HỒ'S LEGACY - The HCM City-based Trẻ Publishing House has released four book sets about President Hồ Chí Minh’s legacy, notable Vietnamese figures, literature, and culture, geography and history. Photo courtesy of the publishing house

HCM CITY — Leading publishing houses and book companies across Việt Nam have released new publications on the history and development of the country and HCM City to mark the nation's 50 years of glory (April 30, 1975 – 2025).

The HCM City-based Trẻ (Youth) Publishing House has introduced four book sets about President Hồ Chí Minh’s legacy, notable Vietnamese figures, literature, culture, geography and history.

The highlight of the President’s legacy set is the English book titled Uncle Hồ, the Name That Illuminates Việt Nam’s Beauty, that includes over 150 photos and documents about the life and revolutionary activities of Uncle Hồ.

The book is compiled by the Hồ Chí Minh Museum and translated by An Nhiên and John Maher.

Speeches and writings by the President from 1920 to 1969 are featured in the book Vì Độc Lập Tự Do, Vì Chủ Nghĩa Xã Hội (For Independent and Freedom, For Socialism).

The publisher has released a collection of books portraying notable figures dedicated to the development of the country and HCM City, including General Võ Văn Kiệt, late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Linh, Professor Trần Văn Giàu, and revolutionary and historian Trần Bạch Đằng.

For literature, there is a six-book novel Ván Bài Lật Ngửa (Card Game Showdown) by Trần Bạch Đằng, based on the story of a communist secret agent Phạm Ngọc Thảo from North Việt Nam, who was a member of the Việt Nam Workers’ Party (now the Communist Party of Việt Nam).

Another work is a collection of three books titled Văn Học Miền Nam Lục Tỉnh (Literature in the South) by Nguyễn Văn Hầu about the development of Southern literature from the 17th century to 1945.

The set about the country’s culture, geography and history describes the battles leading to the Great Spring Victory in 1975 and portraits of heroes who contributed to the victory.

CITY HISTORY - The book Lịch Sử Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh (History of Sài Gòn – Hồ Chí Minh City) offers readers an overall picture of the city when Marquis Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh established territorial sovereignty in the south in 1698. Photo courtesy of Tằm Book

Meanwhile, Tằm Book, a freshman in the industry, in collaboration with the HCM City General Publishing House, published a book Lịch Sử Sài Gòn – Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh (History of Sài Gòn – Hồ Chí Minh City).

The book introduces the formation of Gia Định (now HCM City) and the city’s administration, culture and people when Marquis Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh established territorial sovereignty in the south in 1698.

In 1976, Sài Gòn – Gia Định was renamed Hồ Chí Minh. The city has become the country’s hub of economics, finance, trade, culture, science and technology, innovation, education, and integration.

The book also includes maps of the city from different periods.

The work is written by Huỳnh Bá Lộc, a history lecturer at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. It is illustrated by photographer Minh Hoà and painter Diệp Xương Vỹ.

According to Tằm Book, the writer simplified the book so that readers can read the book in one breath to explore every corner of the city and understand its cultural characteristics.

All the books are available at bookstores nationwide and on e-commerce platforms. — VNS