From Publishers Weekly
Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for courageous leadership of the Burmese people in their battle against authoritarian rule. The forthright condemnation of the regime that resulted in the activist's house arrest is clearly expressed in the essays in this volume. Part one--which describes Burma's political, intellectual and literary history--includes a moving yet unsentimental biography of the author's father, Aung San. Clearly a role model, though he was assassinated when she was only two, Aung San was a seminal figure in the Burmese struggle for independence in the 1940s. Part two contains a series of essays on democracy and human rights. Of particular interest is Aung San Suu Kyi's brief statement in response to a nomination for political office. Though under house arrest at the time, she accepted "out of respect for the decision taken by my party in accordance with democratic practices." Part three presents tributes to Aung San Suu Kyi by friends and scholars. Ann Pasternak Slater candidly recalls the human rights activist as a student at Oxford becoming initiated into Western ways. A visiting professor at Harvard, Aris is the author's husband. Photos not seen by PW. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Nobel Peace Prize winner for 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi is currently under house arrest in Myanmar (Burma) and serves as the nation's conscience against an oppressive military regime. Compiled by her husband, Michael Aris, with a foreword by Vaclav Havel, this volume includes a wide selection of Aung San's writings--essays, letters, speeches, and interviews--as well as four tributary articles. However, more stress should have been given to her writings since 1988 when she entered political life. Her best essay, "My Father," is a biographical portrait of the father of modern Burma. (This has been separately published as Aung San of Burma by Kiscadale Publications and will be distributed in the United States by Seven Hills in February 1992.) Although her writings are repetitive and often more about her father than herself, people will want to read about the plight of a heroic figure trapped by a corrupt Third World regime.- Donald Clay Johnson, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., MinneapolisCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Freedom from Fear FROM THE PUBLISHER
Aung San Suu Kyi, human-rights activist and leader of Burma's National League for Democracy, was detained in 1989 by SLORC, the ruling military junta. Today, she is newly liberated from six years' house arrest in Rangoon, where she was held as a prisoner of conscience, despite an overwhelming victory by her party in May 1990. This collection of writings, now revised with substantial new material, including the text of the Nobel Peace Prize speech delivered by her son, reflects Aung San Suu Kyi's greatest hopes and fears for her people and her concern about the need for international cooperation, and gives poignant and humorous reminiscences as well as independent assessments of her role in politics. Containing speeches, letters and interviews, some of which are newly added, these writings give a voice to Burma's 'woman of destiny', who was awarded both the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
Art & Photography
Book Info
