On September 21, the Writers Association Publishing House held a launching ceremony for the book series "I Thought I Was a Human" (poetry collection) and "39 Stories for Peace of Mind" (prose) by author Phan Dang.
Each story in “39 Stories for Peace of Mind” is written very simply, with the desire to share a meditative perspective on all the things that are very familiar in our lives: a friend, a leaf, a cup of water, an egg, a meeting, a farewell…
As someone who has followed the development journey of author Phan Dang for many years, journalist Vu Cong Lap shared at the event: "This 39 book series shaped Phan Dang. From a person who eagerly followed the inertia of youth, seeking glory in his career in the sports journalism industry, he became a person who turned back to find himself, found himself in his thoughts. After going inside and finding himself, Phan Dang found his heart. 39 stories for peace of mind is a Phan Dang who found himself and achieved certain achievements in the path he chose.
Over the past 10 years, I have followed Phan Dang and seen him always struggling and searching to find out who he is, to feel himself, and to bring value to himself. Phan Dang often tries to give that value back to society and to others. This book is not only Phan Dang's story and experience, but also advice and guidance."
Poet Tran Dang Khoa also had many compliments for his junior: "I can say that Phan Dang is an excellent student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. Literary critic Nguyen Dang Manh once said, if you want to know whether a writer is talented or not, whether he has contributed to literature or not, you have to put the writer in the general literature. Then take him out, to see if the literature is in disarray or not. If nothing changes, that writer brings no value.
That means if a writer wants to have his own value, position, and corner, he must be unique, must be himself, must have his own voice and style, not mixed with anyone else's. That is a very important contribution, and Phan Dang has also done something that not everyone can do, which is to create his own unique quality."
This time, “39 Stories for Peace of Mind” by author Phan Dang will be associated with a poetry collection called “I Thought I Was a Person”. According to him, reading poetry is also a mental experience. The poems in this book are selected based on the criteria that can touch something deep within the reader.
In the book of poems, readers will encounter very strange illustrations, just one verse can be spread over 2 pages of the book. Those two pages are an aesthetic signal designed and arranged by the artist with the desire to touch the deep hidden emotions in the reader.
