A special book exhibition has opened at HCM City 's Nguyen Hue Bookstore to welcome the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The exhibition, featuring more than 1,500 titles in different fields, attracted many readers, young and old, to its opening ceremony on Jan. 10.

The display has three major themes: The Party's Documents; The Life and Work of President Ho Chi Minh; and Historical Events during the American War in Vietnam .

Around 10,000 books cover events and heroes of different periods over the 81 years since the Party's inception, according to the HCM City Books Distribution Company (Fahasa), a member of the event's organising board.

Participating in the exhibition are leading printers like the HCM City General Publishing House, National Politics Publishing House, Tre (Youth) Publishing House and Thanh Nien (Young People) Publishing House.

The Culture-Theatre Publishing House's Hanh Khuc Giai Phong (Liberation March) is one of the exhibition's highlighted books.

The book is a research work compiled and edited by Lu Nhat Vu, Le Giang and Le Anh Trung, three of the city's veteran composers and art critics.

Hanh Khuc Giai Phong displays nearly 600 songs and 54 works by musicians and authors during the 1954-75 period. They creatively capture the people's thirst for national independence as well as their love for President Ho Chi Minh and soldiers.

The Tre Publishing House introduces one of its bestsellers of last year, Tran Thai Binh's Vo Nguyen Giap -Hao Khi Tram Nam (General Vo Nguyen Giap - Magnanimity for a Hundred Years).

The book portrays the life and military career of Vo Nguyen Giap, focusing on the General's outstanding contributions to the victories against French and American aggressors.

Organisers said they hope the exhibition would help people, particularly young readers, learn more about the country's heroic history, the Party and its causes and victories.

Nearly 1,000 books will be presented to soldiers working for the Border Guard Command, they said.

The exhibition will remain open at 40 Nguyen Hue Street , District 1, from 9am to 10pm until January 16. Entrance is free./.