Contributions

  • Peter Zinoman (Editor) - Contributor
  • Nguyen Nguyet Cam (Translator) - Contributor

Publication

2002-06-05 - University of Michigan Press

Language

English

Word Count

50,000 words, Guess

Page Count

200 pages

Physical Format

Paperback

Identifiers

  • ISBN-100472068040
  • ISBN-139780472068043
  • LibraryThing5574810
  • Goodreads1362808
  • Open LibraryOL7632854M

Description

Vũ Trọng Phụng’s Dumb Luck (originally Số Đỏ, 1936) is a biting satire of 1930s colonial Vietnam that follows the absurd rise of Red-Haired Xuan, a street-smart vagabond who ascends to the heights of high society through sheer coincidence and a series of hilarious misunderstandings. Using a "wickedly funny" tone, Phụng lampoons the superficial Europeanization and hypocrisy of the Hanoi bourgeoisie, who desperately mimic Western fashions and progressive ideals without any true moral or spiritual foundation. The novel remains a cornerstone of Vietnamese literature for its "realistic depiction" of social stratification, its sharp wit, and its exploration of the unpredictable nature of fate.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • Dumb Luck: A Novel by Vu Trong Phung (Southeast Asia: Politics, Meaning, and Memory)PaperbackUniversity of Michigan Press2002-06-05

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