Being honored at the 10th National External Information Service Award represents a significant milestone in Isabelle Müller's career, but also a way of honoring her mother's life, Dau Thi Cuc, known as Mother Loan.

The book, which narrates the tumultuous life of her mother, quickly became one of the bestsellers on Amazon Germany and among the top 5 in the "Kindle Storyteller Award 2015".

The book is a story about her mother and the journey to reconnect with the history and love of Vietnam, the homeland of her expatriate mother. In Vietnam, the book has been reprinted four times.

Asked about her feelings upon receiving the award, Müller could not hide her emotion. 

"I am delighted, especially for my mother. First, this award honors the biography of my mother, Dau Thi Cuc (Mother Loan). I feel very grateful to see Vietnamese readers and the media recognize her value. She was a simple, small woman, born 95 years ago, but her fate, her life was a challenging journey that also reflected the historical events of that time," she said.

Composed within two years from the stories Mother Loan narrated with her child, and materials collected in six months, ‘Loan – Aus Dem Leben Eines Phoenix' provides an authentic experience of what Loan experienced. 

When asked what made her work win the award and beloved in Vietnam, Müller said it was due to the combination of a small woman's story overcoming enormous difficulties to build a life, alongside with the profound message about optimism, gratitude, and perseverance.

"In Vietnam, the book has been reprinted four times, which shows that Vietnamese readers are highly interested in this work. Additionally, the message my mother and I wanted to convey is love, kindness, and action,” she said. 

“I think readers have read many articles about the Loan Foundation, about how I fulfill my mother's dream—she always wanted to contribute something to her homeland and help children in the most difficult places. That's why I say 'we'—my mother and I—received this award together," she continued.

The award is not only an acknowledgment of Isabelle Müller's efforts in writing books but also significant motivation for her to continue her literary career.

One of her plans is to reprint the book in a simple manner to make the book easier for younger readers, especially Vietnamese youth and teenagers. She hopes this project will help young people understand more about the country's history and the challenges that their previous generations experienced, inspiring them in their lives and careers.

She also expressed her intention to write more novels about Vietnamese and Western cultures to bring fresh stories to readers.

Love for Vietnam

In the book, Isabelle Müller shows her deep love for Vietnam where her mother was born and spent part of her life. She said this connection formed when she was a child, as her mother often related stories about her homeland, landscapes, and people of Vietnam, as well as songs and music she loved. That was why the writer kept a strong desire to explore Vietnam from a young age.

During her first visit to Vietnam in the 1990s, Müller had a very special experience. "What impressed me most is the kindness of people, something that formed from inside and is hard to be described in words,” she said. 

Her love and respect for the country where her mother was born helped her build a unique bond with Vietnam. Every time she visits Vietnam, she can witness the country's strong development after years of war, which is something she deeply admires - Vietnam's resilience and remarkable growth.

One of the things Isabelle Müller is most proud of is the establishment of the Loan Foundation—a charitable organization she founded to support underprivileged children in Vietnam, especially those from ethnic minorities. 

The foundation is named after her mother, Loan, with the goal of providing a better future for disadvantaged children through education.

Ha Phuong