USSH- Poet Le Quang Trang (Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association) shared his personal feelings about Le Anh Xuan's diary.
I found Le Anh Xuan's Diary particularly captivating for three main reasons: - Le Anh Xuan is an author and character I've heard about, known, researched, and admired; now, with new material, it's like a prospector discovering a new vein. - This is the diary of an "acquaintance," though I've never met him, but I feel very close to him because we attended the same Hanoi University, shared similar circumstances, went to the South after graduation, and worked together in the B2 literary scene. Many of the people he mentions in this collection are people I know and am acquainted with. - He raises and explains many familiar yet highly relevant issues, such as the meaning of life and literature for contemporary society, especially the younger generation, in a convincing way. After reading the text, I would like to share a few thoughts on the value of this diary.
1. A pure, beautiful, and noble ideal.Through his diary, I gained a deeper understanding of the ideals of a young man educated under socialist schools, the ideals of a generation, built upon a profound political awareness, knowing how to fight for love of country and nation, for ideals, knowing why they participated in the struggle, completely voluntarily and consciously. Of course, for Le Anh Xuan, from his personal circumstances, there was also the fervent call of his homeland in the South. That ideal was extremely pure, beautiful, and noble, always placing the common good above personal interests: As a brilliant student with a favorable family background and personal advantages (a child from the South), he could have easily studied and researched abroad. But he refused the easy path, put aside his career, and left his loved one to join the battlefield. At the front lines, he requested to be sent to the forefront, to remote and fiercely contested areas to live and write. Returning to his hometown of Ben Tre, a time of extreme hardship and fierce fighting, where life and death hung in the balance, he was inexperienced in battle, yet remained determined. There were moments of fear (a normal human instinct), but his reason intervened, fighting to overcome it, especially after joining the Party (these writings are truly sacred). He sacrificed himself, hoping only to "take a very short trip, just a few days, to experience the breath of the battlefield." His artistic ideals also bear the mark of that era, primarily for the struggle, specifically and directly serving the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country. He was happy to participate, not deceived or repented for, as some later deserters claimed. Le Anh Xuan's working style is meticulous and careful. His notes are carefully selected to serve the writer's purpose. Sometimes it's just a fleeting glimpse, mainly to evoke inspiration or spontaneous thoughts, and other times it describes stories, landscapes, and portraits in meticulous detail, consciously preparing for larger intentions later on.
2. Authenticity and relatability.Le Anh Xuan's writings are very authentic. Perhaps he only intended to write for himself. His moods, thoughts, and details are all specific and genuine. From stories about the telephone line—like being caught in a leaky roof, bitten by leeches, getting irritable with others, missing his lover, the impoverished circumstances of his sister Ba's family, the panic of being shot at by planes, or the enemy's raid (p. 56)... everything is sincere, truthful, and close to real life. For me personally, many of Le Anh Xuan's scenes, people, and thoughts are very close to my own. Therefore, I understand and empathize more. From the stories in Truong Son to the Central Bureau's base; about the people Le Anh Xuan met and mentioned, such as Anh Ai (Bui Duc Ai, also known as Anh Duc), Dung (Tu Son), Sau Lang, Thanh Nha, Sister Loan, Le Van Thao, Tu Sam, Xuan Vu… these are people I worked with and knew. The images, thoughts, and feelings of someone you know are always more appealing and captivating than those of a stranger; that's the principle behind receiving a diary.
3. Invaluable resources for research.For many who are encountering this diary for the first time, there will undoubtedly be many surprises with its content, due to its diversity and depth. It can be considered an invaluable resource for studying the formation of the writer's worldview and creative work. Furthermore, Le Anh Xuan is typical of a young generation entering the resistance war against America, both in the general sense as a citizen and in the specific sense as a creative artist. Therefore, he is also a representative figure of the political ideals of a generation (reasons for participation; political consciousness; common/individual solutions; fighting spirit; creative will; literary perspective). This diary, along with those of Nguyen Thi, Chu Cam Phong, Duong Thi Xuan Quy, Dang Thuy Tram, Nguyen Van Thac, etc., will be very useful when studying the generation of writers and poets during the anti-American war period, as well as intellectuals and writers during the period of national invasion. Personally, having heard, known, thought about, and researched and written articles about Le Anh Xuan, I found this book very beneficial in many ways. It can be said that through this diary, we see a remarkable personality, a rich and beautiful soul, a noble model of a writer during a challenging turning point in the nation's history.
Ho Chi Minh City, November 30, 2011
