AWARD-WINNING: Cover of Nguyễn Đình Tư’s collection of two books titled Gia Định - Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh Dặm Dài Lịch Sử (1698 – 2020) (Gia Định Citadel - Sài Gòn - Hồ Chí Minh City (1698-2020): A Mile of History). The books were awarded in the category of research at the 2024 Good Book Awards. Photo courtesy of HCM City General Publishing House

HCM CITY— Well-known historian and cultural researcher Nguyễn Đình Tư of HCM City was honoured at the 2024 Good Book Awards by the Institute for Research on Educational Development. 

The awards highlight original Vietnamese literary works and Vietnamese translations from other languages in seven categories: research, education, economy, governance, children’s books, literature and new discoveries.

Tư is the winner in the category of research for his collection of two books entitled Gia Định - Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh Dặm Dài Lịch Sử (1698 – 2020) (Gia Định Citadel - Sài Gòn - Hồ Chí Minh City (1698-2020): A Mile of History). Each book has around 800 pages with 80 chapters.

The books were released by the HCM City General Publishing House last year to celebrate the 325th anniversary of Sài Gòn - Chợ Lớn - Gia Định – Hồ Chí Minh City.

They depict the history and development of the city in all fields of politics, administrative activities, economics, society, culture, education, health, religion, and sports since the city was established in 1698 to 2020.

Tư spent more than 20 years on the publication. He visited libraries and museums, and archived cultural centres in the city and neighbouring provinces to collect research, documents and news articles on the city.

Gia Định – Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh: Dặm Dài Lịch Sử (1698-2020) won a prestigious annual history prize named after the revolutionary and philosopher Prof. Trần Văn Giàu last year. 

“I hope my book, Gia Định – Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh: Dặm Dài Lịch Sử (1698-2020), would be a valuable source for people, especially university students, to find any information related to our city,” said 104-year-old Tư, a writer of many books and documents on Southern history and culture. 

LIVING HISTORY: The 104-year-old historian and cultural researcher Nguyễn Đình Tư, a writer of many books and documents on Southern history and culture, lives in HCM City. Photo courtesy of HCM City General Publishing House

Tư lives in HCM City. He has released more than 60 books on the history of the south of Việt Nam. 

He was awarded a medal for the cause of Vietnamese history given by the Việt Nam Association of Historical Sciences.

In January, Tư’s autobiography called Đi Qua Trăm Năm - Nguyễn Đình Tư (A Century of Living - Nguyễn Đình Tư) was published by Hồ Chí Minh City General Publishing House. 

The book includes nine chapters featuring Tư’s memories of his childhood in his native province of Nghệ An, before moving to the South with his family, and his difficulties and challenges in life and career. 

Apart from featuring the writer’s life and career, the autobiography also outlines the development of the South and Gia Định-Sài Gòn (now HCM City) in particular.

The annual Good Books Awards began in 2007 and were initiated to recognise and honour authors, translators, and publishers who have produced Vietnamese works that have contributed to expanding and enhancing the body of literature and knowledge available to the world in Vietnamese.

The awards ceremony of the 2024 Good Book Awards will be organised at the Hà Nội Opera House on November 29. —VNS