An initiative of Phuong Nam Books, thepublications target both chidren and adults who can now listen to theirfavourite stories and essays read out for them in their cars, homes andother places.
More importantly, the books will be ofconsiderable help to people who are blind or suffer from other forms ofimpaired vision.
The titles include the world famousChicken Soup books by Jack Canfield, works by Italian writer Edmondo deAmicis as well as famous novels and short stories by Tran Thuy Mai, DoHong Ngoc, Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Pham Thi Ngoc Lien, Luu Thi Luong, Di Li andother Vietnamese authors.
About 40 musicians, singers and people with sonorous, emotional voices were invited to produce the audio books.
The company plans more audio books for children featuring fairy talesby Grimm, Andersen and Saint Exypery as well as works by To Hoai andPhung Quan.
It has also announced that the copyright forall its audio books will be given to the Audio Books Library two monthsafter they are released. The library will then deliver the books tobenefit the sight-impaired community nationwide, covering at least 84schools and organisations.
Nguyen Huong Duong, director ofthe library, said that her library needs 30,000 tapes each year tofulfil the needs of blind children, but it only receives 1,000 titlesand tapes at present.
Nguyen Thanh Thuy, director ofPhuong Nam Books, and the main person behind the audio books production,also said that the company was negotiating with mobile phone serviceproviders VinaPhone, Mobiphone, and Viettel to carry the audiobooks to awider audience.
She also hopes the books will be popularised on the radio soon.
Meanwhile, the company has launched a contest to find people withattractive voices and talent to work on audio books that it plans tolaunch in the future./.