A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land: A Novel of Sihanouk’s Cambodia

by Suon Sorin, Roger Nelson (Translation)

This is the story of Sam, a young man who leaves the countryside for the big city to work as a cyclo driver, piloting his three-wheeled bicycle taxi through busy streets. Sam just wants to earn an honest wage, but he is constantly thwarted by those with money: his landlord, factory bosses, politicians, even the woman who rents him his cyclo. The city takes its toll, and Sam’s humanity is denied him at every turn, leading to the devastation of his small family and his surrender to temptation. But a dramatic change to Sam’s fortunes is heralded by the country’s liberation from colonial rule. Sam returns to the countryside to discover that “the life of the peasants that had been filled with suffering and decline, was filled with a fresh joy and happiness, and a new hope.”

First published in 1961, eight years after Cambodia gained independence from French colonial rule, A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land is an iconic work of modern Khmer literature, a singularly illuminating document of the new nation. This is one of the first English translations of a modern Khmer novel, and the text is accompanied by an extended introduction that situates the author in his historical and artistic context and examines the novel’s literary value.

Genres: Fiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1961

Reviews

[Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently studied abroad in Vietnam and Cambodia, and had an adorable encounter during my last day in Phnom Penh.

Eating breakfast at the rooftop bar of my hotel, I was pleasantly surprised when Sam, one of the servers, came over to me and asked about my interest in books. He saw me reading Afterparties the other day and wanted to discuss Khmer authors. It was a really sweet conversation, and to my surprise, it ended with him gifting me A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land: A Novel of Sihanouk’s Cambodia! To receive a free book from a stranger is one of life's greatest joys. Never would I have thought it would happen to me, haha. :D


This novel's neverending depictions of the hardships faced by the poor make for a challenging read. I had a difficult time swallowing the brutality of it all, but that's post-colonial lit for ya. It saddens me that this is Sorin's only novel, with literature derailed by the Khmer Rouge.

My rating is mostly due to the quality of the translation. Many of the sentences are stilted, and I'm sure they're much more powerful in Khmer. Length-wise, I think the story could have benefited from a few more chapters. The pacing becomes rather rushed at the end, with barely any time to process the series of tragedies introduced to readers.

Regardless, I'm grateful to have read this book. I will be dutifully reporting back to Sam, who actually found me on Instagram a couple of weeks ago. Woo!! Go international book club!

[Silvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

kui kambodžas, siis tuleb lugeda kohalikku propagandakirjandust

[Whitaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a novel, it reminded me of Moll Flanders, in that it felt like reading the beginnings of a novelistic tradition, sadly derailed by the Pol Pot. It's very sketchy, essentially a series of events aptly summed up by saying that capitalism makes bad things happen to the exploited poor. Worth a read, however, as an intriguing contrast to the collection of journalistic pieces, The Light of the Capital , where Vũ Trọng Phụng writes of the hard life of rickshaw pullers and opines that giving them bicycle trishaws will improve their lot. A New Sun Rises Over the Old Land makes it clear that the problem is not simply with how such workers are treated, but their lack of access to capital and risk of exploitation by trishaw hirers and passengers alike means that their lives remain abject.

[Andrew Tattersall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read something from the 'Golen Age' during Sihanouk's government after the end of colonialism. I was struck by the strong propogandising, things were awful in the city under the French with the nasty Capitalists, usually Chinese or Vietnamese, doing a man down at every turn and then everything became fine under the leadership of the King Prince with peasants having a great life and taking part in the government of the country, electricity coming to the cities, nightclubs and other dens of iniquity closing up as Sihanouk had got rid of the graft. The personal story of Sam, his wife and friends overcame this and it was also intereesting to hear about the Phnom Penh he inhabited. Shame this is the only book he wrote due to the Khmer Rouge and I would like to read mor translations of the literature from this time.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have to give this book plenty of credit for setting out a philosophy, without any bells and whistles, where:
1) Only poor people know how to understand poor people;
2) People worship money like a god;
3) Morality doesn't seem to mean squat if you're rich.

Definitely interesting to see from commentary and the introductory note that relevant historical context is the extreme violence of the Khmer rouge that followed this book, and the fact that its author possibly perished during that.

Really appreciate the direct tone and the breaking down of factual reality in a way that makes it extremely hard to come up with any sort of articulate rebuttal.

Asian Review of Books piece (very good) here for reference: https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten....

[ia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will post my review a bit later!

[Natasha (jouljet) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of a boy from the country, who moves to the city to find work, and follow his dreams of a good life. He begins as a cyclo driver, chasing fares and enough money each day to pay the rental on the bike, with hopefully some riels to spare to eat at the end of the day.

Sam meets friends, and eventually finds the girl he will marry. They begin a tough life of poverty, struggle, living on the edge of homelessness and jail. The divide between rich and poor is so very great, and it's so hard to catch a break.

First published in 1961, amid the period between Cambodia independence, the beginning of the reign of King Norodom Sihanouk, and before the Khmer Rouge and the genocide changed everything.

Sorin, a writer in that era, is believed to have been a victim of the genocide, particularly given that artists and intellectuals were targeted. He disappeared during this time, his status unknown. A rare surviving work from this time of Cambodia. This book is noted as one of the best selling Cambodian novels, still prescribed in schools today.

An insight into the precarious life of poverty, desperation and hopeless bad luck, of people from the Provinces coming to the city to find work, wealth and a good life. Also a tale thick with pro-Sihanouk political propagandist views, with so much hope.

[Rachel B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read, given that it was written in-between Cambodia’s independence from France and the mass genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge. The protagonist (and the author) praises Prince Norodom Sihanouk so highly that it's clearly propagandistic. Capitalists (especially the Chinese and other foreigners) are denounced and demonized in the book.

The writing itself is simplistic and straightforward, though a bit repetitive at times.

Frustratingly, the chapter titles give away the most dramatic parts of the story before they happen, which totally kills the suspense. In the introduction by the translator, he gives a spoiler warning, which I appreciated, but what is the point when the chapter titles themselves are spoilers? Even if the original was written that way, I would have preferred creative liberties be taken by omitting the titles.

There is some profanity and a few sexual references, including to rape (the rape itself is alluded to, then later mentioned explicitly, but is not explicitly described).

This is definitely an essential book for anyone interested in Khmer history and literature!

Note: The state religion in Cambodia is Buddhism, and most Khmer people practice it, while mixing in some Hinduism and animism. Therefore, there are mentions of gods, plural.

[Nic]

This novel is considered to be part of the Cambodian literary canon and has a particularly didactic tone to it that is reminiscent of a few English 18th C novels (a la “Pamela”). As a translated text, I’m willing to be more charitable in my reading because some words likely get lost in translation and thus losing the beauty of the original prose.

However, I still have difficulty looking past the almost propagandistic nature of the text (the “new sun” here is a metaphor for the hopeful rise of King Sahanouk in Cambodia in the post-colonial period). To regard this novel as “Literature”, well I think that that is quite a charitable descriptor.

[Micky Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy I read it and luckily got to finish it in the bus to Phenom Penh which should add some nice historical perspective to the trip.

In general, I feel that the book spends 80% of its time trying to nail a couple's suffering into your head, only to spend a few pages covering the actual history that it's being contributed to.

A series of anti-capitalist stories wrapped up with, but "now the French are gone and Sihanouk has saved us." So much build up, and boom the book just ends.

[Nisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for my class, but this book is soooo goood!! I love it! I love how my class required me to read this, even!

[Bogdan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite being full of propaganda material, it is an interesting read which shows a glimpse into Cambodgia's from the 60s.

[Linus Jern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up in a bookstore in Phnom Penh and read it in a bus heading for Siem Reap while travelling through the Cambodian countryside.

The book gives an interesting view on post-colonial Cambodia with strong nationalistic and propagandist writing. The story describes the poverty and hardship the workers in Phnom Penh experienced, often having the foreign (often Chinese) ”Capitalist” as the oppressor. In the end, the nation is thriving under Sangkum Reastr Niyum rule with Sihanouk as their great leader.

The title of the book also describes this new nation after colonial rule.

Interesting read.