Customer Reviews

Irrawaddy Tango

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

... "Irrawaddy Tango" is the nickname of a girl -- "Irrawaddy" from her township, "Tango" from her favorite dance -- who lives the history of a Southeast Asian country called "Daya". Daya is quite clearly Burma, renamed so that Law-Yone can invent Irrawaddy Tango as the wife of "Supremo" (himself quite clearly General Ne Win); then a prisoner and ultimately leader of ethnic rebels; an exile in America; and ultimately return her to an ambiguous fate in Daya.

The book is brutal, explicit and bitter; Tango herself is not entirely likeable, particularly in her patronizing and dismissive attitude towards fellow refugee Dayans in Washington. But there is a lot of brutality and bitterness in the scenes Law-Yone describes & no doubt they are not far from life.

Wendy Law-Yone is a Chinese/Burmese lady, daughter of a well-known journalist in Burma. This book describes the bizarre and at times brutal and lurid story of a woman in Burma (perhaps it is partially autobiographical!) who circulated in the higher echelons of burmese society in the 60's and 70's, got involved in politics, spent some time in jail and had an affair with the then top guy, the old dictator General Ne Win. I don't know how true the story is or whether it has anything to do with Wendy Law-Yone's own experiences, but it is interesting for me, as a burmese man (who used to read his father's editorials!), to find out what Wendy has to say about Burma. She writes well though (like her dad!). The book is worth the price!

Irrawaddy Tango is a great read -- not only a rollicking ride but also, at times, shockingly brutal and necessarily honest. As a view into late 20th century Southeast Asia from the eyes of a female exile/refugee, it's a important look into relationships between men and women and those between cultures. For those interested in Burma, Southeast Asia, women's studies, human rights, or postcolonial/transnational literature, Irrawaddy Tango is not to be missed.