The work marks the return of the celebrated author after a long hiatus from the literary scene. As a semi-autobiographical piece, he adopts a raw, somewhat nonchalant narrative voice, yet it remains deeply human and imaginative—a hallmark of Nguyen Ngoc Thuan's writing style.
The writer shared that for nearly 10 years, due to a weakened immune system, he rarely left his home, living almost in isolation. His life revolved around hospitals and his residence. Literature and painting became his means of connecting with the outside world.
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Book cover of "The beauty of the jaded". *Photo: Phanbook*
In the book, he recounts stories from within hospitals, exploring the world of individuals with chronic illnesses. Despite the somber setting, he aims to avoid a gloomy perspective, stating that "all sadness is treated with humor". According to the writer, for patients, every day feels like a monday, as they rarely find respite. He shared, "at that time, writing became a joy, filling my emptiness."
Reviewing the book, writer Da Ngan praised the work for showcasing impressive shifts in the literary style of a talented author, cherished and anticipated by readers. She described the book as written in a "gentle yet profound" voice. Many pages feature novel techniques and rich visual messages. She remarked, "Nguyen Ngoc Thuan invites readers to engage differently, to pause and share if they wish, to sigh and nod in agreement if they approve, to reflect broadly if they suddenly recall someone or imagine someone—a loved one, a friend, or themselves."
The 164-page book was reprinted two days after its release. Its cover features a large-format self-portrait by the author. The artwork depicts life taking root in the form of a tree, inspired by a chest X-ray and the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), a medical device that helps patients with heart rhythm disorders reduce complication risks, which was implanted in the author's body 10 years ago. This work previously earned Nguyen Ngoc Thuan the most promising artist of the year award at the Painting of the Year 2025 competition, organized by a bank in TP HCM.
Artist and writer Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, 54, hails from Pho Tri hamlet, Ham Tan, Binh Thuan (formerly). He has received numerous literary awards both domestically and internationally for works such as: Giang Giang To Nhen (third prize in the second "Literature for the Twenties" writing contest), Vua Nham Mat Vua Mo Cua So (first prize in the second "For the Future of the Nation" children's literature competition, Peter Pan Prize for Children's Literature Sweden 2008), Mot Thien Nam Mong (first prize in Kim Dong Publishing House's 2001-2002 children's literature writing contest), and Nhen Ao (first prize in the 2003 children's writing contest).
Nguyen Ngoc Thuan's book Co Ban La Buon won second prize in the fifth "Literature for the Twenties" writing contest in 2014. Additionally, he has several short story collections, including: Chuyen Tao Lao, Tuoi 20, and Cha Va Con Va Tau Bay. He also works as an artist for Tuoi Tre Cuoi newspaper.
Mai Nhat
