When Broken Glass Floats

Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge

By: Chanrithy Him

Narrated by: Kalean Ung

"A gut-wrenching story told with honesty, restraint, and dignity."—Ha Jin, National Book Award-winning author of Waiting

Chanrithy Him felt compelled to tell of surviving life under the Khmer Rouge in a way "worthy of the suffering which I endured as a child."

In a mesmerizing story, Chanrithy Him vividly recounts her trek through the hell of the "killing fields." She gives us a child's-eye view of a Cambodia where rudimentary labor camps for both adults and children are the norm and modern technology no longer exists. Death becomes a companion in the camps, along with illness. Yet through the terror, the members of Chanrithy's family remain loyal to one another, and she and her siblings who survive will find redeemed lives in America.

A Finalist for the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize.

©2000 Chanrithy Him (P)2023 Tantor

every part of this book ...

I'm am not one that writes reviews of comments , but this story , this reality , this horrible reality has opened my eyes to a totally different understanding of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge.
The horrors and hell that those poor soals had to endure and the heart breaking struggle of everyday life under this evil Khmer Rouge .
After reading this book it totally made me rethink and truely appreciate how lucky I am to be an American .
My heart truly go out for Chanrithy Him and her entire family .

Heartbreaking

I've read two other great books by survivors of the Khmer Rouge. The others each had a bit of fortune to be spared the worst of the treatment. This book hits so much harder because there is never a break or a glimmer of hope except knowing the author survives. There is so much more detail about the way families are treated under the regime. It can be tough to get through at times, but it's worth the read.

Amazing memoir but a little slow at the end

Overall an amazing story and makes me appericate what I have in america i little more, little slow at the end but other than that fantastic memoir if your intrested in this time in Cambodia.

Him elegantly describes the hope, courage, and love of the Cambodian people who were subjected the worst of humanity.

Him‘s descriptions are vivid and heart wrenching. To read her story is to admire her and the other brave Cambodians subjected the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge.