We live to listen is a collection of essays published by Tre Publishing House in December, continuing the series of books Are we happy to live, We live because … which have been warmly received by readers over the years.
The essay books of author Nguyen Phong Viet are always released at the end of the year and become spiritual gifts that readers look forward to giving to friends, relatives and themselves.
"These days, let us be like a train about to enter the station. Slowly release the accelerator and brake pedals. Hands should also leave the steering wheel or the control screen. Let the train, following the momentum, slowly drift towards the stop of the station," excerpt from the work.
Cover of the book "We live to listen" (Photo: Tre Publishing House).
More than 40 articles in We Live to Listen are slices of life told through an emotional "filter": "That morning, I saw a flower", "Nights looking up at the sky", "Hugs", "Go home so dad can cut your hair", "Don't let an apology become a debt"...
The author tends to observe things that come from within, practicing "listening" to the vibrations from within.
The essay collection We Live to Listen demonstrates a calm state of mind. "We wait for good news and are willing to accept bad news, we turn inward, we are happy with small achievements whether we are fireflies or stars in life…".
The author reminds each of us, at some point in our lives - once, many times - to go deep into ourselves. Find ourselves, listen to ourselves, and then see ourselves from the depths of our hearts.
Sharing about the process of finding inner peace and expressing it in each word, Phong Viet said that everything on his writings follows the direction of initial turmoil like many others, then over time realizing the values of peace.
"Every journey has a price to pay. Before I could keep a calm mind with my words, I confess that I had many days of struggling with pouring out my heart on the page.
Each of us has a different life journey and purpose, but I believe everyone wants to live a happy life.
I have only taken a few steps on the journey of living happily and I want to share my thoughts with readers through contemplating them. Maybe everyone will be able to do something to make their lives more leisurely and reduce unnecessary worries," he said.
He explains that peace and happiness are small pieces that people can feel when they pay attention to life.
More than 40 articles in the work are slices of life told through an emotional "filter" (Photo: Tre Publishing House).
"Family" and "family love" are themes mentioned many times in this collection of essays.
"What kind of house do we want to live in? As parents, the moments of self-reflection when we are with our children, the overwhelming emotions when "holding a little person in our arms" (title of an article)…".
Readers will feel sympathy and a little anticipation for the moment of returning home to reunite with relatives at the end of the year.
"Who am I?", "How do I want to live?" are questions that everyone from philosophers to everyone has asked at some point in their lives.
Phong Viet chose to answer through stories and observations that helped him understand a little more about himself. "I'm just a human being", "We live to listen", "How do we want to leave?", "I just need to be myself"...
The author tells his own story and opens up space for the reader to slow down and think about their own answers.
Loneliness is also a topic of global concern, with its effects on human health and mental health. But if you listen to your inner voice, you cannot avoid moments of loneliness.
In the collection of essays, the author writes about the times when he "sits alone somewhere" when he "is a lonely species", with the mindset of accepting and making friends with that, because "only through scratches and bleeding can the heart and soul have the ability to create antibodies". This is a more calm approach and explanation to loneliness.
"Loneliness to me is not a uniquely human attribute. However, the way we have a mindset helps us look at loneliness in a more multidimensional way.
I denied loneliness many times, but in the end I realized that the only thing I could do was accept it and live with it. I don't love loneliness, but I have come to see loneliness as a friend, and we can talk to each other when that friend appears.
Loneliness is a part of human life, so accompany it and if possible talk to it to turn that seemingly lonely time into something valuable in terms of mental maturity...", Phong Viet shared.
Author Nguyen Phong Viet at the time of release of "Why does it have to hurt so much?"
When reading We Live to Listen , readers will see themselves somewhere, and when closing the book, the greatest thing left is still love, peace and hope.
"I hope that with my very simple perspectives on the human soul, readers can find a part of their own soul in it, with the same vibrational frequency...", Phong Viet said.
Nguyen Phong Viet, 43 years old, born in Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen), is a poet and journalist.
His published poetry collections created publishing phenomena, selling tens of thousands of copies.
Some published poetry collections: Passing through memories, From love to love, Born to be lonely...
In recent years, Phong Viet has temporarily stopped publishing poetry and switched to writing essays with a gentle and warm style.
He said he did not give up poetry, but just wanted to take time to let his feelings about poetry settle and deepen.
Instead, he uses the form of prose to convey emotions and other perspectives on life that poetry cannot express.
Talking about his upcoming plans, he said "he will continue with essays", and by Christmas 2025 he will return to poetry in a new work, hoping to make everyone feel more excited with new emotions.
Author Nguyen Phong Viet will sign autographs for readers on the occasion of the launch of We Live to Listen at 9am on December 17, at Book Cafe Phuong Nam, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street.
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