In the Shadow of the Banyan
About the book
The child narrator Raami tries to preserve family bonds and memory under the Khmer Rouge.
Asia · A READING GUIDE
Cambodia
Vaddey Ratner survived the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Her English-language novel draws on family experiences through a child’s perspective. Ratner's novels appear alongside autobiographical books by Loung Ung and Rithy Panh. This initial selection centres on genocide, family memory and life after survival.
WHERE TO START
- In the Shadow of the BanyanVaddey Ratner
- The EliminationRithy Panh; Christophe Bataille
- First They Killed My FatherLoung Ung
Books to begin with
An editorial selection · not rankedNo matches. Try another language or search term.
Music of the Ghosts
About the book
Teera returns to Cambodia seeking traces of her father, who disappeared under the Khmer Rouge.
The Elimination
About the book
The filmmaker combines memories of genocide with his interviews with Duch, the commander of S-21 prison.
First They Killed My Father
About the book
A memoir of childhood in Phnom Penh and survival under Khmer Rouge rule.
Lucky Child
About the book
A memoir contrasts the author’s new American life with that of her sister left in Cambodia.
Lulu in the Sky
About the book
A further memoir explores love and the struggle to live with the trauma of genocide.
Context and sources
Sources on authors and their connections to this country. Specific edition details appear beside each book. Polish and English originals are not labelled as translations.
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