Set in Tokyo during 1985, the narrative captures the vibrant energy of the world's first megacity at its peak. The story delves into the cultural and technological shifts of the time, exploring the lives of its inhabitants as they navigate the complexities of urban existence. Themes of modernity, change, and the juxtaposition of tradition and innovation are woven throughout, painting a vivid picture of a city in transformation.
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, is a symbol of supreme courage in the face of tyranny. Released from house arrest in 2010, she led her party to a dramatic victory in Burma's first free general election in a generation. Acclaimed biographer, Peter Popham, describes how, inspired by her leadership, Burma has found its voice and transformed its destiny. However greater freedom has brought with it other troubles. The Lady and the Generals offers a compelling portrait of this fascinating country and asks where Burma and Suu Kyi - with her bravery, her charisma and her limitations - are heading next. Praise for The Lady and the Peacock, also by Peter Popham 'What a gift to our world and what a splendid telling of [Aung San Suu Kyi's life]. We are deeply indebted to Peter Popham for such a superb account' - Archbishop Desmond Tutu 'Sensitive and moving' - Sunday Times 'Beautifully written and compelling in every aspect' - Joanna Lumley 'Warm and objective...will not be bettered for a long time' - Independent on Sunday
Until she was released in November 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi had been under house arrest in Burma for fourteen of the previous twenty years. She was already confined to her home when the party she co-founded and led, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide victory in a general election in 1990. The result was never acknowledged by the military regime in power for many decades.
Set against the backdrop of India's tumultuous transition to independence, the narrative follows a diverse group of individuals grappling with the impending end of British rule. As the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, accelerates the process, tensions rise, leading to a violent upheaval. The characters, including Indian freedom fighters and British expatriates, navigate a landscape of love, paranoia, and shifting loyalties, culminating in a gripping exploration of hope and despair. Peter Popham's debut weaves a rich tapestry of the era's complexities and emotional stakes.
Peter Popham's major new biography of Aung San Suu Kyi draws upon previously untapped testimony and fresh revelations to tell the story of a woman whose bravery and determination have captivated people around the globe. Celebrated today as one of the world's greatest exponents of non-violent political defiance since Mahatma Gandhi, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize only four years after her first experience of politics. In April 1988, Suu Kyi returned from Britain to Burma to nurse her sick mother but, within six months, found herself the unchallenged leader of the largest popular revolt in her country's history. When the party she co-founded won a landslide victory in Burma's first free elections for thirty years, she was already under house arrest and barred from taking office by the military junta. Since then, 'The Lady' has set about transforming her country ethically as well as politically, displaying dazzling courage in the process. Under house arrest for 15 of the previous 20 years, she has come close to being killed by her political enemies and her commitment to peaceful revolution has come at extreme personal cost. In November 2010, after fraudulent elections in which she played no part, Suu Kyi was again freed. She was greeted by ecstatic crowds but only time will tell what role this remarkable woman will have in the future of her country.
