54 pages 1 hour read

Chanrithy Him

When Broken Glass Floats

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2000

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

When Broken Glass Floats by Chanrithy Him recounts her harrowing childhood and adolescence under the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. At the age of five, Him endured the brutal takeover, witnessing the murder of her father and losing her mother and siblings to starvation and disease. Despite the pervasive trauma, Him highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of familial bonds. Torture, starvation, disease, death of family members.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

When Broken Glass Floats by Chanrithy Him is lauded for its profound depiction of the Khmer Rouge regime's brutality through the eyes of a child. Reviewers appreciate the authenticity and emotional depth but note occasional narrative disjointedness. The memoir is praised for its historical significance, though its intense, graphic content may be overwhelming for some readers.

Who should read this

Who Should Read When Broken Glass Floats?

A reader who would enjoy When Broken Glass Floats by Chanrithy Him is typically interested in survivor memoirs and historical accounts of human resilience. Fans of First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung or The Diary of Anne Frank would find this book compelling for its poignant depiction of survival under the Khmer Rouge.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

History: Asian

Military / War

History: World

Themes

Society: Community

Society: War

Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Genre

Action / Adventure

Biography