Guy Delisle chronicles his year in Myanmar, where he lived as a stay-at-home parent while his partner worked for Médecins Sans Frontières. Through minimalist black-and-white panels, he documents the mundane frustrations of life under a military junta, from unpredictable power outages and strict internet censorship to the difficulty of navigating bureaucracy. He observes the visible presence of secret police, the isolation of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the cultural contrast between the expatriate humanitarian community and the local population in Rangoon.
This graphic memoir serves travelers and expatriates interested in the practicalities of living within a restrictive political regime. Readers learn how social norms and political oppression shape daily routines in Southeast Asia. Instead of a political treatise, the book offers a firsthand look at how individuals adapt to scarcity and surveillance. Readers finish the book with a grounded understanding of Burmese history and the logistical challenges of international aid work in a closed society.
Balanced in tone; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2007
- Language
- EN
