Hanoi is a city that invokes the stuff of dreams in the bilingual book H is for Hanoi.
Words by Sadie Christie ● Images by Linh Chi
An artist lays himself to sleep, setting himself on a dream journey through his beloved city, Hanoi, in order to find the place is the happiest, The Red River. The voyage over the city reveals a world not unlike the city in waking life – beckoning to mind the ethereal scent of Hoa Sữa blossoms, the familiar echoes of a cake seller’s song, and a school of motorbikes, with the added whimsy of river spirits and talking tortoises.
A sort of children’s book for adults and children alike, we love the simple story by Elizabeth Rush, translated by Nguyễn Phương Thảo, as well as the delightfully vivid paintings by well-known artist Nguyễn Nghĩa Cương that evoke the dreamy landscape of memory and some of the most indelible parts of Hanoi.
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H is for Hanoi can be bought at Bookworm.
