Classic novels are regarded as unattractive by young readers, while publishers are failing in persuading readers back to the genre.
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| Publishing industry imported many book genres |
Nguyen Thi Minh Thai, lecturer of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities said young people were reading fewer classic literary works.
A survey conducted among high school and university students showed that most of them had little knowledge about classic world literature or only vaguely remembered Vietnamese classical literature.
Many young people said they could only understand the novels by watching film adaptations. Meanwhile, romance novels, especially Chinese adult novels, have remained an irresistible treat for readers of all ages.
Thanh Nga, a 12th grade student at Hanoi’s Lomonosov High School, said she owned nearly 100 popular romance novels. "They are much easier to read and understand than the classics." she said.
The publishing houses have tried to encourage young people to read classic novels by attempting to promote a ‘reading culture’. However, some claimed this movement is being backfired.
Joe Ruelle, a foreign blogger in Vietnam, said the publishing industry in Vietnam was quite small so reading had not become a habit of many people. He said sales of 20,000 copies for a title were considered a success for Vietnamese publishers, while best sellers in the UK can sell millions of copies.
Song writer Quoc Bao agreed. He further said while the publishing houses used the phrase 'reading culture' to try to sway readers back to classic novels, they were scaring readers off.
"People read because they like to read. It's a natural need and readers just need to feel happy when they hold a book." he said.
Orator Tran Dang Khoa said he was a book lover but the phrase 'reading culture' did not sit well with him.
He said, "It sounds so theoretical. As a young person, I think the publishers should not abuse this phrase but point out the benefits of reading to people. Reading can reduce stress, and improve people’s lives. Moreover, about two thirds of high income people read so obviously, reading brings more benefits to readers than to publishers."
Bao and Khoa also admitted that although the publishing industry imported many book genres it lacked books that had huge impacts on readers.
