The Tale of Kieu: A Bilingual Edition of Nguyen Du's Truyen Kieu
Product ID: 18383383
Desertcart purchases this item on your behalf and handles shipping, customs, and support to Croatia.
Since its publication in the early nineteenth century, this long narrative poem has stood unchallenged as the supreme masterpiece of Vietnamese literature. Thรดngโs 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. Review: The standard translation, including both English and Vietnamese text - Huแปณnh Sanh Thรดng's brilliant and beautifully annotated translation has been the standard ever since it first came out. The Penguin Classics translation by Timothy Allen that was released in 2019 is also very good and is a faster, easier read than this one, so perhaps Allen's version might be better as an introduction for someone who is unfamiliar with the poem (and who might later graduate to the Huแปณnh Sanh Thรดng edition for a deeper dive into the allusions and literary context, and of course for the facing Vietnamese text). Both translations are deeply moving. There's a reason this poem about overcoming adversity in a corrupt world is known as Vietnam's national epic. Review: Vietnam's TREASURE - This epic poem is the story of love found, love lost, love denied, & love found again. As the heroine goes through heart ache, betrayal, & every possible trial and tribulation, to finally emerge triumphant over her foes, and despite all she has suffered to choose justice & mercy over revenge. The translation is lyric and wonderful, the foot-notes complete, and cultural explanations for those bewildered by some of the action, or parts of the storyline.
| Best Sellers Rank | #169,707 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #106 in Asian Poetry (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 66 Reviews |
S**R
The standard translation, including both English and Vietnamese text
Huแปณnh Sanh Thรดng's brilliant and beautifully annotated translation has been the standard ever since it first came out. The Penguin Classics translation by Timothy Allen that was released in 2019 is also very good and is a faster, easier read than this one, so perhaps Allen's version might be better as an introduction for someone who is unfamiliar with the poem (and who might later graduate to the Huแปณnh Sanh Thรดng edition for a deeper dive into the allusions and literary context, and of course for the facing Vietnamese text). Both translations are deeply moving. There's a reason this poem about overcoming adversity in a corrupt world is known as Vietnam's national epic.
K**R
Vietnam's TREASURE
This epic poem is the story of love found, love lost, love denied, & love found again. As the heroine goes through heart ache, betrayal, & every possible trial and tribulation, to finally emerge triumphant over her foes, and despite all she has suffered to choose justice & mercy over revenge. The translation is lyric and wonderful, the foot-notes complete, and cultural explanations for those bewildered by some of the action, or parts of the storyline.
K**N
Classic literature from Vietnam
As a teacher, my students from Vietnam are delighted that I'll be reading this classic literature from their home country.
J**E
Excellent transaction. Book was even better than described
Excellent transaction. Book was even better than described. I have read this beautiful tale a number of times. I always give it to someone and then buy another copy for myself to read again. To me, not being Vietnamese, I see The Tale of Kieu as the story of Vietnam herself. Beautiful, gentle and often misused by others including my own country.
H**C
Truyen Kieu Bilingual
Easy to learn Vietnamese literature bilingually. Recommended.
M**N
Wonderful book
This is a lovely book. The story is powerful, the notes are interesting and add greatly to the experience, and the introduction is interesting. Highly recommend.
C**E
Five Stars
Quality bilingual edition of the classic tale. Has English on the right page and Vietnamese on the left.
N**3
Good item
Please do not require us to write long commend, we do not have enough time to do it, The short commend is enough
Trustpilot
2 days ago
3 weeks ago