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Book Review: Music Through The Dark - A Tale Of Survival In Cambodia
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Book Review: Music Through The Dark - A Tale Of Survival In Cambodia
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Book Review: Music Through The Dark - A Tale Of Survival In Cambodia |
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Accordionmaid Member
since 2001-10-28
Posts 153MA/USA |
About an accordion player who miraculously survived the perils of the Khmer Rouge. I am a member of CAPA, "Closet Accordion Players of America," and enjoy reading CAPA Times, the quarterly newsletter edited by founder Cheri Thurston. CAPA is aimed at improving the image of the accordionist, an image which has been stereotyped as "less than cool" at best, or as the unpopular domain of geeks, nurds, or polka-pulverizing freaks...etc.. These evil connotations of the phrase "accordion player" sseem almost universal. I sold the first accordion I owned for $75., when I was about fifteen, and bought a guitar. Guitars may be cool -- okay, so they're WAY cool -- but, cool only goes so far. It was no longer fun for me when I had to "think in fretboard" instead of thinking in piano-accordion keyboard, and then my calloused fingers kept splitting open from using even the softest of guitar strings. I still do play the guitar sometimes, even try to learn something new on it, but... I love my accordion more! One of the stories published in CAPA was about Daran Kravanh, a Cambodian-born accordion player (with yet other artistic talents) who arrived in the United States as a refugee in 1988. He endured the horrible atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in his native land, living through events and circumstances that few of us can even bear to imagine. His music sustained him. Whether or not you are an accordion player -- perhaps you have an interest in world cultures or in the true stories of refugees, survivors, or adventurers -- you will love reading Daran's story. Though the emotions stirred up by the horrors described made me weep, the amazing strength, courage and victorious spirit that shine beyond all the tragedies speak of life and hope. He did indeed survive miraculously, many times, and gives an account of the time a Khmer Rouge soldier said to him, "I've been ordered to kill you." Ignoring what was said, Daran picked up his accordion and began playing, deciding that he preferred to die playing his accordion, if he must be killed. His life was spared; the soldier laid down his gun and said he couldn't bring himself to shoot Daran. This type of behavior was very unusual for a member of the Khmer Rouge, who brutally killed millions, and who seemed to function according to some deadly "rationale" understandable only be its hierarchy but adhered to by all. MUSIC THROUGH THE DARK -- A Tale Of Survival In Cambodia, written by Bree Lafreniere, is published (copyright 2000) by the University of Hawaii Press. If your local bookstore doesn't have it in stock, ask them to order a copy for you. There is very likely no other published account of the experiences of a Cambodian refugee's life under the reign of theKhmer Rouge that is so empathetically well-written, so detailed and transformative. ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ This article has been slightly edited from its former posting at another site. A small part is a bit from a note I sent to CAPA and was previously included in an issue of that newsletter. "I think I go home." |
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| © Copyright 2002 Wendy Stanford - All Rights Reserved | |||
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Very well written review...I just might look this book up...sounds interesting...you can learn a lot about war from the survivors...James |
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Book Review: Music Through The Dark - A Tale Of Survival In Cambodia
