Strong sales performance
Following its collaboration with Tre (Youth) Publishing House to release the limited-edition box set "Writer Nguyen Nhat Anh - From Screen to Page" featuring best selling author’s four acclaimed long stories adapted into feature films, including “Mat Biec” (Dreamy Eyes), “Co Gai Den Tu Hom Qua” (The Girl from Yesterday), “Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh” (I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass), and “Ngay Xua Co Mot Chuyen Tinh” (Once Upon a Love Story), the Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation (Fahasa) has partnered with Dong A Culture Corporation to produce special handcrafted editions of four classic works, consisting of "Truyen Kieu" (The Tale of Kieu) by great poet Nguyen Du, "Luc Van Tien" by poet Nguyen Dinh Chieu, "How the Steel Was Tempered" by Nikolai Ostrovsky, and The Godfather by Mario Puzo.
Fahasa had previously commissioned several publishers to produce limited releases, including Kim Dong Publishing House with “Bup Sen Xanh” (The Green Lotus Bud) by Son Tung, Skybooks with “Tron Len Mai Nha De Khoc” (Sneak Up to the Rooftop to Cry) by Lam, and Nha Nam with the "Anne of Green Gables" box set by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
According to Ms. Pham Thi Hoa, Deputy General Director of Fahasa, while limited-edition books were once restricted to a niche readership with limited reach, the market is undergoing a clear transformation.
Editions with meticulous investment in aesthetics, craftsmanship, and inspiring content are performing exceptionally well in sales. Holding an elaborately crafted book enhances the reading experience while offering value for display and collection, she added.
Previously, publishers and book producers only occasionally released limited editions, mainly for specific projects or commissioned orders. For example, Dong A Books has produced premium editions featuring leather bindings, hand-stitched craftsmanship, and other high-end materials. Such editions, however, were typically made only upon advance orders and were rarely available through mainstream distribution channels.
The fact that major book distributors are now proactively commissioning limited-edition publications is a positive development. On the one hand, it enables publishers to invest in producing books of exceptional quality in both content and design. On the other, it makes limited editions more accessible to readers, meeting the growing demand for collectible and premium books, said Tran Dai Thang, Director of Dong A Culture JSC.
Beyond collectible value
Having collected limited-edition books for the past four years, Quoc Cuong, a resident of Nhieu Loc Ward in Ho Chi Minh City, now owns a collection of around 50 titles. For him, collecting limited editions not only fulfills a childhood dream but also carries a deeper meaning, allowing him and fellow enthusiasts to reconnect with the literary works that shaped their youth.
Take How the Steel Was Tempered, for example. Back then, we only had access to domestically printed editions on poor-quality paper with substandard printing. Anyone who owned a high-quality edition published by Raduga Publishers in the former Soviet Union was the envy of everyone else. Now, seeing this new edition—with full-color printing on premium 150gsm wood-free paper, a large 25 x 30 cm format, a cloth-bound hardcover, a clamshell case, gilded page edges, and using the familiar translation by Huy Van and Thep Moi, carefully revised and edited—brings back all the emotions and admiration we once felt for Pavel Korchagin, Quoc Cuong said.
According to publishers, limited editions differ from standard editions only in their craftsmanship and production quality, while the content remains exactly the same. Readers who are not interested in collecting can therefore choose the regular edition at a much lower price. Rather than replacing mass-market books, limited editions are intended to expand the publishing ecosystem. By offering both affordable editions for the general public and collectible versions for book enthusiasts, publishers can extend a work's lifespan and enhance its cultural value.
Meticulously crafted editions not only offer a superior reading experience but also inspire a deeper appreciation for books and reading. In doing so, they help preserve the value of literary works across generations of readers, Deputy General Director of Fahasa Pham Thi Hoa said.
Tran Dai Thang, Director of Dong A Culture JSC, noted that limited editions also help foster a reading culture. Their distinctive design naturally draws attention. When someone displays a limited-edition book at home, friends and neighbors become curious and want to learn more about it. In that sense, these collectible editions also contribute to promoting a culture of reading.
