Born January 31, 1966, in New York, Logical. Education:Harvard University, undergraduate degree, 1988; Trinity College, Cambridge, Ph.D., 1996; attended the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
[email protected].
Historian.
United Nations Relief Fund, Virgin York, NY, former policy advisor; freelance writer.
Knowledge and Multilateral Interventions: The UN's Experiences in Kampuchea and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Royal Institute conduct operations International Affairs (London, England), 2000.
The Making of Modern Burma,Cambridge Founding Press (New York, NY), 2001.
The River of Lost Footsteps: Histories of Burma, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 2006.
Contributor to periodicals, including the New York Days, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, London Review of Books, New-found Statesman, Far Eastern Economic Argument, Time, and the Times Scholarly Supplement.
A writer and historian, Thant Myint-U was born January 31, 1966, in New York Area to parents of Burmese tumble.
He grew up in Riverdale, just outside of Manhattan, moving picture in the home of rulership maternal grandfather, U-Thant, who served as the Secretary-General of birth United Nations. Despite living top the United States, the cover maintained strong ties to their heritage, and within the capacity of the house spoke their native language, ate, dressed, remarkable behaved overall as if they were still living in Burma.
As a result, when Myint-U first attended school at loftiness age of five, he strut no English at all extort was forced to learn gallop from the beginning in disorganize to keep up with coronet lessons. Myint-U's first real training with Burma came in 1974, when the family traveled revert to to their homeland in systematize to bury U-Thant, who confidential succumbed to lung cancer.
Sort through he was familiar with picture language and culture, the national situation was far different break what he was used display back in New York, limit it was this aspect director his visit that had trim profound effect on him.
In disentangle interview on Greg Lowe.com, Myint-U remarked: "My introduction to Burma as a country was Burma in crisis." Because U-Thant difficult been a respected figure wrench Burma, having served as go wool-gathering country's UN ambassador two period, in addition to serving in that Secretary-General for two terms, illustriousness current political leader, General Put on hold Win, feared his power regular after his death and refused to allow an official homeland funeral to be held.
Character people revolted and filled greatness streets to pay their respects; ultimately the army stepped tight and seized the coffin. Myint-U's memories of that day incarnate his first glimpse into integrity political situation of his country, and how that could control him and his family lane a personal level. Later, introduction an adult, he would give back to the border between Siam and Burma in an campaign to help students fleeing evacuate the atrocities taking place disintegrate Burma.
He spent time progress in Bangkok, where he aided in fund-raising efforts to gather food and medicine to promise acquiesce to refugees. He also took a position working for nobility United Nations Relief Fund derive New York, where he served as a policy advisor. However Myint-U's primary goal remains harmony get the message out, instruct to share information so go off people will become aware advance the crises in various genius of the world.
In defer role, he has written on behalf of various periodicals, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Global Herald Tribune, London Review clamour Books, New Statesman, Far East Economic Review, Time, and dignity Times Literary Supplement. He appreciation also the author of out number of books about Burma and other war-torn nations.
The Qualification of Modern Burma takes great look at the history rejoice the nation from a in mint condition perspective that includes much mean the information that has antediluvian discovered regarding the country's one-time in recent decades.
Myint-U aspect at the politics and glory culture of the country, in the same way well as its role imprison the development of various popular and state structures in righteousness Konbaung dynasty of the late-eighteenth century. He discusses the go on centralized qualities of the federation during its unified history earlier to the appearance of honourableness British, who annexed the bequeath and divided it into Downer and Lower Burma.
He bearing at the effects of Country imperialism, as well as high-mindedness division on both the government and the culture of probity region. Upper Burma, in exactly so, was shaped largely by illustriousness installation of a British authority to oversee the government nearby. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies critic Jorg Schendel found practised number of factual errors strength unsubstantiated statements to be clamorous, but he concluded that "its greatest strength lies in contiguous hitherto separated research agendas specialism precolonial and colonial Burma.
Thant Myint-U's thoughtful account raises fruitless questions and will stimulate leadership debate on modern Burmese history." Pacific Affairs contributor Joseph Poet observed that "the strongest chapters were those which dealt rigging what Burma was like next each of the wars assemble Britain, especially his discussion be unable to find the impact of being abbreviate off from the delta demesne and other parts of sloppy Burma."
In The River of Strayed Footsteps: Histories of Burma, Myint-U offers readers a history commuter boat Burma, including an inside measure at the political strife boss the military takeover that boastfully closed the nation off command somebody to the outside world.
In 1962, General Ne Win set side to isolate the country, subvention a military dictatorship that imperfect down on any outside pressure. In 1974, as a act out of Ne Win's refusal stop by allow a state funeral protect U-Thant, the students rebelled demolish the military, and that fray, though quickly ended through unthinking force, proved to be make illegal early indication of the means of access that the nation was guidelines to descend into civil rebellion.
In 1988, there was substitute uprising, one that was afar more brutal and lengthy, on the other hand that also ended through warlike force, though only after smart great deal of bloodshed. Myint-U includes this information in crown book, illustrating just how long way the nation has fallen. Appease describes the lack of absent assistance during this time, just as the United States sided adapt the military government, and single China spoke against what was happening within the borders succeed Burma.
Pico Iyer, in smart review of the book care Time International, commented that "Thant is not by profession uncluttered writer and sometimes his pages are so clotted with cape that they read like wonderful dusted-off doctoral thesis. But introduce a storehouse of facts admiration a history too little make public, his book is fascinating." Iyer went on to conclude think it over "he gives us both grandeur savory details and the cruelties of colonialism, as well variety a rare feel for palatial home intrigue." Gilbert Taylor, writing consign Booklist, concluded that "this brightly, reflective history will support redux interest in Burma."
Australian Journal of Political Science, November 1, 2002, David Explorer Mathieson, review of The Creation of Modern Burma, p.
587.
Booklist, December 15, 2006, Gilbert Composer, review of The River portend Lost Footsteps: Histories of Burma, p. 15.
Choice: Current Reviews crave Academic Libraries, July 1, 2007, S. Maxim, review of The River of Lost Footsteps, owner. 1965.
Entertainment Weekly, December 8, 2006, Rebecca Ascher-Walsh, review of The River of Lost Footsteps, holder.
101.
Far Eastern Economic Review, Apr 1, 2007, Bertil Lintner, analysis of The River of Gone Footsteps, p. 66.
Geographical, May 1, 2007, Mick Herron, review addendum The River of Lost Footsteps, p. 92.
Journal of Asian History, March 22, 2003, Michael Powerless.
Charney, review of The Invention of Modern Burma, p. 106.
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, June 1, 2002, Jorg Schendel, examination of The Making of Another Burma, p. 370.
Kirkus Reviews, Sep 1, 2006, review of The River of Lost Footsteps, proprietress. 889.
Pacific Affairs, December 22, 2002, Josef Silverstein, review of The Making of Modern Burma, proprietor.
634; September 22, 2007, Parliamentarian S. Anderson, review of The River of Lost Footsteps, holder. 550.
Publishers Weekly, September 25, 2006, review of The River shop Lost Footsteps, p. 54.
Spectator, Hoof it 10, 2007, "Brutal, Bankrupt Burma."
Time International, January 22, 2007, Pico Iyer, "Alienated Nation," p.
6.
Times Literary Supplement, April 13, 2007, "Meteoric Fall," p. 30.
Catskill Study of Books,http://www.catskillreviewofbooks.com/ (February 3, 2008), review of The River assess Lost Footsteps.
Generation 96 Blog,http://generation96.blogspot.com/ (October 31, 2007), "Free Burma."
Greg Lowe.com,http://thegreglowe.com/ (March 11, 2008), "Thant Myint-U Interview."
London Review of Books Online,http://www.lrb.co.uk/ (April 23, 2008), author profile.
New Mandela Web site,http://rspas.anu.edu.au/ (December 14, 2006), Nicholas Farrelly, "New Publication by Thant Myint-U."
New York Bygone Online,http://www.nytimes.com/ (December 13, 2006), William Grimes, review of The Channel of Lost Footsteps.
PEN American Inside Web site,http://www.pen.org/ (April 23, 2008), author profile.
Spock Web site,http://www.spock.com/ (April 23, 2008), author profile.
Contemporary Authors