I have posted before about how Trevor made a documentary about a family living in a garbage dump in Cambodia. The film focuses on Sang Ly, a wife and mother who wants nothing more than to better the lives of her children. I watched hours of Trevor's footage and met her myself when I went to Cambodia. This woman is amazing. She is stoic, resilient, and has such a funny sense of humor. Trevor didn't plan to make a documentary on just one family, but after a chance meeting with her, he changed his whole project to fit around her story.
After hearing Trevor's experiences shooting the footage and after watching the film, Trevor's dad was inspired by the setting and by Sang Ly. He decided to write another novel (Letters for Emily was his first published novel), using Cambodia, the dump, Sang Ly, and her family as a starting point to create a fictional story.
I finished an advanced reader copy not long ago, and was surprised at how well the book took life in the dump and Sang Ly's character, and wove them into a fictional narrative. I tend to be critical when I read books, and I thought this book would be good, but predictable. By the end, I stopped trying to judge how it would conclude, and I was into the book that I completely forgot it was Trevor's dad who wrote it.
So, if you are interested in a good read on a different culture--or you saw and liked Trevor's film--I think you would enjoy this book. It doesn't come out until September, but you can pre-purchase the book here until July 16th, if you are interested.
