Hilarious look at a white man's experiences in Burma/Myanmar. How the author (an artist) deals with raising a baby, dealing with the culture, the expat experience while also giving us glimpses into the political situation in Burma. An honest take, the book does not shy away from the author's experience of living with the uncertainties typical in a developing country and how he is constantly trying to exert his privileges. The author constantly acknowledges the contrast between his own privilege in being born and raised in a free society where things like electricity is taken for granted versus those of his friends in his host country who have to constantly watch out who they are seen associating with. All this while maintaining humour. Kudos!
Reviews and Comments
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Anirudh S reviewed Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle
Anirudh S rated Sword of Destiny: 5 stars
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski, David French (The Witcher, #0.7)
Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him …
Anirudh S rated Blood of Elves: 4 stars
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski (Fantasy Orbit)
Anirudh S rated Legion: Skin Deep: 3 stars
Anirudh S rated The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right: 5 stars
Anirudh S rated American Gods: 5 stars
Anirudh S reviewed On immunity by Eula Biss
Review of 'On immunity' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Eula Biss is a journalist and mother. Facing fears over vaccination she decides to research the subject, resulting in this book. We are given a balanced layman's view of immunity in general, with a particular focus on vaccination. In short chapters she delves into the past and present of vaccination to illustrate the reasons for the way things are in the world of vaccination.
One of the overarching themes of the book is how the individual human being exists in a sort of continuum, with other human beings but also as part of nature. How microorganisms are part of us and how our personal immune system is also part of a collective human immune system. To me, this was the key takeaway from the book; as someone who needed no convincing that vaccines are essential in our fight against disease.
The book does not pull back punches in its criticisms …
Eula Biss is a journalist and mother. Facing fears over vaccination she decides to research the subject, resulting in this book. We are given a balanced layman's view of immunity in general, with a particular focus on vaccination. In short chapters she delves into the past and present of vaccination to illustrate the reasons for the way things are in the world of vaccination.
One of the overarching themes of the book is how the individual human being exists in a sort of continuum, with other human beings but also as part of nature. How microorganisms are part of us and how our personal immune system is also part of a collective human immune system. To me, this was the key takeaway from the book; as someone who needed no convincing that vaccines are essential in our fight against disease.
The book does not pull back punches in its criticisms of the medical community. She makes it clear that medicines suffers from issues brought about by a lack of empathy.
Highly recommend. Accessible. Balanced. Nuanced.
Anirudh S rated The Humans: 5 stars
Anirudh S rated A darker shade of magic: 2 stars
A darker shade of magic by V. E. Schwab (Shades of Magic)
STEP INTO A UNIVERSE OF DARING ADVENTURE, THRILLING POWER, AND MULTIPLE LONDONS.
Kell is one of the last travelers--magicians with …
Anirudh S rated Mistborn Trilogy: 5 stars
Anirudh S rated The Well of Ascension: 4 stars
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn, #2)
Mistborn: The Well of Ascension is a fantasy novel written by American author Brandon Sanderson. It was published on August …
Anirudh S rated The Final Empire: 4 stars
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn, #1)
For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery …
Anirudh S rated The Left Hand of Darkness: 4 stars
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hainish Cycle, #4)
[Comment by Kim Stanley Robinson, on The Guardian's website][1]: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (1969) …