writer Ma Van Khang.I— Photo vnexpress

HA NOI (VNS)— An essay and collection of notes by popular writer Ma Van Khang has been ranked top among works of literature winning the annual Viet Nam Writers' Association prizes.

The collection, entitled Phut Giay Huyen Dieu (Wonderful Moment), is the story of the author's experiences while working in various jobs, including mining for gold, searching for aloe wood, processing coal, teaching English, slaughtering pigs and driving a taxi motorbike.

Other winning writers were Nguyen Tri for his short stories entitled Bai Vang, Da Quy, Tram Huong (Gold Mine, Germs and Aloe Wood); poet Ma Giang Lan for his poetry collection Nhung Lop Song Ngon Tu (Waves of Words) and translator Nguyen Van Thai for his Nong Dan (translated from the novel The Peasants by 1924 Polish Nobel winning writer Wladystaw Stanistaw Reymont).

Tri's short stories have been written in a special style, with strong southern features, while the translation novel, The Peasants, by Thai, was called a colossal and persuasive task.

The winners were selected among 200 entries from throughout the country.

The association will present the prizes to winners on January 19 at the Viet Nam Literature Museum in Ha Noi. During the ceremony, the association will also announce a list of 36 new members. — VNS