Reflections of a Khmer Soul
Navy Phim
Paperback, 5.5x8.5 in, 164 pages
Wheatmark, August 2007
ISBN: 9781587368615
Endorsements
“In Reflections of a Khmer Soul, Navy Phim explores
what it means to be a child of the ‘Killing Fields’
raised in the United States. In the thirty years since the Khmer
Rouge came to power in Cambodia, many personal narratives of that
horrific period have been written, but Navy offers a new point of
view on this tragic story. Hers is the story of the middle
generation growing up with, and trying to make sense of, two
cultures and two worlds—the beauty and tragedy of her
Cambodian past (her Khmer soul) and the comfortable restlessness of
her American present. Through stories, memories, and
‘snippets,’ Navy shares her life journey from her
birthplace in Battambang, Cambodia, to Kao-I-Dang refugee camp on
the Thai-Cambodian border, to a refugee processing center in the
Philippines, to Long Beach, California, home to the largest
population of Cambodians outside Southeast Asia. Told from the
perspective of a seasoned world traveler, this book offers a unique
perspective on both Cambodian and American cultures and history.
”
—Dr. Susan Needham, associate professor, anthropology,
California State University, Dominguez Hills
“Navy Phim brilliantly weaves a story of being Khmer and
American like an intricate pattern of the Sampot Hole (Khmer
Silk Skirt). Her narrative represents many Khmer-American voices of
the post Khmer Rouge generation searching for identity. She writes
with a candor and passion that expresses a faithful
soul.”
—Sovathana Sokhom, former consultant to the United Nations
in Cambodia
“With a passion for speaking the truth, Navy delivers a
well-written book that touches on the global issues of political
correctness, skin color, class status and socioeconomic background.
Her narrative takes readers on a journey through her past and
present and engages them on discussions of cultural diversity,
spirituality, beauty and justice for all. I highly recommend this
personal story of success and stigma faced by immigrants in America
to educators of immigrant students.”
—Alex Morales, university instructor, multicultural
education
Description
A lyrical journey of self-acceptance as the author questions and
comes to term with the Killing Fields and other genocides. This
journey involves traveling inside oneself and to a distant past to
discuss what it means to be Khmer, a hyphenated American, and
different misconceptions about Cambodians and Cambodia, a place
that still haunts and inspires her.
About the Author
Navy Phim came to the United States in 1984 when she was nine years
old. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles
in 1999 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Anthropology.
She also received a Master of Science in Counseling, Student
Development in Higher Education from California State University,
Long Beach in December 2006. Navy is a world traveler and has
returned to Thailand and Cambodia. She has also visited England,
Scotland, India, Nepal, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada.
To learn more about the author, the book and her future
endeavors, visit: http://www.navyphim.com.
