Soth Polin

In this Cambodian name, the surname is Soth. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Polin.
Soth Polin
Soth Polin in Long Beach (April 2017)
Soth Polin in Long Beach (April 2017)
Born (1943-02-09) February 9, 1943 (age 81)
Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia, French Indochina
Occupation
  • Writer
LanguageKhmer and French
NationalityCambodian
CitizenshipUnited States
Notable worksThe Anarchist, A Bored Man, We Die Only Once, Dead Heart

Soth Polin (Khmer: សុទ្ធ ប៉ូលីន) is a Cambodian writer. He was born in the hamlet of Chroy Thmar,[1] Kampong Siem District, Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia. His maternal great-grandfather was the poet Nou Kan (who wrote Teav-Ek, ទាវឯក, a version of Tum Teav, the masterpiece of Khmer love poetry).[2] He grew up speaking both French and Khmer. Throughout his youth, he immersed himself in the classical literature of Cambodia and, at the same time, the literature and philosophy of the West.

His first novel, A Meaningless Life, published in 1965 (he was 22 years old), was strongly influenced by Nietzsche, Freud, Sartre and Buddhist philosophy. It was an enormous success. Numerous novels and short stories followed, among them The Adventurer With No Goal, A Bored Man, We Die Only Once, and Dead Heart.[3] He also worked as a journalist in Khmer Ekareach (The Independent Khmer), the newspaper of his uncle, Sim Var, and in the late 1960s, he founded (with Sin Kim Suy) his own newspaper and publishing house, Nokor Thom (នគរធំ / The Great Kingdom). He was a militant nationalist who was both anti-Sihanouk and anti-communist.[4] Through his newspaper, he supported the pro-American government of General Lon Nol before finally distancing himself and suddenly taking refuge in France in 1974, after the assassination of his friend, Thach Chea, the Deputy Minister of Education.[5]

His father and two of his brothers died during the Khmer Rouge regime. He worked in Paris as a taxi driver and published his dark cult novel The Anarchist, written in French.[6] Later he and his two sons moved to the West Coast of the United States, where he now resides. His brother-in-law is Mam Sonando.

  1. ^ Today this village is part of Boeung Kok (Khmer: សង្កាត់បឹងកុក), one of the four districts of Kampong Cham City.
  2. ^ Macquet, Christophe (2003). "Five Cambodian Writers" (PDF). Revue Europe. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  3. ^ Amratisha, Klairung (2007). "Women, Sexuality and Politics in Modern Cambodian Literature: The Case of Soth Polin's Short Story" (PDF). MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities, Special Issue No.14. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  4. ^ May, Sharon (2004). "Beyond Words: An Interview with Soth Polin". Mānoa, University of Hawaii Press. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  5. ^ May, Sharon (2004). "Beyond Words: An Interview with Soth Polin". Mānoa, University of Hawaii Press. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  6. ^ La Table Ronde, Editions (2011). "Soth Polin: L'Anarchiste". Table Ronde. Retrieved February 28, 2017.