Librería Samer Atenea
Kálamo Books
Librería Elías (Asturias)
Librería Kolima (Madrid)
Librería Proteo (Málaga)
'As we returned to our hut, a member mentioned that Chan, a young, skinny comrade, had allegedly stolen food from the kitchen after yesterday’s dinner. Despite sharing the same desperate hunger, he could not control his impulses. The rumor spread that he had been caught. The sad news about Chan filled our hut, leaving us helpless, with no option but to keep our mouths shut. Sophy, my best friend, and I rested quietly, bracing ourselves for another day of early morning work. The next morning, Chan, usually working on the other side, was conspicuously absent from the worksite. We exchanged puzzled glances, realizing we hadn’t seen him since the day of the alleged theft. It became apparent that he had either been sent away for severe punishment or met a tragic end 'death.' -Excerpt from 'A Killing Fields Survivor’s American Dream.'Brenda S. Sim’s memoir chronicles her experiences starting from when she was a happy ten-year-old girl in the countryside of Cambodia. It traced her family’s harrowing journey through the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields of Cambodia starting on April 17, 1975. During the Khmer Rouge, Cambodians were led into years of brutal forced labor, intimidation and starvation where millions of innocent lives were lost. She lost five of her siblings and fifty-three more of her relatives and friends. Brenda survived through it all, and by January 7,1979 when the regime was defeated, she fled Cambodia and journeyed to the refugee camps in Thailand. By August 1981, she immigrated to America and pursued her dreams despite the challenges such as learning English, working tirelessly and taking care of her family with one baby boy and another soon to follow. She dedicated her energy to working with elementary school children who were also recent refugees from Cambodia. At the same time, she was working as a medical assistant in her community, including interpreting for Cambodian patients. By June 1988 she became a United States Citizen and a month later she bought her American dream home. A home to raise her sons filled with love. After 32 years of dedication to children, she is now retired and enjoying the rest of her time with her four grandchildren. Brenda is grateful and delighted to call America her forever home as a happy and proud American. 6
