Cambodia Now: Life in the Wake of War

by Karen J. Coates

Cambodia has never recovered from its Khmer Rouge past. The genocidal regime of 1975-1979 and the following two decades of civil war ripped the country apart. This work examines Cambodia in the aftermath, focusing on Khmer people of all walks of life and examining through their eyes key facets of Cambodian society, including the ancient Angkor legacy, relations with neighboring countries (particularly the strained ones with the Vietnamese), emerging democracy, psychology, violence, health, family, poverty, the environment, and the nation's future. Along with print sources, research is drawn from hundreds of interviews with Cambodians, including farmers, royalty, beggars, teachers, monks, orphanage heads, politicians, and non-native experts on Cambodia. Dozens of exquisite photographs of Cambodian people and places illustrate the work, which concludes with a glossary of Cambodian words, people, places and names, and an appendix of organizations providing aid to Cambodia.

Genres: Nonfiction

392 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mindy Borchardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published 20 years ago, this was the most recent book of its kind I could find. Based on one person's experience, but does give a taste of Cambodian thought and life since the Khmer Rouge.

[Kim Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of "Cambodia Now" is in its details---the people author Karen Coates meets and chronicles as she seeks a way of understanding modern Cambodia. It's not just her visit to a place like Anlong Veng (Pol Pot's last outpost and Ta "The Butcher" Mok's former home) that make this book so harrowing. It's her encounters with everyday people whose lives, more than 25 years after the Khmer Rouge were defeated (though not vanquished, as the following civil war attested), are still profoundly affected by that time. An interesting complement to "Gecko Tails" and definitely a must for anyone interested in the long-ranging ramifications of systemized political terror.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought about giving this three stars just because her writing is kind of annoying (not all jourrnalists can be novelists), but I feel that it is an important book about what Cambodia is currently dealing with and will probably be dealing with for a long time. Her research and supporting evidence make this the best book to read if you want up to date and realistic (though often depressing) information on how this war torn country is making it following decades of self-destruction.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really colored what I thought of the people I met and places I saw when I was in Cambodia.. BUT as many problems as there are there, I have to say it seemed like there were a lot more positives than Coates was giving credit for.

[Mattox · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sloppily written, poorly referenced, revoltingly sentimental, filled with irritatingly arrogant trivialities. Antithetical of many things but to name a few random ones: art, level-headedness and modesty.

[Midori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I re-read the book after we visited Cambodia. Although at times it's hard to follow her story and the time line, it makes much more sence. Although a lot of things had changed, better or worse, since her writing, her insight into current Cambodia's problems are still applicable.

[Jonny Gerig Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a depressingly honest look at modern Cambodia.

[Kristin]

This is a great overview to Cambodia...

[Genevieve Barrons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book on the state of Cambodia around the turn on the Millennium.

[Erin Paulsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on the planet.