THE POLITICS OF MAGICAL REALISM: THE YOUNG DIE OLD

Why did it take thirty years for this experimental classic - Nguyễn Bình Phương's The Young Die Old - to enter the Anglosphere? 

Three decades on, what are the barriers for Vietnamese authors entering the Western literary sphere?

How is magical realism used as a tool for political allegory? How has allegory been used to write war?

What are the limits of magical realism across time, language and cultures?

Join Tagore's Salon and Major Books in exploring these questions with Kim Tran, the editor of Major Books x

Kim Trần is the co-founder, CEO, and publisher of Major Books, the London-based independent press dedicated to bringing Vietnamese literature to English-speaking readers through translation, thoughtful design, and cultural exchange. Kim’s work bridges publishing, culture, and advocacy across the UK and Vietnam. In 2025, she was shortlisted for Leader of the Year at the FutureBook Awards, recognising her innovation and impact within the publishing industry.

About the author:

Nguyễn Bình Phương, born in the northern mountain of Thái Nguyên, is a prominent novelist and poet. Phương has authored six novels and five poetry collections, with notable works including The Young Die Old and Mình và Họ, which was first published in America, untranslated and uncensored, as Xe Lên Xe Xuống. His writing is a blend of magical realism and psychological depth, often exploring themes of memory, identity, and post-war trauma.