For the first time in Vietnam, 26 audio books featuring popular local and foreign titles have been released by a local publisher in HCM City.

An initiative of Phuong Nam Books, the publications target both children and adults who can now listen to their favourite stories and essays read aloud for them in their cars, homes and other places.

More importantly, the books will be of considerable help to people who are blind or have impaired vision.

The titles include the world-famous Chicken Soup books by Jack Canfield, works by Italian writer Edmondo de Amicis, as well as famous novels and short stories by Tran Thuy Mai, Do Hong Ngoc, Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Pham Thi Ngoc Lien, Luu Thi Luong, Di Li, and other Vietnamese authors.

Approximately 40 professional singers and other people with sonorous, emotional voices were enlisted to produce the audio books.

The company plans more audio books for children, including fairy tales by Grimm, Andersen, and Saint Exupery as well as works by To Hoai and Phung Quan.

It has also announced that the copyright for all its audio books will be given to the Audio Books Library two months after they are released. The library will then donate the books to the visually-impaired community nationwide, benefiting at least 84 schools and organizations.

VNA