European literature is not foreign to Vietnamese readers. Generations have wept over Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, dreamed with Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince and grown up with the tales of Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. To go deeper, the best approach is not to force your way through an endless list of classics but to start with short works in good translations, follow the themes you genuinely care about and let yourself read slowly.
Why read European literature
Literature is the fastest way to live inside someone else’s head. Read nineteenth-century Russian novels and you understand the questions of faith and conscience that troubled Russians. Read French literature and you see the struggle between ideals and society. Read English literature and you meet subtle satire about class and marriage. These works shaped how Europeans think about freedom, justice, love and the individual.
Many of their questions feel close to Vietnamese experience: the fate of the poor, conflict between family and self, war and loss. European literature also has a long connection with Vietnam through translations since the early twentieth century, and The Tale of Kieu has in turn been translated into several European languages.
Step one: start short
Do not begin with a thousand-page saga. Choose works that are short but deep:
- The Little Prince by Saint-Exupéry: rereading it as an adult feels completely different.
- The Metamorphosis by Kafka: a man wakes up transformed into an insect; short, strange and haunting.
- Chekhov’s short stories: slices of everyday life, gentle yet deeply sad.
- Maupassant’s short stories: tight plots and surprising endings.
- Andersen’s fairy tales reread as an adult: many are sadder and more philosophical than we remember.
Step two: choose one literature to explore
Rather than jumping around, choose one national literature and read several works in a row to get used to its voice and context.
French literature: ideals and society
Hugo’s Les Misérables is a wonderful entry point, long but gripping and full of compassion. Then try Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo for adventure, or Stendhal’s The Red and the Black and Flaubert’s Madame Bovary for psychological depth. From the twentieth century, Camus’s The Stranger is short and thought-provoking about the meaning of life.
Russian literature: soul and conscience
Nineteenth-century Russian literature is a summit. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment follows a poor student who commits a crime and wrestles with his conscience. Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and War and Peace are long but offer vast panoramas of life. If they feel heavy, start with Tolstoy’s or Chekhov’s short stories. Tip: keep a list of characters, as Russians have many ways of naming one person.
English literature: satire and character
Shakespeare is the foundation: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth all exist in Vietnamese and come alive even more on stage. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a clever, witty novel about marriage and class. Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist and Great Expectations portray industrial England with the poor at the centre. The twentieth century brought famous dystopian novels about power and freedom.
German, Spanish and beyond
Cervantes’s Don Quixote, often regarded as one of the first modern novels, is both funny and moving about a dreamer out of step with his time. German literature offers Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther, Thomas Mann, and Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, which many young Vietnamese readers have loved. Nordic, Italian, Polish and Czech literatures also have many writers worth reading, including Nobel laureates.
Reading in a second language
For readers learning English, French or German, classics can double as language practice. Start with graded readers or simplified editions, then move to the original once you feel ready. Reading a chapter in Vietnamese and then the same chapter in the original is slow, but it builds vocabulary and a feel for style that no textbook can give. Many young Vietnamese who later studied in Europe say this habit prepared them better than exam drills.
Choosing a translation
- Prefer respected translators, especially those translating directly from the original language rather than through a third language.
- Read a few pages before buying; fluent sentences are a good sign.
- Check the introduction and notes; good editions explain context.
- Ask reading communities which versions are highly regarded.
- Buy legitimate copies to support translators and publishers.
How to read without giving up
- Read a little every day; fifteen or twenty minutes is enough.
- Do not force yourself to understand every detail; much becomes clear later.
- Read about the historical context, but avoid detailed plot summaries.
- Note sentences you love and your own thoughts.
- Allow yourself to drop a book that does not suit you. Literature is not an obligation.
- Find a reading partner or book club to talk with.
Combining reading and travel
If you visit Europe, stop at writers’ houses, many of which are now museums: Victor Hugo’s house in Paris, Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, Kafka’s haunts in Prague. Walking the streets of a novel, such as Dostoevsky’s Saint Petersburg bridges or Hugo’s Paris neighbourhoods, makes books step into real life. Europeans are proud of their writers, and many cities offer literary walking tours.
Reading aloud and listening
Many European classics were written to be read aloud, in salons or around family tables. Audiobooks and recorded readings, often free for works in the public domain, are a good way in if long texts on a page feel daunting. Listening while commuting can carry you through the slow opening chapters of a big novel until the story takes hold.
Literature as a two-way mirror
Reading European literature does not make us less Vietnamese. On the contrary, placing Les Misérables beside The Tale of Kieu, or Chekhov’s stories beside those of Thạch Lam, reveals what human lives share and also the particular beauty of our own literature. That is the greatest benefit of reading widely.
What to remember
European literature is a treasure open to anyone willing to give it time. Start small, read slowly, choose good translations and follow your own curiosity. The right book at the right moment can stay with you for life.
Frequently asked questions
Should I read European literature in translation or the original?
For beginners, a good translation into your own language is sensible. Once comfortable, reading alongside the original or an English version adds depth.
Classics are long; how do I avoid giving up?
Start with short works, read a little every day, do not force yourself to understand everything, and allow yourself to drop a book that does not suit you.
Should I read summaries first?
Background on the author and historical context helps; avoid detailed plot summaries to keep the joy of discovery.
How does reading European literature help when travelling or studying?
It helps you understand ways of thinking, history, places and the stories Europeans often refer to in everyday life.
Are there reading clubs for European literature?
Many European cultural centres and libraries hold reading events and author talks; follow their programmes.
