THE BEST BOOKS TO READ ABOUT MYANMAR

There’s no better way to get to know a new place than to learn that place’s stories. Smart travelers before heading anywhere get together a list of books about the place they will visit. Our personal preference is to take in a book on the country’s history before the trip, as well as another that sheds some light on the uniqueness of the culture. Then, during the actual travel, we like to read something very story-driven, usually a novel or memoir.

Myanmar was so closed off to the world for much of our living memory, and for even many well-read and worldly travelers it remains a place of mystery. And the country has so much complexity and nuance that even those who have been there often lack all but the most fleeting understanding of the country. The best way we know to really get to know Myanmar is to guide your own first-hand experiences with the accounts of others. In other words, to read during your travels.

Whether you’re visiting Myanmar as a tourist, traveling for business, expanding your own company into the market, or even looking to retire there, the small commitment of time it takes to read a few of these books will pay huge dividends. Grounding your experiences in knowledge makes them so much more rewarding. For a short trip or a long stay, these books will help get you acquainted with this fascinating country.

Myanmar’s history is a story with a bit of everything: ghosts, demons, war, kings, conquest, times of prosperity, times of drought, colonization, independence, despair, dictatorship, tragedy, and hope. In other words, it has all the makings of great stories. The following are our favorites:

From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey by Pascal Khoo Thwe

A fascinating autobiography of a man from the Kayan Padaung tribe, forced by the ruthless dictatorship to flee to the jungle and become a guerilla fighter. The author, in desperation, writes a letter to a visiting professor he had met years earlier and bonded with over a mutual appreciation of James Joyce. Against all odds, the letter sparks a journey that leads to his enrollment at Cambridge University.

Burmese Days: A Novel by George Orwell

Probably the best travel companion for a Myanmar holiday, this novel is set in the 1920s and portrays the imperial bigotry and arrogance of the colonial British Raj, as well as the corruption and religious hypocrisy of a local magistrate. This wonderful novel is worth a read even if you have no plans to visit Myanmar. To read it on a luxury cruise up the Irrawaddy River is to experience pure travel bliss.

Finding George Orwell in Burma by Emma Larkin

We’re not the only huge fans of Orwell’s Myanmar stories. The American writer Emma Larkin spent a year traveling the country tracing his life and connection to the place where his mother was born and where he spent years as a young man in the Indian Imperial Police. Orwell’s connection to the country runs to the metaphorical as well; at the time of publication in 2006, Myanmar’s military government was often described as “Orwellian” by many observers. This is a great travelogue to accompany you on your own journey.

Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know by David I. Steinberg

Anyone looking for a good historical primer need look no further. Steinberg illuminates the country’s history from ancient to modern times, covering the fascinating WWII history that played out here, as well as a balanced look at modern Myanmar.

The Lady and the Peacock: The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi by Peter Popham

This biography of the Nobel Peace Prize winner everyone refers to as “The Lady” is more relevant now than ever, as the political party she leads was just swept into power in a landslide election. The book traces her fascinating life as daughter of the father of Burmese independence, to political prisoner, international icon, and now to de facto country leader.

The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma by Thant Myint-U

A compelling history of modern Myanmar as told through the author’s family story, from a long line of advisers to the country’s leaders to a grandfather who rose to become UN Secretary-General. Spanning the pillage of British colonialism, the devastation of the Japanese occupation, Independence, dictatorship, and civil war, this book offers a wonderful first person viewpoint of Myanmar’s modern history.