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The Rent Collector (2012)

by Camron Wright(Favorite Author)

4.24 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1609071220 (ISBN13: 9781609071226)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Shadow Mountain

review 1: This is not the most masterfully written book, but it is a sincere effort and a story worth telling. It is often apparent the book was written by a middle-class American man rather than a poor Cambodian woman and at times the narrative becomes a bit trite and overly sentimental. The book's strengths include its vivid depiction of life in one of the most lowly places on earth and how people manage to eke out a meager, yet still dignified and humane existence under such circumstances. The book has a number of compelling themes: overcoming prejudice, forgiving others and oneself, endurance through trials, striving to better oneself through literacy, and the power of stories. These make it worth reading.
review 2: S.BPeriod 211/8/14 “The Rent Collector” by ... moreCamron Wright is based on a true story taken place at the largest garbage dump in Cambodia where Sang Li and her family live. Rummaging through piles of garbage is a daily battle for survival at Stung Meanchey for Sang Li and her family. They make their living by selling recyclables from the trash. Sang Li and Ki Lim’s lifestyle at the dump is already hard enough, but with their son Nisay being very sick, and the expense of Niysay’s medicine, which aren’t getting him better, makes their lives even worse. It is a story of hope, survival and love. “The Rent Collector” was inspired by the people living at Stung Meanchey. Although Sang Li and her family live at a garbage dump, they still have to pay rent. Once a month the rent collector, Sopeap Sin, a grouchy old lady who is always drunk, demands that the rent is to be paid. When Ki Lim finds a book in the garbage dump his family and Sopeap’s lives changed. When Sang Li discovers Sopeap knows how to read she asks if she would teach her. As time goes on and Sopeap teaches her how to read they gain a friendship they thought they would never have. Over time Sang Li realizes Sopeap Sin has also had a very difficult life - she has secrets that she is not revealing and burdens that she has carried for years. This book made me realize that I need to appreciate what I have versus what I don’t have in life. It also shows a totally different and difficult way of life that, gratefully, most of us will never experience. less

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