This is partly attributed to the French government’s efforts to assist Vietnamese publishers with copyrights and publishing, as well as organize training courses for young Vietnamese translators. For the past few years, L’Espace - Hanoi’s French culture center - has held many workshops on French literary translation, attracting a host of French and Vietnamese publishers.
The French novel Oscar and the Lady in Pink by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt tells the story of Oscar, a 10-year-old blood cancer patient who has 12 days to live. An old lady in pink who often volunteers in pediatrics is the only one willing to reveal the truth to him. She tells Oscar to write to God and ask for one wish to come true, and to live each day as if it were ten years.
How to face death is the theme of the novel, which was adapted into a French movie. The book was translated into Vietnamese by Professor Ngo Bao Chau and translator Nguyen Khieu Anh and published by Nha Nam Publishing House last December.
"The children’s comic series Super Rabbit by Stephanie Blake, translated by Nguyen Xuan Nhu, was published last year. The series offers a humorous view of the developmental stages of children through the adventures of a rabbit named Simon", Professor Ngo Bao Chau said.
L’Espace has played a key role in the popularity of translated French books. Such works account for one-fourth of Nha Nam Publishing House’s publications each year.
With support from the French government, many Vietnamese publishing houses take part in book fairs in France every year. It is an opportunity for them to gain experience in organizing such events, as well as in the copyright and publishing field.
