partiatwork's review against another edition
4.0
A comic novel on a foreigner's take on Burma.
I have grown to like the comic novel format after reading The complete Persepolis by Marjane satrapi. This one keeps up its promise, presenting issues of life in Myanmar in a simple comic strip format. I loved the fact that the author has shown much respect to its culture. The issues have been tackled gracefully with an infusion of wit. Worth a read overall.
I have grown to like the comic novel format after reading The complete Persepolis by Marjane satrapi. This one keeps up its promise, presenting issues of life in Myanmar in a simple comic strip format. I loved the fact that the author has shown much respect to its culture. The issues have been tackled gracefully with an infusion of wit. Worth a read overall.
nouks's review against another edition
2.0
Well, the more I read Delisle, the less I like him.
I have traveled in Myanmar and I must admit, some things he highlights are accurate. Still, for someone who lived there for 14 months, there’s plenty aspects of Burmese culture that is missing...what about the green tea salad ? thanaka sunscreen ? the influences of all the religions in Rangoon ? the original meaning of swastika in Asian cultures ??? I was shocked when he criticizes the young man who wears a shirt with the nazi sign WITHOUT mentioning the background of this symbol. WHERE WERE YOU AT ? oh yeah, just looking after your own self.
He mostly talks about himself. His conversation with Burmese people are shallow. And what about his wife ??? Does she have a personality ? It’s so sad to depict the person you love the way he does...
I have traveled in Myanmar and I must admit, some things he highlights are accurate. Still, for someone who lived there for 14 months, there’s plenty aspects of Burmese culture that is missing...what about the green tea salad ? thanaka sunscreen ? the influences of all the religions in Rangoon ? the original meaning of swastika in Asian cultures ??? I was shocked when he criticizes the young man who wears a shirt with the nazi sign WITHOUT mentioning the background of this symbol. WHERE WERE YOU AT ? oh yeah, just looking after your own self.
He mostly talks about himself. His conversation with Burmese people are shallow. And what about his wife ??? Does she have a personality ? It’s so sad to depict the person you love the way he does...
bbboeken's review against another edition
4.0
Delisle volgt zijn vrouw op missie met een NGO naar Birma; ze blijven er iets langer dan een jaar, en dit boek geeft zijn impressies weer van dat verblijf.
sillypunk's review against another edition
5.0
Just so good, mind boggling how people acclimatise to dictatorship.
lewis_fishman's review against another edition
5.0
As someone of Burmese heritage but who knows very little about the country, this was a wonderful travelogue to read!
internationalkris's review against another edition
4.0
Burma Chronicles had a very different feel that Delisle's other travelogues. In this chapter of his life he is not immediately plugged into his host country through an international job but is rather parenting his son while his wife works at Médecins Sans Frontières. This means that Delisle begins his life in Burma well-entrenched in the expat bubble - going to parent chats, trying to get a sponsor for the Australian club, searching out tonic water. My first thought was that this book felt too light. I wanted Delisle to get more connected with the culture - where was his translator to help him get around? where was his connection with co-workers? Once he gets himself and his son settled though his experiences in Burma do deepen and some of the best parts of the book come towards the end when Delisle travels out of the city to visit restricted zones, spends a weekend at an ashram, and visits respected Burmese comic artists. Look for his revelations on the life of the Burmese who work in the jade mines - wow.
papiro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Een zeer interessant boek over een tekenaar die met zijn vrouw die voor artsen zonder grenzen werkt naar Birma verhuisd samen met hun baby. We zien zijn ervaringen in het land, we lezen over hoe het land werkt en hoe het regime werkt en wat er steeds veranderd, we zien hem en zijn vrouw reizen door het land (hij mag ook een aantal keer mee met haar werk), we zien hoe iedereen het zoontje erg lief vindt, en dan is er nog veel meer. Ik heb veel geleerd over het land, ik wist natuurlijk al een aantal dingen, maar veel dingen waren nieuw voor mij. Plus, ik vind het altijd veel leuker/interessanter om over een land te leren door middel van dit soort reisdagboeken, het is toch wat persoonlijker dan het ergens in een gewoon boek te lezen.
Ik zou dit boek zeker aanraden en ik ga maar snel zijn andere boek lezen die ik ook heb uit de bibliotheek. :)
Ik zou dit boek zeker aanraden en ik ga maar snel zijn andere boek lezen die ik ook heb uit de bibliotheek. :)
bxlbooks91's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable graphic novel, especially since I have been to Burma last year, under the new regime. Interesting to see how horrible it was, and how much has changed. Delisle has a quite plain drawing technique, but the content itself was quite nuanced and funny.
3,5*
3,5*