Vietnam's landscape and culture have inspired many of the country's current writers. In Vietnam: A Traveler's Literary Companion (1996), John Balaban and Nguyen Qui Duc compile more than fifteen stories by Vietnam's best writers. Most of the stories are organized by five geographical sections: Hanoi, Rivers, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, and Villages.

Much can be learned about a culture by examining its classic stories. Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam (2001), by Sherry Garland, is a children's book that collects six of these classic stories, including one that examines the legend of the monsoon rains. Garland discusses each tale in its specific historical and cultural context.

Today's Vietnam has a rich and diverse culture. Culture and Customs of Vietnam (2001), by Mark W. McLeod and Nguyen Thi Dieu, offers a detailed overview of Vietnamese geography, history, religion, literature, art and...