From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey

Wow!!! While this book begins rather slowly, the author's naïveté and sincerity pulled me into his world, and by the time I had finished it, I felt a kinship with him. This is the story of one man's achievement against all odds. I admire his honesty about all things; his curiosity and unswerving search for answers despite the dangers involved; his perseverance in the face of a virtually impossible struggle; his loyalty to family, friends, culture, country, and values; his dedication to learning for the love of knowledge; and his appreciation of freedom in every sense of the concept.If I gained nothing else from Thew's story, I gained a sense of gratitude for all of the freedoms that I have, many of which I have taken for granted until now: for example, the freedom to think and to question without fear of reprisal. That Pascal Khoo Thwe deigned to do so in the face of a regime that severely punishes non-conformists makes him a giant among us. But, of course, there is much more to be gained from this book.The story of the professor and his friends at Cambridge who gave so selflessly to help "an other" by more than simply writing a check but by putting themselves in harm's way to secure his safety, supporting him emotionally as well as physically, mentoring him and guiding him yet standing back to let him make his own decisions serves as a reminder that there are still mighty fine and generous people among us. It may also serve as a template to all who want to help "an other," be it on a micro-level as in working with one's own children or on a macro-level as in this case.Thew's use of simile adds interest to the read and provides an element of levity that is most likely unintended but makes the book all the more dear. Running with the author through the jungle to escape almost certain death at the hands of government militants, the reader hardly expects to find a river whose riotous current, following monsoon rains, sings with the passion of Janis Joplin. Nor does the reader expect that Thwe will dance like Michael Jackson having a fit when he dons his first-ever pair of shoes.Just as "Nothing to Envy" gave me insight into the plight of North Koreans, "Green Ghosts" gave me a tiny peak at the lives of those who live in Burma/Myanmar, although with a more intimate look at the culture. I know that it is only by luck of birth that I live in a land where I enjoy freedoms that many others cannot conceive of, relative security, and lack of want. In the Epilogue of his book, Thwe questions the concepts of and forces behind "chance" and" "coincidence." Why is it that life is so easy for some and such a struggle for others and why is it that some believe they live the lives they live because they have earned, or are entitled to, it?This book should be mandatory reading for all US citizens.

Pascal, alias Khun Sa, has created an interesting autobiography of his life as a Padaung tribesman from the Shan States of Burma, who is picked up by a Cambridge don visiting Mandalay, where he is a student working in a restaurant. He later finds his way to England and Cambridge after his stint as an rebel insurgent - through the kindness and intervention of his British friend and the British embassy in Thailand.He writes well in English when you consider that most of his youth was spent in Shan States of Burma where English was not his language. However, one can feel the strong hand of his English and religion instructors or perhaps his editor in the content of much of the book. His mentor, Dr. John Casey, admits in the foreword that he was `at first diffident' when asked to revise and cut the manuscript for publication, yet his input can be felt strongly in the final version. Pascal points out in one of the final chapters that Dr. Casey indulged in nostalgia for the imperial past of Burma. This prejudice comes through clearly when Pascal writes of becoming an insurgent to fight against the Burmese government which had replaced the `golden age' of the `old British Raj'. Burma/Myanmar has been involved in a civil war ever since the British completed their occupation of the country and several rebel groups would like to have the country return to the British colonial era or become Communist. This feeling comes through as Pascal consistently characterizes the government soldiers of Burma as the 'enemy'. His strong anti-government bias even comes through against the government of Thailand, which had protected him and his fellow insurgents in refugee camps there.Pascal's Grandmother is hauled out to amplify the anti-government screed and tell us what a paradise Burma was during the age of the rule by the British. She says: "We were prosperous under the British, but when they went, they took the prosperity with them." She fails to point out that the British were replaced by the Japanese, who after a lot of killing were replaced by Nationalists looking for independence.We learn early on that Pascal's family introduced him to the Christian God and the Catholic Church. From that point on his writing is peppered with Christian religious euphemisms and often his religion causes him to rebel against the culture of his tribe. You can almost spot when Pascal is writing in the voice of his religious teachers; he uses words like `ululation' "assiduous to novenas' `impeccably' or he pokes fun at his own culture and animist religion. When speaking in the voice of his Cambridge dons, he misses no opportunity to demonize the `regime' in Burma.When Pascal writes in his own voice he can be quite down-to-earth and when he writes of his time as a young rebel soldier, shooting and being shot at, he is quite believable. As a poetic lament the book seems to be coming from Pascal, but as a political statement it seems more to originate from his handlers.No good anti-Burmese government book would be complete without a mention of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the wife of the late Michael Aris of Oxford. Pascal mentions her several times."from the land of the green ghosts' is a fine book, if read with a good knowledge of the history of Burma. May I recommend reading  The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma  as a preliminary to this work.

The story of a tribal boy growing up in the latter half of the 20th century in Burma. My initial reaction was skeptical. I struggled to justify the feeling; the account seemed too conveniently wondrous and romantic for a life of danger in the very difficult physical world around him. How could someone develop a sense of insight and detachment to be able to so clearly describe his tribal and ahistoric upbringing and still live within an all-encompassing web of superstition? I read it through and am still grappling with the powerful story.

An extraordinary story of survival and luck amid the grimness of Burma's military dictatorship.

The Padaung people of eastern Shan state in Burma are little-known apart from their "long-necked women". The author, Pascal Khoo Thwe, is a member of this hilltribe and provides a vivid description of his childhood and youth in a rural and traditional environment, where ghosts are as real as the living. Having eventually decided against the Catholic priesthood, he enters Mandalay University, a culture shock to him as a country boy, at a time when the student unrest of the 1980s is gathering momentum. His story describes his increasing anger and radicalisation in the face of the military regime's repression and persecution of minorities and dissidents; his eventual flight to the jungle to join the Karen guerrillas; and his rescue by a Cambridge academic whom he had previously met by chance in Mandalay and who had become aware of his interest in and knowledge of English literature. Thanks to this acquaintance, the author escapes to neighbouring Thailand, and travels to Britain to study English literature at Cambridge University. He subsequently becomes the first Padaung ever to graduate from Cambridge. I would like to have known a little more about how he managed to cope with such a totally different environment, after his struggle for survival in the Burmese jungle, under constant threat of death. I read this book a few weeks after visiting Burma, and the descriptions brought back many memories: although it may have been useful to read it before travelling there, for background information on the politics and society of Burma, I am glad to have read it afterwards, as I could visualise, at least, the scenery, people, towns and cities. This book is a fascinating evocation of life in a little-known (so far) country, which is on the brink of great change, mostly, one hopes, for the better.

The author, then a young man, tells how he was opposed to and fighting against the military dictators in Burma, where minority tribes continue to wage war against the central government. Finally the author crossed the border into Thailand and moved to England with the help of an Englishman he had previously met during his student days in Burma.

A moving and compelling story about an amazing individual from a tribal background who survived a brutal regime and war to become a Cambridge graduate in the most extraordinary circumstances. An important read for anyone visiting Burma who would like to learn more about its recent history and understand its culture.

An amazing insight into the the Padaung tribe by Pascal from his childhood in the jungle of eastern Burma to his graduation from Caius College, Cambridge. A truly remarkable man who was able to marry his tribal beliefs with his Catholic upbringing. I read Pascal's book shortly after visiting Burma including the Shan States and would recommend not only his book but also the country before it gets too westernised and possibly loses some of its culture.