Golden Earth: Travels in Burma

Cultural experience, however much has changed. An Ethnography is a non bias recording or written description of a culture and the people inside that culture. The author Norman Lewis travels into Burma and all around the country in an attempt to capture the culture. He shows minimal bias as all of his thoughts from the novel analyze his written experience; he lets the reader “take it for what it is”. I chose this book, because Lewis’s travels through Burma relate to my ethnography. I would not recommend this book as a travel guide as it was published in 1952. “My ignorance of conditions in Burma was quite extraordinary…In July 1949; the Prime Minister had announced that peace was attainable within a year. Having heard no more I assumed the peace was attained.” The book was originally published 63 years ago; this is significant because so much has changed in Burma since then. Today, even after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar (what was once Burma) there is still conflict and has been for over sixty years. This book was more intended as a cultural experience in a narrow time slot which the Country received its independence and the government regime wasn’t out of control. However, Lewis did do a terrific job at capturing the culture around him during his travels."Apart from building pagodas, the ancient Burmese seem to have a set of extraordinary store by the act of compelling them. Just in biblical times battles were sometimes decided by individual combat between champions, there are many examples in Burmese history of conflicts being settled without fighting in favor of the side which could first complete a pagoda.". This is a worthwhile book to read in leisure time for pleasure, however should not be recommended as a travel guide.

This book is a delight, well written, with a compelling and entertaining story to tell. I started it while sailing in Burma, and it launched me on a reading jag of books about Burma. I highly recommend it to anyone with curiosity about another culture, whether you've got a specific interest in the region or not. Also wonderful: Amy Tan's Saving Fish from Drowning, and The Paino Tuner. They make a good trio of books about Burma, from different perspectives. I'd never been especially interested in the country, but am quite engaged now.

I read this book in preparation for a trip to Burma that I was embarking on. Norman Lewis travelled there shortly after the country received its independence from the British and this book is best read as the reports of a historical eyewitness. Much has changed in Burma since Lewis travelled there and so this book only provides limited insights into contemporary Burma, but it is well worth reading.

Not only a brilliant writer but his humanity moves the reader to see what we do to this beautiful land and it's people in the name of progress.

I was mesmerized by the story telling. It was phenomenal to experience Burma in the 50's.

I found this book quite irritating but I soldiered along to the end.Author writes about the Burmese as if they are amusing children. Not much interest in pursuing the culture but a lot of interest in detailing his lodgings, travel and food. Travelogue in the form of Yelp reviews.

Like those jerks who go mountain climbing before a snowstorm, this author went exploring in Burma in 1950 despite everyone's warnings. Hitching rides on broken down trucks, sleeping on bug infested floors, boarding trains that were expected to break down or be attacked, he somehow survived to tell about it. Some of his descriptions were well written, but I came away knowing more about his bad choices than about Burma. My time would have been better spent watching "Lonely Planet."'

Here, Lewis visits Burma soon after the end of WWII, spurred on by the knowledge that the complex political climate will soon make it impossible to visit the country. Even so, he has difficulties navigating his way round the country, dogged by the opposing needs of bureaucracy, the military and the problems of native insurgents of all political creeds. His work is beautiful and poignant. His hope at the end of the book that the Burmese will overcome their differences and take pride in their nationality and what makes them so unique, seems so much more tragic given the contemporary knowledge we have of the harsh and brutal military regime in Burma, their appalling human rights record and the recent purges by the government.Lewis writes with compassion and sympathy for the Burmese and their country. He gets under the skin of what it means to exist in such a peculiar place and talks about his feelings about colonialism, empire and politics which is neither forced nor grating, but comes from a natural contemplation of what he experiences on his travels. He has a lightness of touch and humour that never failed to bring a smile to my lips, and while obviously dated, this is the book I would recommend as crucial reading for anyone interested in visiting or understanding Burma.

Norman Lewis at his descriptive best as he eloquently details his trip through Burma in the immediate aftermath of independence from Britain. Lewis takes a great interest in Burmese society and describes its nuances with fascination introducing a host of different and colourful characters. He also observes his departing countrymen with their stuffy and rigid social conventions with irony, amusement and no small dose of cynicism. Another great travel book from Norman Lewis.

Adventures traveling in Burma immediately post-independence at a time of multiple insurgencies, including many encounters with locals, all told with warmth, wit and deliciously dry humour.

I read this on a recent trip to Burma and absolutely loved it. It's incredibly funny, way over the top, but actually quite informative, despite being written in a different era. I liked his humanity, his observations of the people he met, the history and geography that he threw in, and also his writing style. I would recommend it for people interested in South East Asia in general, and for those who just enjoy good classic travel writing.

Still to read this book great value for money arrived on time many thanks