The dead eye and the deep blue sea : a graphic memoir of modern slavery

Prum, Vannak Anan 1979- (author,, artist.). Pederick, Ben, (author.). Pederick, Jocelyn, (author.). Sophorn, Lim, (translator.).

Summary: "Vannak Anan Prum left his village in Cambodia to seek work in Thailand. Men who appeared to be employers on a fishing vessel promised to return him, but instead Vannak was hostage on the vessel for four years of hard labor. Vannak survived in large part by honing his ability to tattoo his shipmates--a skill he possessed despite never having been trained in art. After five years away, Vannak was finally reunited with his family. Vannak documented his ordeal in raw, colorful, detailed illustrations, first created because he believed that without them no one would believe his story. The Dead Eye and the Deep Blue Sea is a testament to the lives of these many fishermen who are trapped on boats in the Indian Ocean."

Item details

ISBN: 9781609806026
ISBN: 1609806026
Physical Description: print
xviii, 235 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 16 x 20 cm
Edition: A Seven Stories Press first edition.
Publisher: New York : Seven Stories Press, [2018]
Copyright: ©2018

Contents / Notes

Formatted Contents Note:

Foreword / Anne Elizabeth Moore -- Introduction / Minky Worden -- Prologue -- Drawing in the dirt -- Adventure -- My wife -- Moto & the middleman -- Crossing the border -- The writing on the wall -- The took tho -- The old man -- The took oh -- Rus -- Life on the boat -- The deadliest job -- Writing on the skin -- Fire at sea -- The new boat -- Two guys -- My friend K'Nack -- Storms at sea -- Days stretch out -- Escape -- The swim -- The monkeys and the man waiting for us -- Police and the Chinese man -- Crazy boss -- The phone -- The fight -- Hospital -- Yo-yo justice -- Prison -- Home -- Epilogue -- Afterword / Kevin Bales.

Language Note:

Translated from the Khmer.