A review by internationalkris
Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle

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.