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Chanrithy Him
Child Survivor, International Speaker, Social Justice Activist, Author & Khmer Classical Dancer.
Winner of the Oregon Book Award
Finalist for the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize
Finalist for the Pen USA West Literary Award
Welcome to my website!
As a passionate storyteller and international speaker, I delight in engaging with my audiences. My approach blends insightful narratives with a touch of good-natured humor, particularly during interactive Q&A sessions.
I'm thrilled to have you here and look forward to sharing my experiences and stories with you.
Global Conversations with Chanrithy: Uniting Through Memoir
"Wonderful session for NAFSA. First-person point of view is very important. Everyone was very appreciative and thankful for this session and requested another one next year!"
—56th Annual NAFSA Conference attendees attended the Distinguished Authors Session featuring Chanrithy Him.
Hey there!
Back in 2000, before W.W. Norton dropped my memoir, When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge, into the literary world, my editor, the fabulous Dr. Amy Cherry, gave me a heads-up. She told me that Michael, Norton's sales guru, was dying to meet me. Talk about a "pinch me" moment!
So, we met. And Michael? He was like a superfan. He told me, “Your memoir moved me so much, I just had to meet you. You’re like the girl next door everyone’s curious about…” I mean, who wouldn't be flattered?
Dr. Cherry had worked her magic to make this meeting happen. But, let's be real, not every reader could grab coffee with me, despite how their hearts resonated with my story.
Flash forward to October 2000. Dr. Mark Ashwill, a gem of a man, invited me to University at Buffalo in New York. I was there to talk about my memoir and show off my “Blessing Dance” moves (yes, I can dance too!). He suggested video conferencing with students across the U.S. so they could ask me all their burning questions. Brilliant, right? But, back then, I was swamped with a book tour and couldn’t jump on the tech bandwagon just yet. . .
Zoom and Google meets video conferences are available to groups, such as a classroom of students and teacher/professor, or a book club.
To book a conference, please download the form below.
Purchase Time for Videoconferencing
60 minutes ...........$1,000.00
90 minutes ...........$1,500.00
Video Conference with 8th graders in Japan on March 3, 2020.
. . .Time flies when you’re sharing your life story. Since then, I've received letters from all corners of the globe - America, Australia, Sweden, Vietnam, Norway... you name it! People shared how my family's journey changed their perspectives on our world and its leaders. It's like my inbox became a global dinner table conversation. . .
One Aussie reader even said, “Hey, if you’re ever in Sydney, come over for dinner!” How adorable is that?
Then, on October 27, 2011, eleven years after Dr. Ashwill’s light-bulb moment, a reader’s email quoted "Catcher in the Rye," saying a great book makes you want to call the author. Wow, that hit home.
Fast forward to today. Hello, videoconferencing! Now, I’m jazzed to offer discussion sessions to anyone with a screen and a curiosity about my story. This isn’t just for the U.S. - we’re talking global. Whether you’re a student, teacher, professor, book club enthusiast, or conference goer, I’m just a click away.
My mission? To spread the word about the Khmer Rouge horrors. If we understand the past, maybe we can make a better future. So, get your questions ready, and let's chat!
Guiding your story - I also do offer consultations for aspiring authors on memoir and novel writing, especially those focused on the Khmer Rouge era.
Sending you my best wishes and peace,
Chanrithy Him
