English-language Bookworm bookstore in Hanoi, Vietnam, has become "an attractive destination for foreign visitors when they are in Hanoi," according to VietNamNet Online. Founded in 2001 by Australian author Pam Scott as an English-language book exchange for expats, Bookworm was bought in 2006 by Hoang Van Truong. The store estimates that its customers are about 40% expats, 30% Vietnamese and 30% travelers.
The store carries "all genres and types of books, from novels to books on politics, economics, arts and culture," VietNamNet Online wrote. Of its 15,000 titles, 40% are new books imported from the U.S. and U.K., and the rest are used books bought from or exchanged with customers.
Truong told the online newspaper that he wants to turn Bookworm into a place for cultural exchanges: "Bookworm wants to organise exchanges between writers of public interest and Vietnamese readers to help youngsters understand more about Western literature."