The Gate - Francois Bizot

Maybe it's a translation issue, but this meandering tale of the only imprisoned Westerner to survive the Khmer Rouge is definitively lacking. An account of the French author's capture and three month internment in the early 1970s followed by a confinement to the grounds of the French Embassy and eventual expulsion from the country is made somewhat interesting by his interactions with Douche (Duch), who is currently being tried for his later role as the director of Tuol Sleng detention center. Bizot's story is long and insipid. Though his experience was not one I'd like to have, millions of Cambodians probably would have begged for it when compared to their outcomes. Between seemingly unrelated tangents and a writing style that constantly detaches the reader from the story, this is a book worth skipping. Instead consider reading one of the Cambodians' stories.

BOOOOOOOO!
1.5 out of 5

Buy this book: The Gate