Hoàng Ấu Phương, also known by the pen name Bảo Ninh (born 18 October 1952), is a Vietnamese novelist, essayist and writer of short stories, best known for his first novel, published in English as ''

The Sorrow of War ''The Sorrow of War'' ( vi, Nỗi buồn chiến tranh) is a 1991 novel by the Vietnamese writer Bảo Ninh. The novel was Ninh's graduation project at the Nguyen Du Writing School in Hanoi. It tells the story of a soldier who is collecting dead ...

''.

Vietnam war

Ninh recounted that American bombing raids during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, beginning in 1965 when he was 12-13, destroyed ordinary people's homes and upended their lives. Ninh stated that his own school in Hanoi was relocated as a result of the bombing, which inspired him to anger rather than fear. Ninh stated that Americans entering Vietnam were viewed as no different from earlier French colonizers, and that he inherited this view himself from his parents. During the war Ninh served in the Glorious 27th Youth Brigade, joining when he was 17 years old. He stated that the Vietnamese people who fought against the Americans were not specifically fighting for Marxism, but rather fighting to bring peace for their country. Hunger was a frequent problem for Ninh and his fellow soldiers, who often moved back and forth from their homes to the battlefields. Of the five hundred who went to war with the brigade in 1969, Ninh is one of ten who survived. Ninh described the fear caused among Vietnamese soldiers by American airpower while in combat during the war: Ninh later called the war "fratricide" fueled by American firepower. "In war, no one wins or loses. There is only destruction."

Author

In 1987, Bảo Ninh published ''Trại bảy chú lùn'' (Camp of Seven Dwarves), a collection of short stories. He has also written a second novel, ''Steppe'', but is said to be reluctant to publish it. A short story by Bảo Ninh, "A Marker on the Side of the Boat" (''Khắc dấu mạn thuyền''), translated by Linh Dinh, is included in the anthology '' Night, Again''. Bảo Ninh is also a successful essayist. He is interviewed in

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

's series '' The Vietnam War''.

Works

* ''

'' - 1990 * ''Hanoi At No Time'' - 2003 * ''Rambling while stuck in traffic'' - 2005 * ''Are old stories true?'' - 2009 * ''Selected writings'' - 2011 * ''Short story'' - 2013

References

*Palmos, Frank, ''Ridding the Devils'', Bantam, Sydney, London 1990. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bao Ninh 1952 births Living people North Vietnamese military personnel of the Vietnam War People from Quảng Bình province Vietnamese novelists Vietnamese writers Vietnamese-language writers Winners of the Nikkei Asia Prize