If you’re looking to read up on Myanmar before your trip, here’s a list of 14 books that I read before, during, and after my trip. If you only have time for two books on Myanmar, then read The Glass Palace and The River of Lost Footsteps. Both of them really get to the heart of the country. For those not planning to visit this amazing country, most of these books are really great reads anyway!

If you’re interested in how to travel around Myanmar, check out my 4-week itinerary here and the 2-week itinerary here.

If you’re looking to read up on Myanmar before your trip, here’s a list of 14 books that I read before, during, and after my trip. If you only have time for two books on Myanmar, then read The Glass Palace and The River of Lost Footsteps. Both of them really get to the heart of the country. If you’re not planning to visit this amazing country (but you really should), most of these books are really great reads anyway!

If you’re interested in how to travel around Myanmar, check out my 4-week itinerary here and the 2-week itinerary here.

Fiction Books on Myanmar

1. The Glass Palace

By Amitav Ghosh

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Of all the books on Myanmar, The Glass Palace is my ultimate favorite. If you’re more into fiction, read this one first. It’s a historical novel that follows an Indian-Burmese family from when the British invaded Burma and overthrew their king to the post-WWII period. If you want to understand why Burma is the way it is today, read The Glass Palace. The Rohingya were not the first group of people driven out of Myanmar.

2. Burmese Days

By George Orwell

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Set during the British colonial rule in Burma, George Orwell’s “Burmese Days” delves into the themes of corruption and imperial prejudice. The story follows Flory, a white timber merchant, who forms a friendship with Dr. Veraswami, an ardent supporter of the British Empire. Dr. Veraswami’s fate hinges on his acceptance into an exclusive all-white club, which is the only way to safeguard him from disgrace.

If you want to read about what life was like in Burma under the British, Burmese Days is a very good book on Myanmar. 

3. Burma Sahib

By Paul Theroux

My Rating: Have Not Finished Yet

4. Miss Burma

By Charmaine Craig

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Miss Burma is a sweeping historical novel that follows the lives of Benny and Khin, a couple from different ethnic backgrounds in Burma, and their daughter Louisa, who becomes a beauty queen and a symbol of resistance during the country’s tumultuous mid-20th century history. The story explores themes of identity, political upheaval, and the enduring impact of colonialism and conflict on personal and national destinies.

I have mixed feelings about Miss Burma. On the one hand, I learned a lot about Myanmar and the Karen ethnic group. On the other hand, it wasn’t well written, so it was hard to get through it at times. There aren’t that many fiction books on Myanmar, so you sometimes need to take what you can get.

5. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

By Jan-Philipp Sendeker

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is about an American woman whose Burmese father disappears. She traces his life story back to Burma where she uncovers a story of heartbreak and lost love. 

If you like romantic novels, read it! If not, you might think it’s a bit too sappy. 

6. The Piano Tuner

By Daniel Mason

My Rating: Did not finish

The Piano Tuner  is set in 1886 British-colonial Burma. The novel follows Edgar Drake, a piano tuner who is sent by the British War Office to repair a rare piano belonging to an eccentric army surgeon stationed in the remote Shan States. As Edgar journeys deeper into the exotic and politically volatile landscape, he becomes entangled in the complexities of colonialism, war, and his own personal transformations.

I just didn’t like the book and didn’t finish it.

Non-Fiction Books on Myanmar

7. The River of Lost Footsteps

By Thant Myint -U

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The River of Lost Footsteps is the best book on Myanmar for those who want to understand the country better.

The author is the grandson of U-Thant, the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the 1960s. The author tells the story of Myanmar through the story of his family.  The book covers centuries of political upheaval, colonial rule, and cultural transformation, and offers a richly detailed account of the country’s complex past.

8. Myanmar: The Temples of Bagan

By Approach Guides

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Myanmar: The Temples of Bagan is a guidebook for visiting the temples of Bagan. It covers the art, history, and religious symbolism of the temples as well as practical tourist advice. 

It was a valuable resource for me while traveling around Bagan. You can skip it if you’re not traveling there or if you’re not that into temple hopping. Get the Kindle version so you can carry it with you while walking through the dimly lit temples.

Check out my post here on how to make the most of your time temple hopping around Bagan.

9. Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language

By John Okell

I love learning languages, and so every time I visit a new country, I try to learn the language of that country. But learning languages on your own with a book and audio isn’t usually very successful. However, Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language Book 1 was pretty good. They had a lot of interactive exercises to help you remember new words, expressions, and pronunciation. You can also download the audio from online.

10. The Trouser People

By Andrew Marshall

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I loved The Trouser People. It felt like the author really understood Myanmar.

Marshall retraces Victorian adventurer, Sir George Scott’s travels through Myanmar’s remote tribal areas. I learned tons about the different minority groups such as the Shan, Akha, and Wa.

11. Burma Spring

By Rosalind Russell

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly, Burma’s Spring was another one of my favorite books on Myanmar. Despite being only a journalist and probably not fluent in the language, the author has lots of valuable insights into the country. There’s an interesting chapter on Buddhist extremism that might help you understand better the Burmese attitude toward the Rohingya. Russell was also there during the Saffron Revolution and chronicles her time there.

12. Where China Meets India

By Than Myint-U

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I loved Thant Myint-U’s first book on Myanmar listed at #1. Where China Meets India was just as informative, but I thought it lacked a clear focus. It has the country, India, in its title but it’s barely mentioned in the book. In addition, this was the last book I had read on Myanmar, so much of what was in it was not new.

13. Finding George Orwell in Burma

By Emily Larkin

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Finding George Orwell in Burma gets such high ratings on Amazon. I don’t get it. I wasn’t really all that impressed. It’s ok, but there are better books on Myanmar out there. And the Kindle version is US$14.99! Crazy. It definitely wasn’t one of my favorite books on Myanmar. However, many people seem to like it. To each his or her own.

14. Burma: Rivers of Flavors

By Naomi Duguid

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Burma: Rivers of Flavor is a pretty good cookbook. I’ve had some success cooking from it. This is a good start if you want a book on Myanmar food.

You can learn how to cook tea leaf salad and lots of different curries.

PIN IT FOR LATER

These are the books on Myanmar / Burma that I read. There are other books out there, especially recently there have been a slough of books on the Rohingya, which I haven’t read. What do you think of my list? Have you read any of these? Do you have any other recommendations?