BOOKS & MAPS:
Lonely Planet Myanmar (Burma)
10th Edition / Published Mai 2009
Robert Reid, Joe Bindloss, Stuart Butler
Since May 2009 there is the new Lonely planet, however
also the 10th edition disappoints. The city plans are good,
however the content of the guide book is very thin.
Important instructions are partly missing and a lot of areas
are badly neglected, like for example Ngwe Saung Beach. Many
prices are not correct and numerous means of transport do
not apply.
Here you have to ask yourself, whether the authors ever were
there, or if they had just gathered the information from
second or third hand.
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Insight Guide Burma/Myanmar
8th Edition 2000; Updated 2003
By Francis Doval
Insight Guides are generally worth buying for the
pictures alone, and the Burma/Myanmar volume is no
exception. Background sections are generally good, although
there is not much on Buddhism or nat worship (these topics
are filled out more in connection with individual sites,
however). Covers the entire country (unlike the Odyssey
guide). Although it is sometimes a little dry, this guide
manages to convey virtually all of the facts you will need
about each place you visit, along with the associated
mythology, significance of the site, and so on.
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The Treasures and Pleasures of Thailand and Myanmar:
Best of the Best in Travel and Shopping
Published: August 2004
by Ron Krannich
The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And Myanmar: Best
Of The Best In Travel And Shopping is an absolute
"must-have" for international travelers looking to obtain
quality goods or souvenirs from Thailand at a reasonable
price. Intended as a supplementary resource and not a
general-purpose travel guide, The Treasures And Pleasures Of
Thailand And Myanmar focuses specifically upon obstacles,
negotiation techniques, and tips and tricks for those
interested in shopping for everything from gemstones to
textiles to artworks and much more. From learning how to
walk away from the "touts" that try to lure tourists into
overpriced stores (overpriced because the store must pay the
tout a 10% to 40% commission for the service!), to a
step-by-step introduction to the art of haggling, to knowing
how to avoid paying thousands of dollars for what might be a
cheap knock-off gemstone, to why even the locals may not
always obtain the best deals (some shopkeepers can give
tourists a lower price than their repeat local customers -
who would expect the same bargain every time they walked
through the door) to dealing with cultural differences and
much more, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Thailand And
Myanmar zeroes in on exactly what the money-conscious
tourist in Thailand needs to know.
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Myanmar Country Map: (Burma) (Periplus Travel Maps)
by Periplus Editions
The Periplus Myanmar map is an indispensable purchase you
must make before you enter the country in order to plan and
execute your trip, since you will find it very hard to find
one once you are in.
I strongly recommend it in addition to the Lonely Planet
guide (see my past review) as the two tools to the serious
and organized traveler.
Inside, you'll find 6 maps:
1. A big Myanmar map (1:2,000,000)
2. A map of Bagan area (1:35,000)
3. A detailed map of old Bagan (1:15,000)
4. A city map of Yangon (1:35,000)
5. A detailed map of Central Yangon (1:17,500)
6. A map of Mandalay.
All the maps are well printed and help a lot to get
around in the country. The best places to see are
highlighted in red. Inside you'll also find a few useful
traveling tips for a kick-start.
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NOVELS:
Finding George Orwell in Burma
A Novel by Emma Larkin
Emma Larkin is the pseudonym for an American journalist
who as born and raised in Asia, studies the Burmese language
at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, and
covers Asia widely in her journalism from her base in
Bangkok. She has been visiting Burma since the mid-1990s.
Emma Larkin tells of the year she spent travelling through
Burma, using as a compass the life and work of George
Orwell, whom many of Burma’s underground teahouse
intellectuals call simply “the prophet”. In stirring,
insightful prose, she provides a powerful reckoning with one
of the world’s least free countries. Finding George Orwell
in Burma is a brave and revelatory reconnaissance of modern
Burma, one of the worlds grimmest and most shuttered police
states, where the term “Orwellian”aptly describes the life
endured by the country’s people.
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Burmese Days
A Novel by George Orwell
Imagine crossing E.M. Forster with Jane Austen. Stir in a
bit of socialist doctrine, a sprig of satire, strong Indian
curry, and a couple quarts of good English gin and you get
something close to the flavor of George Orwell's intensely
readable and deftly plotted Burmese Days. In 1930, Kyauktada,
Upper Burma, is one of the least auspicious postings in the
ailing British Empire--and then the order comes that the
European Club, previously for whites only, must elect one
token native member. This edict brings out the worst in this
woefully enclosed society, not to mention among the natives
who would become the One. Orwell mines his own Anglo-Indian
background to evoke both the suffocating heat and the
stifling pettiness that are the central facts of colonial
life: "Mr. MacGregor told his anecdote about Prome, which
could be produced in almost any context. And then the
conversation veered back to the old, never-palling
subject--the insolence of the natives, the supineness of the
Government, the dear dead days when the British Raj was the
Raj and please give the bearer fifteen lashes. The topic was
never let alone for long, partly because of Ellis's
obsession. Besides, you could forgive the Europeans a great
deal of their bitterness. Living and working among Orientals
would try the temper of a saint."
Protagonist James Flory is a timber merchant, whose
facial birthmark serves as an outward expression of the
ironic and left-leaning habits of mind that make him
inwardly different from his coevals. Flory appreciates the
local culture, has native allegiances, and detests the
racist machinations of his fellow Club members. Alas, he
doesn't always possess the moral courage, or the energy, to
stand against them. His almost embarrassingly Anglophile
friend, Dr. Veraswami, the highest-ranking native official,
seems a shoo-in for Club membership, until Machiavellian
magistrate U Po Kyin launches a campaign to discredit him
that results, ultimately, in the loss not just of
reputations but of lives. Whether to endorse Veraswami or to
betray him becomes a kind of litmus test of Flory's
character.
Against this backdrop of politics and ethics, Orwell
throws the shadow of romance. The arrival of the bobbed
blonde, marriageable, and resolutely anti-intellectual
Elizabeth Lackersteen not only casts Flory as hapless suitor
but gives Orwell the chance to show that he's as astute a
reporter of nuanced social interactions as he is of
political intrigues. In fact, his combination of an
astringently populist sensibility, dead-on observations of
human behavior, formidable conjuring skills, and no-frills
prose make for historical fiction that stands triumphantly
outside of time.
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The Piano Tuner
A Novel by Daniel Mason
When Edgar Drake is summoned to the British War Office
and asked to tune an eccentric major's 1840 Erard grand
piano in the jungles of Burma, he is both confused and
intrigued. The year is 1886, and the British Empire is
attempting to tighten its control of its colonies in the Far
East, to fend off French rivals in the Mekong Delta, and to
quell the resistance of a confederacy of local Shan tribes
in northern Burma.
Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll has established an
important foothold in Mae Lwin, employing unconventional
methods - reciting poetry and playing music - to negotiate
treaties with Burmese opponents of British rule. He has
demanded that a grand piano be hauled through the jungle and
now requires a tuner to be sent to him as well. Such
eccentric behavior causes the major to be regarded by some
as a genius and by others as a suspicious renegade, but, as
Edgar soon realizes, his actions may conceal even stranger
truths.
As Edgar embarks on his first trip abroad, the beauty and
mystery of Burma, its entrancing landscape, its customs and
music, and an exotic woman named Khin Myo cast a spell that
he cannot resist. After his task is completed, Edgar decides
to stay on with Anthony Carroll - a choice that will change
his life as he becomes entangled in a series of events and
emotions that spin dangerously out of control.
Written in a prose capable of both historical precision
and mystical lushness, The Piano Tuner explores British
colonialism at a moment of crisis and the ill fortune of a
man who confuses "the cause of music" with the cause of
empire.
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The Gentleman in the Parlour: A Record of a Journey
from Rangoon to Haiphong
A Novel by W. Somerset Maugham
Among the many memorable books on travels in Burma before
the Second World War, Somerset Maugham's leisurely progress
from London via Colombo, then up the Irrawaddy to Mandalay
and onwards through the then peaceful Shan States to
Thailand and Cambodia ranks among the most enjoyable. He was
not only a sharp-eyed observer of human nature but writes
about his encounters with a good deal of emphaty quite
uncommon among travel writers of the 1920's.
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The Glass Palace
A Novel by Amitav Ghosh
Set in Burma during the British invasion of 1885, this
masterly novel by Amitav Ghosh tells the story of Rajkumar,
a poor boy lifted on the tides of political and social
chaos, who goes on to create an empire in the Burmese teak
forest. When soldiers force the royal family out of the
Glass Palace and into exile, Rajkumar befriends Dolly, a
young woman in the court of the Burmese Queen, whose love
will shape his life. He cannot forget her, and years later,
as a rich man, he goes in search of her.
The struggles that have made Burma, India, and Malaya the
places they are today are illuminated in this wonderful
novel by the writer Chitra Divakaruni calls “a master
storyteller.”
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The Native Tourist: A Holiday Pilgrimage In Myanmar
By: Ma Thanegi
This is the delightful story of an eighteen-day bus
pilgrimage to sixty pagodas across Myanmar. As the author
settles into her seat, the aisle blocked with luggage, she
trains our eyes on the collection of characters that, like
it or not, will be her traveling companions for the
whirlwind tour. This native tourist amuses us with her
adventures of eating at roadside cafes, climbing up pagodas,
bathing in rivers, shopping at markets, and sleeping on
temple floors. Along the way, she encounters deeply rooted
cultural values and develops camaraderie with strangers that
become like family for the duration of her travels.
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MEMORIES:
Twilight over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess
Memories by Inge Sargent
When Inge Eberhard married a Burmese student she met in
Colorado, she had no idea of the incredible future awaiting
her as a princess. Unbeknownst to the young Austrian woman
at the time, the man she called Sao would reveal himself to
be a prince and the beloved leader of an ethnically diverse
Shan state upon their arrival in Burma. In a stirring
tribute to a remarkable man--and a gripping tale from
beginning to end--Sargent reflects back on her loving,
cross-cultural marriage to the prince of Hsipaw, with whom
she had two children, a marriage that prospered until the
disappearance of Sao Kya Seng during the 1962 coup d'{‚}etat
and takeover by dictator Ne Win. Although the prince was
never seen again, Sargent manages to illuminate the harsh
conditions in Burma over the last quarter-century in a
touching memoir that would read like a fairy tale were it
not for the unfortunate ending.
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A World Overturned: A Burmese Childhood 1933-1947
Memories by Maureen Baird-Murray
Shuttling between her mother's Burmese village, an
English convent - and then witnessing the Japanese
occupation of her homeland as a nine-year-old, Maureen
Baird-Murray had an eventful childhood. She captures the
disorientation and drama of those years in this fine memoir.
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ART & ARCHITECTURE:
Shwedagon: Golden Pagoda of Myanmar
By Elizabeth Moore, et al
For hundreds of years the golden stupa of the Shwedagon,
the pagoda enshrining the sacred hairs of the Buddha, has
dominated the landscape of Rangoon. Since the nineteenth
century, it has been the spiritual symbol of the entire
Burmese nation.
Few countries have a shrine such as this, ancient yet
with as much relevance today as it had long ago. It is an
unforgettable vision to see the pagoda across the Royal
Lakes at sunset or as a golden shimmer against the black
night sky. Everyone who has been to Myanmar has a memory of
their first visit to the Shwedagon; for all born in Myanmar,
the monument is a cornerstone of their life and a guardian
for their future.
Shwedagon provides a multifaceted view of this
magnificent Buddhist shrine. The atmosphere of a visit to
the site is admirably captured in Hansjorg Mayer's
photographs. The texts, by archaeologist and art historian
Elizabeth Moore and Burmese scholar U Win Pe, discuss the
history and evolution of the stupa, and are illustrated by
evocative old pictures and plans
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Burmese Design and Architecture
By John Falconer
About the Author
John Falconer is a curator at the British Library and is the
author of A Vision of the Past, the first detailed history
of photography in Singapore and Malaysia. Luca Invernizzi
Tettoni is a world-renown photographer who has lived in and
worked in Asia since 1973. He specializes in books on
aspects of Asian culture, architecture and landscape. His
books include The Arts of Thailand, The Tropical Garden, and
Filipino Style: his work also appears frequently in Asian,
European, and American Magazines.
Book Description
The Burmese tradition of architecture, art and design is
ancient, diverse and wonderfully rich. A reflection of a
civilization unbreached by European powers for 3,000 years
and influenced by China to the north and India to the West,
Burmese design is interwoven with spiritual, religious and
political messages. It is only now that this tradition is
coming to be appreciated by Western students of architecture
and design.
Burmese Design and Architecture will deepen and enhance
that appreciation, for this is the first book to capture the
entire span of Burmese design, from arts and crafts to
architecture, from the monumental pagodas of Bagan to the
architectural heritage of contemporary Rangoon. Covering
both religious and secular design, this book offers expert
insights provided by leading archaeological experts in this
field. With 500 full-color photographs, this is a major
work-and a must-have for serious connoisseurs of
architecture, design or Myanmar itself.
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Burmese Lacquerware
By Silvia Fraser-Lu
For the past 200 - 300 years the art of lacquer has been
one of the show industries of Burma. Early travellers to
that country have commented most favourably on it and it
would be a rare Burmese household or monastery which did not
have at least a few prized pieces of lacquer.
The initial impetus for the development of the craft in
all probability came from neighbouring China and Thailand,
but Burmese creative genius channelled it in new and unique
directions. Burma's polychrome incised wares are unsurpassed
for their boldness and liveliness of design while its gilt
moulded lacquer inlaid with glass mosaic 'outshines'
European ormolu work in its sheer sumptuous effect. The best
of Burma's gold-leaf design work is equal to that of
Thailand, the leading exponent of the craft in South-East
Asia. Painted wares too are emblematic of a robust folkcraft
tradition.
Over the years the Burmese lacquer worker has been most
adept at adapting to changing circumstances brought about by
the colonial experience and post-war Independence. To meet
the needs of a diverse clientele, artisans have added
different colours, new forms and experimental techniques to
the repertoire. Despite modern innovations, the lacquer
artisan continues to draw strength from the past. Ancient
temple murals continue to provide much inspiration and
subject matter.
This book explains the various techniqies practised by
lacquer artisans, and describes the various forms, and the
use of a wide range of wares. It also introduces the reader
to some of the leading exponents of the art in different
parts of Burma. Lacquerware collections both within that
country and abroad have also been described.
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Burmese Lacquerware
By Silvia Fraser-Lu
For the past 200 - 300 years the art of
lacquer has been one of the show industries of Burma. Early
travellers to that country have commented most favourably on
it and it would be a rare Burmese household or monastery
which did not have at least a few prized pieces of lacquer.
The initial impetus for the development
of the craft in all probability came from neighbouring China
and Thailand, but Burmese creative genius channelled it in
new and unique directions. Burma's polychrome incised wares
are unsurpassed for their boldness and liveliness of design
while its gilt moulded lacquer inlaid with glass mosaic
'outshines' European ormolu work in its sheer sumptuous
effect. The best of Burma's gold-leaf design work is equal
to that of Thailand, the leading exponent of the craft in
South-East Asia. Painted wares too are emblematic of a
robust folkcraft tradition.
Over the years the Burmese lacquer worker
has been most adept at adapting to changing circumstances
brought about by the colonial experience and post-war
Independence. To meet the needs of a diverse clientele,
artisans have added different colours, new forms and
experimental techniques to the repertoire. Despite modern
innovations, the lacquer artisan continues to draw strength
from the past. Ancient temple murals continue to provide
much inspiration and subject matter.
This book explains the various techniqies
practised by lacquer artisans, and describes the various
forms, and the use of a wide range of wares. It also
introduces the reader to some of the leading exponents of
the art in different parts of Burma. Lacquerware collections
both within that country and abroad have also been
described.
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Visions from the Golden Land: Burma and the Art of
Lacquer
By Ralph Isaacs, et al
Lacquer is one of the most important artistic traditions
of Burma - and also a living craft. Frequently used to
decorate vessels of great style and variety, it is also
important in the embellishment of architecture, furniture
and musical instruments, in the making of sculpture and even
in the Burmese theater. A natural plastic, refined from the
sap of a tree, lacquer can be used to elaborate almost any
surface, and its visual impact can be stunning - objects are
dazzlingly colored, often in scarlet, gold and black, and
are frequently inlaid with colored glass to produce an
effect of shimmering irridescence.
Until now, Burmese art generally - let along this
important branch - has been little studied. This beautifully
illustrated book features some 200 items which demonstrate
the skill of the Burmese lacquer-craftsman. Many of these
came from a recent gift to the British Museum, the Ruth and
Ralph Isaacs Collection, while others from national,
regional and private collections. A series of essays
examines the history of Burmese lacquer, the methods of
production, the wide regional variations, the inscriptions
found on many of the vessels (a new and important area of
study), the role of lacquer vessels in the ubiquitous betel
habit, and the Buddhist context of many of the objects.
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Imperial Pagan: Art and Architecture
of Old Burma
By Paul Strachan
A descriptive catalogue of Buddhist
temples build in the Pagan Plain of Burma from the mid-11th
through the 13th century. The profuse illustrations include
34 color plates. Published in hardcover in 1989 as Pagan:
Art and architecture of old Burma.
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HISTORY & CULTURE:
The River of Lost Footsteps
A personal history of Burma
By That Myint –U
What do we really know about Burma and its history? And
what can Burma’s past tell us about its present and even its
future? For nearly two decades Western governments and a
growing activist community have been frustrated in their
attempts to bring about a freer and more democratic
Burma—through sanctions and tourist boycotts—only to see an
apparent slide toward even harsher dictatorship.
Now Thant Myint-U tells the story of modern Burma, and
the story of his own family, in an interwoven narrative that
is by turns lyrical, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Through
his prominent family’s stories and those of others, he
portrays Burma’s rise and decline in the modern world, from
the time of Portuguese pirates and renegade Mughal princes
through a sixty-year civil war that continues today—the
longest-running war anywhere in the world.
Thant Myint-U, born in 1966, was educated at Harvard and
Cambridge. He has served on United Nations peacekeeping
operations in Cambodia and Bosnia, and was more recently the
head of policy planning in the UN Department of Political
Affairs.
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The Illusion of Life: Burmese Marionettes
By Ma Thanegi
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Burmese marionettes
enjoyed a rare and powerful privilege as speakers for both
kings and subjects. Never merely for entertainment, puppetry
was a high art held in much esteem. Marionettes were means
of making people aware of current events; a medium for
educating the masses in literature, history and religion; a
display of lifestyle and customs. These yoke-thei, 'small
dolls', enjoyed greater freedom of speech, dress and
movement than live performers. They therefore played a
significant role in the development of dance and dramatic
arts. The author is a well known Burmese painter, and this
lively book is liberally spiced with information about Burma
and Burmese ways. It contains a systematic presentation of
the Burmese marionette tradition, a tradition in the danger
of extinction.
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Burmese Dance and Theatre (Images of Asia)
By Noel F. Singer
This handy and colorful little book traces the history of
dance and theatre in Burma in the courts and countryside,
and describes the various dances, plays, and musical
accompaniment that evolved as a result of the country's
cultural and religious mix and its changing political
circumstances.
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