Miss Burma

Miss Burma is a novel that tells the story of modern-day Burma through the eyes of Benny and Khin, a husband and wife, and their daughter Louisa. It follows their journey as they navigate the Japanese Occupation, the Burman nationalists' control, and the longest-running civil war in recorded history. Louisa becomes Burma's first beauty queen, but she is forced to reckon with her family's past and her loyalty to the Karen people's cause. The novel is based on the author's mother and grandparents' stories and is a captivating portrait of how modern Burma came to be.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 01 November 2018
Publisher: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2018, the National Book Award for Fiction, and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Miss Burma is a captivating novel that delves into the history of modern-day Burma through the eyes of Benny, Khin, and their daughter Louisa. After attending school in Calcutta, Benny settles in Rangoon, which was then part of the British Empire, and falls in love with Khin, a woman who belongs to a long-persecuted ethnic minority group, the Karen. As World War II unfolds, Benny and Khin are forced to go into hiding in the eastern part of the country during the Japanese Occupation, embarking on a journey that will ultimately shape the course of Burma's history.

After the war, the British authorities make a deal with the Burman nationalists, led by Aung San, whose party gains control of the country. However, when Aung San is assassinated, his successor ignores the pleas for self-government of the Karen people and other ethnic groups, setting off what will become the longest-running civil war in recorded history. Louisa, Benny and Khin's eldest child, has a tumultuous and dangerous childhood and rises to prominence as Burma's first beauty queen shortly before the country falls into dictatorship. As Louisa navigates her newfound fame, she is forced to confront her family's past, the ongoing covert dealings of the West in her country, and her own loyalty to the cause of the Karen people.

Miss Burma is based on the story of the author's mother and grandparents and offers a captivating portrait of how modern Burma came to be and the ordinary people caught up in the struggle for self-determination and freedom. The novel is filled with vivid descriptions of the country's landscapes, culture, and political turmoil, and its characters are complex and relatable, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the history and culture of Southeast Asia.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 194 x 130 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781611855074
Edition number: Main