The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

This was an unusual book. It takes place in Stung Meanchey, the largest main municipal dump in Cambodia--where an entire community resides and works to survive. The story is loosely based on the information found in a documentary produced by the author's son. The documentary, titled River of Victory, produced still photos that, as Camron Wright says, "offer the reader fuller flavor and understanding of Stung Meanchey and its residents. The pictures are not an attempt to portray my characters and their particular story as factual." The pictures definitely add to the "fuller flavor" of this book, though; they made it seem more real.

Mr. Wright tells the story of Sang Ly, her husband and young son, their friends at Stung Meanchey and of the drunken, threatening and superior rent collector they derisively call "the Cow". This is a work of fiction even though it's been based on a true situation. Camron Wright says of this book,"Using the documentary as a starting point, I tried to write a novel that accurately reflected the setting, conditions, character traits, and important historical facts. Then, going beyond that, I wanted to imagine what might happen if the gift of literacy were given to a family in those circumstances. The scenario I envisioned plays out in the fictional elements of The Rent Collector."

So I've given you a hint of what this book is about. It was well worth reading. From a cynical viewpoint, it seems clear that his scenario would and could never play out in reality. Still, the glimpse into the life lived in the dump, into Cambodia itself, into the beauty and higher thinking that literacy can provide and the huge portion of hope and happy endings that Mr. Wright wrote into his book make this a novel that is both sweet, engaging, inspiring and interesting. It also made me feel renewed gratitude for my very comfortable life. A good book!