To Hoai, whose real name was Nguyen Sen, is best known for the story of a cricket’s fantasy adventures in the world of bugs, which has been a great read for generations of children since it was first published in 1941.
At an event in 2012 marking 70 years since the debut of The Adventures of a Cricket, To Hoai said he began writing the story when he was 17 or 18 years old, and that it was set in an area along the To Lich River, where he spent much of his childhood playing with crickets.
The novel—which praises love, peace and friendship—has been translated into nearly 40 languages.
Born in Hoai Duc and raised near the To Lich River (hence his pen name), To Hoai is also famous for A Phu and His Wife, which was written in 1952–53 and made into a film in 1961.
It tells the story of A Phu and his wife, My, who rose against the oppression of local landlords in the Northwest region to gain freedom and happiness.
To Hoai is considered a master of the living Vietnamese language for his unique and novel use of vocabulary, resulting from his careful observation of landscapes, people and events during journeys to different areas of the country.
He has received many honours, including the Ho Chi Minh Award for Literature and Arts in 1996 and other literary accolades.
In addition to The Adventures of a Cricket and A Phu and His Wife, To Hoai left a large legacy of over 100 works of different genres.
Covers of To Hoai’s The Adventures of a Cricket through different publication runs
