Entitled Hà Nội in First Half of 20th Century, the two-volume book is the result of serious study that Uẩn has done throughout his career of teaching and researching history. However, it was not till 1975 that he was able to start writing it.
The series have an appendix on Hà Nội’s streets, the names of Indochina General Governors between 1884 and 1945 and maps.
The first draft of the book was completed in 1985, and it was first published in 1995.
The book won the Thăng Long Book Award in 1996.
Nguyễn Văn Uẩn, (1912-1991) had compiled various important books including Lịch Sử Việt Nam Sơ Khảo (A Brief of Vietnamese History, 1946) and Lịch Sử Thủ Đô Hà Nội (History of Capital Hà Nội, 1962).
