Thant Myint-U. Libri

A compelling and timely inside account of the recent crisis in Burma and its troubled journey from dictatorship to democracy.

Thant tells the story of modern Burma, in part through a telling of his own family's history, in an interwoven narrative that is by turns lyrical, dramatic, and appalling. His maternal grandfather, U Thant, rose from being the schoolmaster of a small town in the Irrawaddy Delta to become the UN secretary-general in the 1960s. And on his father's side, the author is descended from a long line of courtiers who served at Burma's Court of Ava for nearly two centuries. Through their stories and others, he portrays Burma's rise and decline in the modern world, from the time of Portuguese pirates and renegade Mughal princes through the decades of British colonialism, the devastation of World War II, and a sixty-year civil war that continues today and is the longest-running war anywhere in the world.--From publisher description.

Largely isolated from the world for more than four decades, Myanmar has made a remarkable return to the global stage following a political transformation that represents a watershed moment in the country's history. Now, for the first time ever, the rich culture, stunning landscapes and diverse peoples of the country are presented in a unique visual time capsule. Here is the new Myanmar as seen over a single week by a team of thirty famous photographers from eleven different countries. Their mission? To capture the life and spirit of Myanmar from every angle in every corner of the country. Through the downtown streets of Yangon and the handicraft centers of Mandalay, above the temple-dotted plains of Bagan and on the waters of Inle Lake, inside border towns and hill tribe villages and all the way to the furthest reaches of the north and south. The portrait they created reveals a nation full of natural beauty, old-world charm, deep spirituality and new hope. Featuring essays that provide context on Myanmar s history and culture and hundreds of outstanding original photographs, 7 Days in Myanmar shows why the world is watching Myanmar and why Myanmar is ready for the world."