A Man Like Him: Portrait of the Burmese Journalist, Journal Kyaw U Chit Maung

Studies on Southeast Asia #47

by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay, Ma Thanegi (Translator)

The story of eight years in the brief life of Journal Kyaw U Chit Maung, a courageous Burmese journalist and editor. His political analyses helped guide the nation during a turbulent era marked by internal struggles to establish a democracy independent of Britain in the late 1930s and the Japanese Occupation of the 1940s. The memoir is written by U Chit Maung's wife, Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay, a resilient woman whose deep admiration and love for her uncompromising husband are captured here.

205 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2008

About the author

Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Burmese writers of 20th century. Her stories are known for authentic portrayals of modern Burmese society. Along with Ludu Daw Amar, Ma Ma Lay was one of a few female authors in Burma. She died in 1982 at the age of 65.

Reviews

[Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reluctantly I bought this hardcover at our 47th National Book Fair held in Bangkok early last month due to part of my unfamiliarity with Burmese writers, let alone Burmese journalists. However, around last year I have since enjoyed being a regular reader of a Thai column weekly printed in Matichon (a Thai daily newspaper) on Friday written by Khun Lalita Hanwong, recalling vaguely on some eminent Burmese journalists under Japanese occupation in World War II. It's a pity I simply couldn't recall any names so I have to make do with its biography of Journal Kyaw U Chit Maung (p. 6) and introduction (pp. 9-15) titled Journal Kyaw U Chit Maung and Myanmar's Late-Colonial Politics by Robert H. Taylor.

I have found my decision didn't disappoint me; it was first published in May 1947 originally written in Burmese by his wife, Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay. According to its translator, Ma Thanegi, in the same year it went through three printings, moreover, its tenth edition was published in 2003. This implies its wide readership due to its popularity and fame of the book and the couple themselves. While reading through its 37 pages, I enjoyed reading pages after pages from its fine translated texts and couldn't help primarily admiring Daw Ma Ma Lay for her wit, resilience and intrepidity.

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