Sandwiched between China and India, Burma has long been fraught with contentious politics since its 1948 emergence as a modern nation. As Asia forges forward, Burma grows increasingly important, rising from the shadows of its two powerful neighbors as a staging ground for their rivalry.

Thant Myint-U’s new book Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia is really two books in one: personal narrative and polemic. Structured as a travelogue, the account draws from Thant’s own experiences to take you into Burma, China’s bordering Yunnan province and northeast India. The author also examines Burma as a geopolitical hotspot, with forays into the three nations’ interconnected histories. Both India and China plan to expand their influence into Burma, but Thant concludes that Delhi’s policy is more talk than action, while Beijing, on the other hand, means business.

If any of this sounds remotely dry, don’t be fooled. The book is highly readable. Thant writes engagingly, masterfully weaving the region’s complexities with heartfelt narrative and human interest snippets. History lovers and travel memoir fans won’t be the only ones delighted. We recommend Where China Meets India for anyone interested in Asia’s future.

DETAILS

What: Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia

Author: Thant Myint-U

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Buy: Available on Amazon

How much: US$27.00