Burmese Days

by George Orwell | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0140004564 Global Overview for this book
Registered by davemurray101 of Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on 11/4/2009
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5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by davemurray101 from Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on Wednesday, November 4, 2009
U Po Kyin, Sub-divisional Magistrate of Kyauktada, in Upper Burma, was sitting in his veranda. It was only half past eight, but the month was April, and there was a closeness in the air, a threat of the long, stifling midday hours. Occasional faint breaths of wind, seeming cool by contrast, stirred the newly drenched orchids that hung from the eaves. Beyond the orchids one could see the dusty, curved trunk of a palm tree, and then the blazing ultramarine sky. Up in the zenith, so high that it dazzled one to look at them, a few vultures circled without the quiver of a wing. Unblinking, rather like a great porcelain idol, U Po Kyin gazed out into the fierce sunlight. He was a man of fifty, so fat that for years he had not risen from his chair without help, and yet shapely and even beautiful in his grossness; for the Burmese do not sag and bulge like white men, but grow fat symmetrically, like fruits swelling. His face was vast, yellow and quite unwrin-kled, and his eyes were tawny. His feet-squat, high-arched feet with the toes all the same length-were bare, and so was his cropped head, and he wore one of those vivid Arakanese longyis with green and magenta checks which the Burmese wear on informal occasions. He was chewing betel from a lacquered box on the table, and thinking about his past life.

Journal Entry 2 by davemurray101 from Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Yet another replacement copy, for the original Burmese Days Bookring.
see (http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7268521) & (http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6380223)

Remaining participants are..


3. hetku77 from Finland (international)
4. Tubereader from LUXEMBOURG (international)
5. CaterinaAnna from UK (international)
6. molekilby from UK (international)
7. Tanamo from UK (international)


8. tootshelling from Germany (international)
9. tagesmann from UK (international)
10. stubee from UK (international)

11. livrecache from Australia (International)
12. cat207 from Australia (international)
13. tqd from Australia (international)

Journal Entry 3 by davemurray101 at Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 6, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/6/2009 UTC) at Controlled Release, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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Restarted its journey. This time to hetku77 in Finland.

Journal Entry 4 by winghetku77wing from Nokia, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, January 8, 2010
16.11.2009 The book arrived today. Thank you for arranging this ring and being so patient with organizing it, davemurray101!

8.1.2010 I finally finished the book a few days ago - reading is a bit slow with a 4 month old baby in the house. I found this story really sad, even hopeless at times. Especially the ending was the saddest part - it felt like the people were doomed in their destinies no matter how hard they tried to change it. Despite the saddness the story was well written and therefore enjoyable to read.

Journal Entry 5 by Tubereader from Lenningen / Lenneng, Kanton Remich Luxembourg on Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The book has arrived safely. Will update this JE once I start reading it.

Thanks hetku77 for sending it and davemurray101 for sharing!

JANUARY 24TH UPDATE: Just a quick note to let everybody know that I am starting to read this book today.

JANUARY 31ST UPDATE: 2nd quick note to let everybody know that I have read more than half of this book and PMed CaterinaAnna for their address. Will post my review when I finish reading the book.

Journal Entry 6 by Tubereader from Lenningen / Lenneng, Kanton Remich Luxembourg on Sunday, January 31, 2010
I liked the book. Such a different story and kind of writing than 1984. That shows what a great writer Orwell was. I agree with hetku77, the story was extremely sad. I didn't like Elizabeth at all. And, if there was one of the characters for me to like, that was probably Flory. What a terrible existence. I have been living away from my country for more than 5 years now. I did it because I wanted and I go back whenever I want and it is so hard sometimes, I can just imagine how lonely he felt there. Totally out of his culture, having different views than the other Brits....

Thanks again, davemurray101 for organising. I am waiting for CaterinaAnna's address and will post the book as soon as I have it!

Journal Entry 7 by Tubereader at Luxembourg / Lëtzebuerg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg on Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (2/3/2010 UTC) at Luxembourg / Lëtzebuerg, Kanton Luxemburg Luxembourg

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The book has been sent by post to CaterinaAnna.

Happy reading!

Journal Entry 8 by Caterinaanna from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, February 6, 2010
Has arrived safely and is at the top of Mount Toobie.

Journal Entry 9 by Caterinaanna from Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Read a while back, apologies for the delays in journalling and getting this moving on.

For all that it is very much a novel of it's time, I'm sorry to report that even twenty years ago many of the attitudes of the British described herein were displayed by certain memebers of ex-pat cliques I had some dealings with. Not as extreme, obviously - one couldn't be quite so overt these days - but it did help me to find it very credible. Looking at the date it was published I wonder how many people at the time shared Orwell's obvious opinion of the racist attitudes of the members of the club and whether their various fates were felt to be deserved by the original readers. Time for some research methinks ...

Have already contacted molekilby and will be passing this onto him soon - although not sure by what means. Thank you davemurray and everyone above me who has got it this far.

Journal Entry 10 by Caterinaanna at Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, April 24, 2010

Released 13 yrs ago (4/24/2010 UTC) at Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom

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This book & I didn't see molekilby as planned last weekend: maybe we will today.

Journal Entry 11 by molekilby at Brithdir, Wales United Kingdom on Friday, May 28, 2010
Finished reading this a couple of days ago (sorry for late journal entry). Quite enjoyable, plenty of humour and a look back at colonial racism, sexism and lording it over all.

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