Following Ho Chi Minh : Memoirs of a North Vietnamese Colonel

Colonel Bui Tin, scion of a line of mandarins who defied tradition by becoming a revolutionary, was one of Vietnam's most prominent journalists.

His privileged position on Nhan Dan - the Vietnamese equivalent of Pravda - ensured access to the highest and most reliable government and party sources.

He witnessed the fall of Saigon to Communists and was one of the first Vietnamese to enter Phnom Penh after the defeat of the Khmer Rouge.

Since going to the West in 1990, Colonel Bui Tin has become the most important member of Vietnam's political elite to breach its secretive traditions.

His memoirs reveal many hitherto unknown aspects of Vietnam's recent history - the liberation struggle; land reform and economic policies; relations with the Soviet Union and China; and inner-party disputes and policy-making.

He also describes the leading personalities such as Ho Chi Minh, Le Duc Tho, and General Giap.