Breathe To Read

Breathe To Read

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Read The World - Cambodia - The Rent Collector

Book:  The Rent Collector
Author: Camron Wright
Pages: 288
Book takes places in the country: YES
Author is from the country: NO
I have visited: NO


My third book finished for the year 2019.  Finished on 1/5/2019.  Only a few days until the kids go back to school and schedules resume, so I think my reading pace will slow.  But we shall see.  The weather is bad in Basel, during the month of January, so I don't get out much.

This is the story of Sang Ly who lives in the garbage dump in Stung Meanchey, Cambodia.  They make their living by looking for recyclable material and selling it.  They barely make enough money to stay alive.  What makes matters worse is that they have a chronically ill child.  It is hard to pay for a doctor, but even when they do take him, after a few days of medicine, his symptoms return.  

Who Sang Ly and her husband fear the most is the rent collector.  She is bad tempered and doesn't have time for excuses of people who cannot pay rent.  Sang Ly knows they will be short of money because her husband was recently robbed, however, when the rent collector shows up at their house and sees a child's book that Sang Ly has found in the dump, she forgives their rent in return of getting to keep the book.

Soon - the story of Sang Ly - and her desire to learn to read - and the rent collector start to unfold.  The rent collector agrees to teach Sang Ly to read and as they begin to spend time together, they learn about each other's past.  What Sang Ly discovered about the rent collector, whom she comes to love and trust, teachers her about love, trust, and truth.  And that everyone deserves a second chance.

This was a really great book.  It isn't a long tale, so I was able to read it quickly.  The book flows nicely and the writing is beautiful.  The story of the hardship of living in the dump in Cambodia is hard to imagine.  Learning to read opens up a whole world for Sang Ly, and in turn, will open a whole world for her son.  She is hopeful that one day education and literature will help her son escape the hardship of the life in the dump.  

The truth about the rent collector's past, and her story, is a heartbreaking one.  And not one I will spoil in a review.  You should not miss a chance to read this book.

Stars:  4 1/2 



2 comments:

  1. Read the world is a good idea, I need to read more from different countries 🤔 great post! – LottieIsWriting

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  2. Love it! I'm doing a Read Around the World group on Goodreads, it's great to expand your horizons like that in the world of reading :)

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