10 Recommended Books for Learning about Nam│From Basic Information to Specialized Books

Introduction

In this report, we recommend some books that will help you understand Vietnam. When researching something about Vietnam, most people use the Internet. However, in addition to the authenticity and expertise of the books, you can also find out the authors.

For those who want to acquire a solid knowledge of Vietnam, we strongly recommend reading the book presented here.

In addition to that,

• Those who are going to be posted to Vietnam on a business trip
• Those who are planning to expand their business into Vietnam
• Those who are planning to set up a business in Vietnam
• Those who work with Vietnamese people
• Those who are interested in Vietnam even a little

Here are 10 books that we recommend to those who meet at least one of the above criteria.

Basic Knowledge of Vietnam（Motoo Furuta） 

• More information：Basic Knowledge of Vietnam (Basic Knowledge of Asia) 
• Release Date: 12/1/2017
• Author： Motoo Furuta

2Published in 2017, this book provides a good beginning regarding knowledge of Vietnam. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the country of Vietnam, including its geography, history, politics, economy, and society. The book is written by Motoo Furuta, one of the most renowned Vietnamese historians in Vietnam.

Chapter 1 describes what kind of country Vietnam is from various perspectives. And in chapters 2 and 3, the geography of Vietnam is described in detail by region and city. The book covers Vietnam in more detail than history or tourist books, so you can get an overall picture of Vietnam’s geography, including knowledge, and even this chapter is enough to deepen your basic knowledge of the country.

 Chapters 4, 5, and 6 describe the history of Vietnam from ancient times to modern times when the Doi Moi policy was developed. You will learn more about Vietnam’s conflicts and relations with neighboring countries, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, and how the postwar economy and politics were rebuilt from a precarious situation to approach the Vietnam of today. Chapter 7 discusses politics, while Chapter 8 describes the economy and society.

 Chapters 9 and 10 explain Vietnam’s relationship with neighboring countries and Japan.

 The author, Dr. Furuta, is also the president of the Japan-Vietnam University in Hanoi. Dr. Furuta has been living in Hanoi, Vietnam for an extended period of time since 1977, approximately two years after the end of the Vietnam War. This book is very informative because of the amount of information and insights that Dr. Furuta has gained from his direct observation of Vietnam from the immediate postwar period up to the present.

Sixty Chapters for Understanding Modern Vietnam [Second Edition] (Akio Imai and Misaki Iwai)

• More Information: 60 Chapters for Understanding Modern Vietnam 【2nd ed】
• Release Date: 2012/10/30
• Author： Akio Imai, Misaki Iwai, Shozo Sakata, Satoshi Endo

The book, as the title suggests, describes Vietnam in 60 chapters. The first 10 chapters explain how Vietnam came to be by discussing various parts of the country.

Chapters 10 through 20 are about the land, sea (water), villages, ethnic groups, and world heritage sites in Vietnam. These chapters are not often explained in other books, so it is safe to say that they are explained from this book’s unique perspective.

Chapters 21-40 describe Vietnamese society and ethnic culture. Chapters 41-50 describe the political landscape under the Doi Moi policy. The last chapters, 51-60, focus on the industrialization and modernization of Vietnam. 

This book is,
Prof. Akio Imai, Professor, Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Professor Misaki Iwai, Professor of Vietnamese at Kanda University of International Studies
Professor, Department of Vietnamese Language, Kanda University of Foreign Studies.

The contents are easy to understand and interesting to read, not only in terms of history, but also by researchers specializing in many other fields. There are also some interesting columns, so you can read the book without getting bored until the end. The book is also divided into sections by content, so it is recommended to keep it as a book to open only when there is something you are interested in.

Story: The History of Vietnam: The Dynamism of A Nation of 100 million People (Sadao Ogura)

• More Information: Narrative: History of Vietnam – Dynamism of a Nation of 100 Million People
• Release Date: 1997/7/25
• Author: Sadao Ogura

The book traces the history of Ho Chi Minh (Hu Zhi Ming) from around A.D. to his independence in the 20th century. Each person is well described and clearly written.

Chapter 1 describes the period when Vietnam was ruled by China.

The second chapter then describes how the independent Vietnam came to be and what the people were aware of.

Chapter 3 explains how Vietnam expanded its territory by fighting the Champa Kingdom and Cambodia to the south.

Chapter 4 details the French colonial period. 

This book will change the way you see the city, people, and culture of Vietnam today by learning how the country gained independence after overcoming battles with France, China, Japan, and the United States.
The author, Sadao Ogura, joined the Yomiuri Shimbun in 1955 and worked in various departments before becoming a correspondent in Saigon. He also served as a professor at Tsuru Bunka University and Chubu University.

Vietnam War – Battlefield of Miscalculations and Misunderstandings (Kan Matsuoka) 

• More Information: Vietnam War – Battlefield of Miscalculations and Misunderstandings
• Release Date: 7/25/2001
• Author: Matsuoka, Kan

This book is a more in-depth look into the Vietnam War.
Today, with the majority of people born after the Vietnam War, the number of people who can speak about their actual experiences is naturally decreasing every year. In addition, many parents and grandparents who experienced the Vietnam War refuse to talk about it.

This book is recommended for those who want to learn more about the Vietnam War, as its contents are clearly organized and written from multiple perspectives.

The author, Dr. Kan Matsuoka, is currently a professor of sociology at the University of Tsukuba. In addition to Vietnamese history, he also researches Vietnam-U.S. diplomacy.

Japan’s Crisis: What You Can See if You Know Vietnam (Kunio Umeda) 

• More Information : Japan’s Crisis: New Allies Who Share the Same Wariness Toward China
• Release Date : 2021/5/28
• Author：Kunio Umeda

Having seen and felt the country of Vietnam more closely, Dr. Kunio Umeda explains the relationship between Japan and Vietnam that he hopes to achieve in the future and how Vietnam will affect other countries. Starting with an analysis of Vietnam’s current situation, the book also includes content on Japan’s security, economy, declining birthrate and aging population, Vietnam’s political economy, and China.

In addition, Dr. Umeda served as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Vietnam from 2016 to March 2020, so the information is new and written in a way that can be applied in the future. This book is especially helpful for those who want to know more about the newer situation in Vietnam, not simply its history and language. 

Vietnam Business 2020 (Yusuke Kaburaki, Takuto Kudo, Takuto Sanehara, and Tran Nguyen Trung)

• More Information: Vietnam Business in the Future 2020 Win-Win Relationships Bring Diversified Business and Human Resources
• Release Date: 1/31/2021
• Author：Yusuke Kaburaki, Takuto Kudo, Kyoyuki Jitsuhara, and Tran Nguyen Trung

If you want to learn about the latest Vietnamese business, this book is perfect for you. Vietnam’s GDP growth is strong, and a number of Japanese companies are expanding into Vietnam.

This publication provides item-by-item data and views based on the economic situation in Vietnam, including the manufacturing and real estate sectors. Furthermore, it can be used as a reference for future economic trends. It is recommended not only as an introductory book for those who want to start a business in Vietnam, but also for those who are considering a net investment.

The gaining power is high. I also learn a lot about how to get along with local Vietnamese people and the difficulties they face.

The Definitive Guide to Vietnam in Three Hours with Manga (Tetsuya Fukumori, Kyoyuki Jitsuhara, Takuto Kudo, Tran Nguyen Trung) 

• More Information: A book about Vietnam in 3 hours with cartoons
• Release Date: 6/21/2021
• Author: Tetsuya Fukumori, Takayuki Sanehara, Takuto Kudo, Tran Nguyen Trung

In addition to Vietnam’s politics, economy, and culture, this book explains “how to start a business in Vietnam” and “local management know-how” in manga form. However, it is not just a “book with cartoons.

In terms of composition, a single page spread covers one item. The cartoon is on the left and the text on the right. The text is short and concise, making it very easy to read. This makes the book easy to understand and visualize. This book is recommended for those who are interested in doing business in Vietnam, those who are going on a business trip to Vietnam, and anyone else who has even a passing interest in the country. 

This book is written by Mr. Jitsuhara, Mr. Kudo, and Mr. Chan, three of the authors of “Vietnam Business 2020” mentioned above, and Mr. Fukumori. Mr. Fukumori has been active in leading Japanese and European consulting firms and has been observing changes in Vietnam for more than 30 years. 

Multilayered Vietnam (Emi Kojin) 

• More Information: Multilayered Vietnamese Society
• Release Date: 2/20/2018
• Author：Emi Kojin

In Vietnamese society, there is a framework of “social stratification”. Examples include business managers, university-educated elites, and farmers. This book explains the structure and characteristics of inequality and disparity arising from such social stratification from the perspective of each class. By taking a multifaceted approach, the book provides a deep understanding of the current social stratification in Vietnam.

The content is somewhat difficult, so some prior knowledge is required. It is recommended that you have a good understanding of the beginner’s book. 

The author, Mr. Arakami, is currently with the Gender and Social Development Research Group, Center for Frontier Research, specializing in Vietnam’s agricultural and rural areas and economy.

55 Iron Rules for Doing Business with Vietnam (Yuki Furukawa) 

• More Information: 55 Iron Rules for Doing Business with Vietnam
• Release Date: 6/23/2016
• Author：Yuki Furukawa

The book is a compact collection of 55 Q&A questions and answers that provide basic information about Vietnamese people and Vietnamese society, how to get along with them at work, and what manners you should know about them.

This book is a must-have for anyone who is going to work in Vietnam on a business trip. It is also recommended for those who have Vietnamese colleagues in Japan but do not know how to deal with them. It explains how to deal with problems that may occur when working in Vietnam.

Author Furukawa fell in love with Southeast Asia after studying Vietnamese folklore and folktales in college, and moved to Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. He then studied Vietnamese and traveled around Vietnam as a freelance travel writer. His solutions to communication problems, written from his experience, are very compelling.

Business Law in Vietnam [Second Edition] (Nishimura & Asahi Law Office)

• More Information: Business Law in Vietnam [2nd ed.
• Release Date: 12/17/2020
• Author: Nishimura & Asahi Law Office

This book provides commentary on all areas of business law for the different stages of a company’s entry into Vietnam. Specifically, it is the definitive guide to legal matters such as how to enter the market, local management, compliance, and withdrawal. If you are planning to start a business in Vietnam, this book is a must-have.

It is in line with the latest laws as it was published in 2020. In addition, the author, Nishimura & Asahi, is a Japanese lawyer and has expanded its practice mainly in Asia. The book is trustworthy, as many of its members are Vietnamese lawyers.

Summary

In this article, we have selected 10 books that we recommend for learning about Vietnam.
I believe that the contents of “learning about Vietnam” vary from person to person, depending on whether one wants to know about the history, politics, society, people, language, law, business, and so on.

Researching on the Internet is a good way to do so, but if you want to know more about the subject and learn more about it, we still recommend books written by professors and other experts. If there is a book that interests you, please read it.

 

ベトナム市場の情報収集を支援します

ベトナム市場での情報収集にお困りの方は多くいらっしゃるのではないでしょうか。

VietBizは日本企業の海外事業・ベトナム事業担当者向けに市場調査、現地パートナー探索、ビジネスマッチング、販路開拓、M&A・合弁支援サービスを提供しています。

ベトナム特化の経営コンサルティング会社、ONE-VALUE株式会社はベトナム事業に関するご相談を随時無料でこちらから受け付けております。