The controversial characterization of a national icon has led to the rapid recall of the book, ‘Chuyện Với Thanh’.
The Latest: On the morning of June 10, 2026, the Vietnam Writers’ Association Publishing House officially apologized, halted distribution, and recalled the book Chuyện với Thanh – Lời kể mới về ánh sáng (A story with Thanh – A New Account of Light).
The decision follows a wave of online denunciations claiming the work insulted Hồ Chí Minh, prompting direct interventions from state management agencies to pull the publication.
The Details: The publishing house announced its handling of the situation via a Facebook statement on June 10. According to the statement, the publisher received “many comments, reflections, and feedback” regarding “certain historical content, data, and expressions” in the book.
The publisher said that, “in a spirit of openness,” it had reviewed the work and found “limitations and shortcomings in the editing, appraisal, and technical presentation of the content, especially regarding the accuracy of some historical data, assessments, and expressions in the work.”
Furthermore, the publisher added that it “seriously accepts the feedback, takes responsibility, and sincerely apologizes to readers for the limitations and shortcomings in the publication process.”
The recall was formally initiated “following the request of the state management agency.”
Earlier, on June 4, the Department of Publishing, Printing, and Distribution issued a document ordering the publisher to stop distributing and recall the book after receiving public complaints. The publisher has pledged to adopt “corrective measures to address the identified shortcomings,” while also “clarifying the responsibilities of relevant collectives and individuals and handling them according to regulations.”
Notably, the publisher turned off comments under its statement.
Furthermore, neither the Ministry of Information and Communications nor the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has publicly released any statement or document regarding the handling of the publication.
About the Book: Published in 2026, Chuyện với Thanh is structured as a dialogue between Thanh, a Generation Z student who is indifferent to history, and a teacher named Thành.
Through their conversation, the book reconstructs the journey of Hồ Chí Minh—then known as Nguyễn Tất Thành—during his years abroad.
About the Author: The author, Nguyễn Thành Nam, is a lecturer on Hồ Chí Minh Thought at VinUniversity, which belongs to Vingroup. He is also a well-known Vietnamese entrepreneur and a co-founder of FPT Group and the online university FUNiX.
As of the latest updates, he has not spoken publicly about the controversy.
The Background: In recent days, the book faced severe backlash and accusations of “distorting history” because its portrayal of Nguyễn Tất Thành differs from official accounts.
The Facebook account of Phan Trung Can, a prominent figure in previous denunciation campaigns against the novel The Sorrow of War and a panel discussion on Trương Vĩnh Ký, led the backlash.
- In a June 3 post, Phan Trung Can called the work “a dirty book that must be recalled and destroyed,” accusing the author of “abusing academic freedom to distort history,” “insulting President Hồ,” and “insulting the Vietnamese nation.”
- On June 4, he urged the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission to direct the editor-in-chief of the Nhân Dân newspaper to remove two articles by journalist Ngọc Đinh that praised the book, originally published on May 17, 2026.
This move triggered another wave of public reaction.
- Lt. Gen. Nguyễn Thanh Tuấn demanded that the Vietnam Writers’ Association Publishing House explain its licensing of the book and urged intervention from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission.
Media Blackout: On the evening of June 4, Nhân Dân removed the two articles, stating that the newsroom had “assessed that the content was inappropriate and therefore decided to take down the articles.”
Outlets including An ninh Thủ Đô, Znews, and Pháp Luật Plus also removed articles introducing the book, while several major bookstores in Việt Nam deleted sales listings or stopped selling the publication entirely.
On the afternoon of June 5, the publisher announced on its fan page that it had temporarily suspended distribution to “review and revise several words and details based on readers’ feedback.”
However, that post was removed just a few hours later.
The Division: Despite the backlash, many individuals have defended the book.
- Dr. Vũ Hoàng Linh stated that although he “entirely disagrees with” the author’s perspective, society must respect creative freedom.
- “No country can take off without a minimum degree of freedom and a certain level of safety for creators, people with new ideas, and those who dare to challenge old paths, whether in thought, ideas, or methods,” Dr. Linh wrote.
- Dr. Nguyễn Kiều Dung argued that the accessible approach and colloquial language were suitable for contemporary young readers who “are tired of the deification of great figures.”
- She wrote, “They [young people] want to learn about great figures from the perspective of ordinary human beings. That is why Thành Nam’s approach is very suitable for them. There should be different approaches to suit different audiences.”
Why It Matters: Cultural products in Việt Nam undergo an extremely strict censorship process. Even after publication and circulation, works can be recalled or destroyed at any time.
Hồ Chí Minh has long been portrayed by Vietnamese state agencies and the national education system as “a symbol of patriotism, heroic spirit, and the nation’s aspiration for independence, freedom, and happiness,” making alternative historical interpretations highly sensitive.
Lăng Nguyên wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 10, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
