what is Cambodian literature?
Cambodian literature has a long history dating back to the Angkor period, which spanned from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Arguably, it was born with the first translations of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata into Khmer. The Khmer script, that originated around the 7th century, belongs to the abugida type, i.e. it is composed by consonant signs combined with vowel signs to represent syllables. Its peculiarity is the lack of spaces between the words.
The modern Cambodian literature has been shaped by the country's tumultuous history, including the Khmer Rouge regime, which saw the destruction of many literary works and the death of many writers. Despite this, contemporary Cambodian writers such as U Sam Oeur, Chath Piersath, and Loung Ung produce works of poetry, fiction, and drama, often exploring themes of memory and trauma.
The biography of the poet U Sam Oeur (1936-2018), the prisoner of labour camps, may exemplify the literary life under the regime. After its fall, he emigrated to the United States. In addition to his poetry, he also wrote several essays and a memoir, Crossing Three Wildernesses, which details his experiences during the Khmer Rouge period. Another refugee poet, Chath Piersath, is the author of such poetry volumes as After the Silence: A Survivor's Tale (1998) and Chant of a Million Women (2002). In addition to his writing, he is also a visual artist.
My favourite bibliography
[in progress]
The modern Cambodian literature has been shaped by the country's tumultuous history, including the Khmer Rouge regime, which saw the destruction of many literary works and the death of many writers. Despite this, contemporary Cambodian writers such as U Sam Oeur, Chath Piersath, and Loung Ung produce works of poetry, fiction, and drama, often exploring themes of memory and trauma.
The biography of the poet U Sam Oeur (1936-2018), the prisoner of labour camps, may exemplify the literary life under the regime. After its fall, he emigrated to the United States. In addition to his poetry, he also wrote several essays and a memoir, Crossing Three Wildernesses, which details his experiences during the Khmer Rouge period. Another refugee poet, Chath Piersath, is the author of such poetry volumes as After the Silence: A Survivor's Tale (1998) and Chant of a Million Women (2002). In addition to his writing, he is also a visual artist.
My favourite bibliography
[in progress]
I have readAndré Malraux, La Voie Royale (1930)
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I have written... nothing ...
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