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Put It On Record: A memoir-archive
Groundbreaking memoir by Cambodian author Sokunthary Svay. An unconventional collection of essays and photographs, Put It on Record: A Memoir-Archive explores the past present and future of Cambodian literature.
"Sokunthary Svay's Put It on Record surveys a wide breadth of form and expression. The collection speaks to the multiplicities of selves that each of us embodies, yet it is also a window into one artist's deeply personal experience. It is suffused with echoes of the longing and struggle that resonate through the Cambodian diaspora." –Vaddey Ratner, New York Times bestselling author of In the Shadow of the Banyan and Music of the Ghosts
"Not your typical memoir, Put It on Record is a journey of meandering stories of shared ordeal of womanhood and uprooted tales told in a captivating and well written verses and poetry. It is impossible to put the books down as Svay's uncanny ability to bring us into her world, more than just the immigrant experience but a shared humanity of being and existing. We are changed after reading her book either by connecting through her vulnerability or simply by having a glimpse into the Cambodian American world." –LinDa Saphan, PhD Anthropologist, author of Faded Reels, Associate Producer of Don't Think I've Forgotten and Fulbright Scholar
"In this collection of essays and musings, artist Sokunthary Svay offers vignettes of a life lived attuned to the ways the body leads us toward truths stored within our corpuscles. We are more than past traumas that bend our bodies toward survival impulses, as Svay posits in powerful prose; our bodies have the intellect and capacity for self-healing, and the chosen outlet for Svay is through song. We are all so lucky to hear the music of her heart." –Putsata Reang, author of Ma & Me (FSG)
"Sokunthary Svay's Put It on Record surveys a wide breadth of form and expression. The collection speaks to the multiplicities of selves that each of us embodies, yet it is also a window into one artist's deeply personal experience. It is suffused with echoes of the longing and struggle that resonate through the Cambodian diaspora." –Vaddey Ratner, New York Times bestselling author of In the Shadow of the Banyan and Music of the Ghosts
"Not your typical memoir, Put It on Record is a journey of meandering stories of shared ordeal of womanhood and uprooted tales told in a captivating and well written verses and poetry. It is impossible to put the books down as Svay's uncanny ability to bring us into her world, more than just the immigrant experience but a shared humanity of being and existing. We are changed after reading her book either by connecting through her vulnerability or simply by having a glimpse into the Cambodian American world." –LinDa Saphan, PhD Anthropologist, author of Faded Reels, Associate Producer of Don't Think I've Forgotten and Fulbright Scholar
"In this collection of essays and musings, artist Sokunthary Svay offers vignettes of a life lived attuned to the ways the body leads us toward truths stored within our corpuscles. We are more than past traumas that bend our bodies toward survival impulses, as Svay posits in powerful prose; our bodies have the intellect and capacity for self-healing, and the chosen outlet for Svay is through song. We are all so lucky to hear the music of her heart." –Putsata Reang, author of Ma & Me (FSG)
160 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2023
4 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Sokunthary Svay
9 books9 followersSokunthary Svay is a Pushcart-nominated Khmer writer and musician from the Bronx, New York. She is the author of poetry collection Apsara in New York (Willow Books, 2017), and the poetry editor for Newtown Literary. A founding member of the Cambodian American Literary Arts Association (CALAA), her work has been published internationally in Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, London and Australia.
Svay was a subject in New York Magazine’s “Living in a Sanctuary City” portfolio and featured in the New York Immigration Coalition’s This is Our NY, broadcast in Times Square. Additional writing credits include Homelands: Women’s Journeys Across Race, Place and Time, LONTAR: The Journal of Southeast Asian Speculative Fiction, FLESH, Prairie Schooner, Women’s Studies Quarterly, Blue Lyra Review and Mekong Review.
A past Willow Arts Alliance Residency Fellow and recipient of the First Friday Residency at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Svay recently received an American Opera Projects’ Composers & the Voice Fellowship for 2017-18, where she will gain experience as a writer for voice and the operatic stage alongside her composer partner Liliya Ugay.
Svay was a subject in New York Magazine’s “Living in a Sanctuary City” portfolio and featured in the New York Immigration Coalition’s This is Our NY, broadcast in Times Square. Additional writing credits include Homelands: Women’s Journeys Across Race, Place and Time, LONTAR: The Journal of Southeast Asian Speculative Fiction, FLESH, Prairie Schooner, Women’s Studies Quarterly, Blue Lyra Review and Mekong Review.
A past Willow Arts Alliance Residency Fellow and recipient of the First Friday Residency at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Svay recently received an American Opera Projects’ Composers & the Voice Fellowship for 2017-18, where she will gain experience as a writer for voice and the operatic stage alongside her composer partner Liliya Ugay.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 10, 2023
As Cambodian Americans, we crave for this type of literature- the type of literature that we feel our big sister is writing, leaving us a paper trail of documents, names, and recounting events so clearly. Our history is complex and tragic but there is something so beautiful in the recounting of her experience. She mentions moments and cultural relatedness so accurately that I can visualize them and relive them. I am so proud of Sok for her dedication to academia and for this vulnerable read. I couldn't put it down!
December 14, 2023
PUT IT ON RECORD by Sokunthary Svay is not just a book; it’s a concerto. Or an opera. Or a really cool mix tape by the older sister you always wanted. Whichever genre you enjoy listening to - it’s that one but MORE.
Her poems set the tempo, quick to dive deep into what it means to be Cambodian-American, bursting with imagery, humor (“Good Luck, Homey” is a fav 😂😂😂), and the gravity of life after genocide.
The essays are interludes that provide sweeping context, like the sound of violins moving and lifting you out of your shoes and whirling you back in time. Bring a pen and notebook when you visit the past; take them notes.
The short stories are legato and fluid, ranging from Khmer mythology, to Sokunthary Svay’s own experience as a first time mom battling postpartum depression.
The final 2 chapters of the book, “Cambodian Mixtape: From Generation Loss to Regeneration” and “CODA” highlight fellow Cambodian Americans who connect with Khmer history and culture through music, and how Sinn Sisamouth, the legendary Cambodian singer- songwriter connects us, reflects us, beckons us.
It is humbling, then humorous. It is somber, then solace. It is excruciating, then encouragement. It is all the things I wish I had known years ago, but I didn’t know, as I had no one to guide me. “In Search of Cambodia(ns)” is uncovering gold; she has excavated such precious Cambodian and Cambodian American history in this piece. (Googling history can only take us so far, fam 😆)
But now I don’t have to search as hard, because now I can read and reread this book… I hope you do too.
Thank you kindly to for a digital copy of this book.
Her poems set the tempo, quick to dive deep into what it means to be Cambodian-American, bursting with imagery, humor (“Good Luck, Homey” is a fav 😂😂😂), and the gravity of life after genocide.
The essays are interludes that provide sweeping context, like the sound of violins moving and lifting you out of your shoes and whirling you back in time. Bring a pen and notebook when you visit the past; take them notes.
The short stories are legato and fluid, ranging from Khmer mythology, to Sokunthary Svay’s own experience as a first time mom battling postpartum depression.
The final 2 chapters of the book, “Cambodian Mixtape: From Generation Loss to Regeneration” and “CODA” highlight fellow Cambodian Americans who connect with Khmer history and culture through music, and how Sinn Sisamouth, the legendary Cambodian singer- songwriter connects us, reflects us, beckons us.
It is humbling, then humorous. It is somber, then solace. It is excruciating, then encouragement. It is all the things I wish I had known years ago, but I didn’t know, as I had no one to guide me. “In Search of Cambodia(ns)” is uncovering gold; she has excavated such precious Cambodian and Cambodian American history in this piece. (Googling history can only take us so far, fam 😆)
But now I don’t have to search as hard, because now I can read and reread this book… I hope you do too.
Thank you kindly to for a digital copy of this book.
December 20, 2023
First of all, thank you LibraryThing, Aquarius Press-Willow Books Division, and Sokunthary Svay for an arc of "Put It on Record: A Memoir-Archive by Sokunthary Svay. "Put It on Record: A Memoir-Archive" is one of the best memoirs that I have read! I'm an avid reader. This year alone (according to Goodreads.com), I have read and posted reviews for 86 novels. What intrigued me about this memoir, is that it gave great insight to the Cambodian culture over two familial generations and several decades. My understanding and experience with individuals of this culture is very limited, and I wanted to learn more about their religion, culture, beliefs and traditions. The reader will definitely walk away with an education of the Cambodian life, both past and present. Ms. Svay is an excellent writer and poet. The photographs also added to the understanding of this memoir. I would definitely add this to your tbr list!
August 11, 2025
”Who are we as a people beyond the Khmer Rouge regime? Beyond the killing fields?”
3.75 stars, rounded to a four
A Cambodian memoir, in a world where, as stated in the book, the Khmer diaspora is rare to find acknowledged. Put it on Record is split into two parts, the first part being about Sokunthary’s life, and the second part containing stories and poems; some of which is published in anthologies, and others simply about herself. It’s written in a nice, clean, clear way, so the writing is easy to grasp onto, which makes it easier to fully visualize and understand what she’s gone through, what she’s done, and what she’s accomplished throughout her life.
Plus, there’s a lot of photographs and documents to go along with everything. So not only is the world described through text, but it is described with photography and music as well. If you didn’t know, Sokunthary does music; she sings. And I might check out some of her stuff and see if it’s on YouTube, but I really like the photographs and music sheets provided. It gives an extra layer of context to the book. It enriches the story, and it humanizes the author. This might be a me thing, but I sometimes disassociate writers from their work. The documents and archives provided break through that barrier, reminding me of the one who wrote this book.
Sokunthary is a good writer, and she has managed to do a lot of interesting stuff. For example, the story of hitching a ride from a complete stranger in a city thousands of miles away from her home, and then getting caught up in their chores and life. That was my favorite anecdote, honestly. Not that I’m saying you should do that, but it was very fun to read about. And the fiction story about the mermaid I heavily adored. Now, this is gonna sound really obvious, but the book is given another layer of enjoyment if you’ve actually been to the places that the author talks about. For example, when I visited Cambodia, I spent a couple days in Kep, and about a week in Phnom Penh. So I really did enjoy reading about these places that I had been too, and to additionally learn some of the culture and folklore connected to those such places. It’s very fun. I’d recommend this book to anyone regardless, but especially to someone who’s been in Cambodia. Oh, and if you’re a first-generation immigrant, but especially if you’re a first-generation Khmer immigrant. Not only does it give a voice that is very rarely ever represented in the literary world, but it shows the complex history of Cambodia and the experience of having Khmer parents and seeing a country that experience so much tragedy and devastation and all of that and so much more. So, if you wanna expand your worldview, see what it’s like to be a Cambodian, a woman, a mother, and a daughter, then pick up this book.
This is really embarrassing, but I never knew the name of the pink monkey balm until I read this.
3.75 stars, rounded to a four
A Cambodian memoir, in a world where, as stated in the book, the Khmer diaspora is rare to find acknowledged. Put it on Record is split into two parts, the first part being about Sokunthary’s life, and the second part containing stories and poems; some of which is published in anthologies, and others simply about herself. It’s written in a nice, clean, clear way, so the writing is easy to grasp onto, which makes it easier to fully visualize and understand what she’s gone through, what she’s done, and what she’s accomplished throughout her life.
Plus, there’s a lot of photographs and documents to go along with everything. So not only is the world described through text, but it is described with photography and music as well. If you didn’t know, Sokunthary does music; she sings. And I might check out some of her stuff and see if it’s on YouTube, but I really like the photographs and music sheets provided. It gives an extra layer of context to the book. It enriches the story, and it humanizes the author. This might be a me thing, but I sometimes disassociate writers from their work. The documents and archives provided break through that barrier, reminding me of the one who wrote this book.
Sokunthary is a good writer, and she has managed to do a lot of interesting stuff. For example, the story of hitching a ride from a complete stranger in a city thousands of miles away from her home, and then getting caught up in their chores and life. That was my favorite anecdote, honestly. Not that I’m saying you should do that, but it was very fun to read about. And the fiction story about the mermaid I heavily adored. Now, this is gonna sound really obvious, but the book is given another layer of enjoyment if you’ve actually been to the places that the author talks about. For example, when I visited Cambodia, I spent a couple days in Kep, and about a week in Phnom Penh. So I really did enjoy reading about these places that I had been too, and to additionally learn some of the culture and folklore connected to those such places. It’s very fun. I’d recommend this book to anyone regardless, but especially to someone who’s been in Cambodia. Oh, and if you’re a first-generation immigrant, but especially if you’re a first-generation Khmer immigrant. Not only does it give a voice that is very rarely ever represented in the literary world, but it shows the complex history of Cambodia and the experience of having Khmer parents and seeing a country that experience so much tragedy and devastation and all of that and so much more. So, if you wanna expand your worldview, see what it’s like to be a Cambodian, a woman, a mother, and a daughter, then pick up this book.
This is really embarrassing, but I never knew the name of the pink monkey balm until I read this.
December 29, 2023
I'm trying to be less hasty and more thoughtful when reading books. Reading Svay's memoir-archive is a great way to do just that. It is something you want to chew for the mouthfeel. Svay writes the Cambodian (American) experience so thoughtfully and in a way that makes you feel the impacts thereof viscerally. It is what I wanted to write when I was a younger Cambodian American woman, and it is what inspires me to write now. I want to engage with my heritage and its history on a deeper level through the written word. And although it is profoundly personal, often drawing on the author's individual background, Put It on Record will resonate with anyone who has ever felt something deeper than themselves.
November 19, 2023
This lovely book has really made me feel seen, it is a collection of the author's experiences as a Khmer person, in vignettes and poems and essays and photographs. As an Indian reader it felt incredibly familiar and personal. Her relationship to her parents, her history, academia, her music, and the intersections of pain and pleasure are form a complex picture that struck me again and again with its honest vulnerability, that openness that forms the foundation of a true memoir. Her writings about mothers especially are what I keep coming back to, even as they make me cry. Mothers make us, and make us, and make us.
December 21, 2023
What I really enjoyed about this memoir-archive is the process nature of writing that is on display so beautifully. Writing, memory, and archiving--all three of these modes play important roles in this book. I found myself drawn to Sokunthary Svay’s inception of her opera, Chhlong Tonle and the mythical weaving of past, present, and futures. Music and song are such elemental parts of the narrative that each vignette feels like a distinct note, yet all connected to the larger tapestry of Khmer diaspora and identity. Such a wonderful book, and looking forward to reading more from Sokunthary!
May 18, 2024
A remarkable miscellany that adds up to so much more than the sum of its parts. Svay's story, told through a multiplicity of generic forms, grapples with reclaiming the Cambodian American narrative from the brutalizers and colonizers. Whether done through compelling memoir, fiction, poetry or photography, her singular and urgent voice shines through.
November 15, 2023
Incredibly touching words creating a deeper understanding and giving insights of the Cambodian American Diaspora.
Grateful and honoured to have been able to read Sokunthary‘s words. Thank you so much for creating visibility, connection, and especially for your vulnerability!
Grateful and honoured to have been able to read Sokunthary‘s words. Thank you so much for creating visibility, connection, and especially for your vulnerability!
November 2, 2023
Khmae American here and wow! What a brilliant author! POWERFUL & INSPIRING. Well written. I appreciate my culture even more, thank you. ❤️
November 14, 2023
Put it on Record is an absolutely pivotal piece of literature for a deeper understanding of the many complexities of Cambodian American diaspora.
January 13, 2024
*a beautifully, well-written memoir
*includes lots of vignettes and many colorful photographs
*highly recommend
*includes lots of vignettes and many colorful photographs
*highly recommend
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews