Description
Book SynopsisFor many Westerners, Hanoi evokes memories only of war and bitter loss. But Hanoi is much more than the capital of Vietnamese communism. Ancient seat of the royal house, then center of the French colonial empire in Indochina, and finally birthplace of Vietnamese independence, Hanoi is today a thriving urban center with a rich history all its own. Georges Boudarel and Nguyen Van Ky paint a vivid portrait of a city that is now awakening to the modern era. Together they reveal Hanoi in its myriad facets, from the aromas of its traditional cuisine to its destruction in wartime to the modern era of motorcycles and movie theaters. Part history, part paean, this book takes us into the heart of a city just emerging from the storms of the twentieth century.
Trade ReviewAn intriguing volume that offers the reader considerable food for thought. * Journal of Asian Studies *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Prologue Part 3 The Spirit of the City Chapter 4 A City that Remembers Chapter 5 The French Model Part 6 History and Its Secrets Chapter 7 1945: Under the Red Flag Chapter 8 1946: In the Footsteps of the Colonial Sûreté Part 9 Toward Liberation Chapter 10 1954: A Troubled Independence Chapter 11 1965-1975: War or Peace Part 12 Visions of the Future Chapter 13 A The Era of Renovation Chapter 14 A Capital for All Vietnamese Chapter 15 Chronology Chapter 16 Maps of Hanoi Chapter 17 Translator's Note Chapter 18 Selected Bibiography; Suggested Reading
