a classic and has been translated into more than twenty languages worldwide. In addition to his contribution to literature, Ninh has an accomplished career in journalism, currently contributing to the VietnamNet Daily. Despite his limited literary output, his powerful portrayal of the human condition, especially in the backdrop of war, has earned Bao Ninh international recognition and respect in the literary world.