Aung San Suu Kyi: A Biography

by Jesper Bengtsson

The leader of Burma’s democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi, has joined Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama in the global pantheon of those whose lives are dedicated to freedom. Throughout the world, she is associated with a peaceful struggle for democracy and human rights. But what is she really like? What drives her to make such enormous personal sacrifices for her country?

Jesper Bengtsson presents a portrait of one of today’s most significant political activists. He chronicles her background as the daughter of Burma’s liberation hero Aung San, the years she spent in England and New York, and her return to Burma in the 1980s. First placed under house arrest by the military junta in 1989, she spent fifteen of the subsequent twenty-one years in captivity, separated from her husband and two children.

Throughout that period, she remained a unifying figure and activist for Burma’s democracy movement. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, she saw her reputation and her international stature grow the longer she was under house arrest. Upon her release in November 2010, she immediately took up her work with the democracy movement and proved that she remains the most important political force in Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s ability to affect people and repressive regimes reflects not only her personal charisma and courage but also her devotion to one of the great issues of our times: What is necessary for democracy to evolve from a deeply authoritarian system?

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Politics

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Speedstar25]

This book is written more on the history of the Military and Aung San Suu Kyi's Democratic Party. Out of the 15 chapters, only a few are written about Aung San Suu Kyi's life or upbringing.

However, it's still a nice book and offer an insider view of Burma and what the people went through. The report was also quite a detailed one.

[Myers Mystore]

Good read. Did not think it aged well though.

[Poornima]

The title of the book is misleading. It is not a proper biography. It shifts between the political history of Burma starting from Aung San’s rise and role in Burma’s freedom struggle and parts of Suu Kyi’s life (the politics of the junta taking up more pages). Also the writing does not follow a chronological order which causes confusion to the reader.

[Kichelmoon]

Gut geschrieben und aufgebaut. Stellenweise trotzdem etwas langatmig.

[Gerard Guzzo]

Thoroughly detailed about the plight of Burma over the decades and her role in it. Unfortunately, it was written before she became a genocidal maniac.

[Sophia]

Åldrats lite dåligt kanske, men bra biografi, lättläst och mycket fun facts

[Ashok Krishna]

Aung San Suu Kyi – one of the most eminent, yet least popular feminine personalities in the world. Someone that has spent a major part of her life in house arrest, fighting for the cause of democracy in her homeland, spoken on par with Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, she always remained a personality that I wanted to know more about.

With so much of interest did I pick the book ‘Aung San Suu Kyi: A Biography’, by Jesper Bengtsson. But, as it is always said, the more you expect, the more you get disappointed. This book is a disappointment, in the sense that what you get is not a coherent, comprehensive biography, but rather what looks like a hastily compiled bunch of standalone essays.

The author himself makes an excuse at the very beginning stating that this is not a comprehensive biography of Aung San, due to her isolation from the world, being in house arrest. However, isn’t that what the challenge of representing such a personality is about?!

He has done a basic ground work, meeting a lot of her supporters, relatives, party people, contemporaries and opponents. But he has failed miserably in putting it all together in a manner that befits a biography of such a persona. The books jumps here and there and with so many spelling and grammatical errors, makes one wonder whether one should have explored better before deciding on the right book to read about Aung San.

There are some serious lacunae in the book with only patchy information filling up for the serious details. When he ends the chapter about her family life in London - before she ended up arriving at Burma in 1988 and donning the mantle of a national leader – he mentions that she would have remained on the path to her goal of becoming a successful author/academician, if not for the phone call on the last day of March 1988. But neither before this mention, not after that, does he explain or elaborate as to who made the phone call or what was the phone call all about.

Also, the most critical event in the life of Aung San Suu Kyi, which resulted in her becoming a national leader of the Burmese, is her talk in the Shwedagon Pagoda in August 1988. But sadly, the book has no proper information on such a crucial and watershed event in her life. Now, imagine reading the biography of Mahatma Gandhi without any information about his works in South Africa or that of Mother Teresa without any information about her early struggles in the streets of Kolkata!

My view is that if you are keen on reading about Aung San Suu Kyi and her struggle for the Burmese Democracy, this is not the book to read!

[Jianghengqiang]

#《昂山素季：传记一种》简要笔记
##引言
《昂山素季：传记一种》是瑞典记者 先生于2010年出版的一本传记。我所收听的版本是本书的第二版。当时昂山素季女士已被解除软禁，正在NLD总部工作。所以相较第一版，本书增加了当面采访传主的内容。此外，由于昂山素季女士当时已投入政治活动，她的人生旅程翻开了新的一页。本书的结尾——昂山素季与她的长子在缅甸重逢——也光明感人。
与其说这本书是传记，不如说它是长篇人物特写。这有两方面的原因：从传主角度来说，截至2010年，昂山素季女士的政治生涯远未完结，全面地评价她为时尚早；从传记作者角度来说，作者也不具备作传的条件。他主要采访了当时流亡海外的缅甸民主派，他没有采访缅甸其他政治势力的代表人物。他没有查阅相关历史档案。
不过有聊胜于无。缅甸与我国接壤，而昂山素季女士又是该国极为重要的政治家。对她的生平有所了解总是有些帮助的。读完之后，我觉得她作为一名政治家可能尚欠火候，但确实有可钦可佩之处。作为政治家，她犯过极大的错误：没有抓住1988年8月8日革命这样千载难逢的机遇，一举推翻军政府。按照金庸先生在《倚天屠龙记•后记》中的说法，没做到“决断明快”。按照沙梨熊先生的说法：“舍万千性命、成一人虚名”。但依据本书描述，昂山素季女士确实有深孚人望的长处。
##The Lady
昂山素季女士是否如本书中所说，“深受缅甸人民的爱戴”，不得而知。但她确实受到西方媒体的喜爱。一方面她秉持的政治理念：民主、非暴力、民族和解均符合西方价值观。另一方面，她自身的素质与魅力也符合西方媒体的模型：
——容貌美丽、气质高雅。
——受过系统的西方精英教育、在著名国际机构工作过。她的中小学都是上的缅甸、印度的西式学校。她先后毕业于德里大学和牛津大学。她为联合国预算委员会工作过三年。因此她能够和西方的高官、记者顺畅交流，绝少“鸡同鸭讲”的情况。
——家庭。她嫁给了一位苏格兰学者，生有两名男孩。她在牛津生活、工作了12年。与贝布托和她那位"20%先生”相比，西方普通读者更觉得亲近。
——机智。本书中提到一个例子。1990年期间，昂山素季女士下乡竞选。一位选民问她：“为什么你要嫁给一个外国人？”昂山素季女士回答：“当我处于适婚年龄，身边没有缅甸人。要是当时我生活在本村，说不定就嫁给你了。”我觉得在缅甸这样等级森严的社会，公主是不太可能嫁给一位农夫的。不过这种家常话真合西方媒体的胃口。
——坚定。本书中提到另外一个例子。1967年她在联合国总部工作。缅甸军政府的外交官要求她辞职，原因是她的外交护照已经失效了。昂山素季女士临危不乱，告诉他们自己早就把延期申请寄回仰光，只是没有回应。最后此事不了了之。
##试玉须烧三日满
但诚如当年明月先生在《明朝那些事》中指出的，好人和好皇帝是两个概念。如果说1988年到2015年，昂山素季女士还处于试炼阶段，2015年以后她的所作所为和结果可能对于她的政治评价更为重要。然而，曼德拉尚且搞得一团糟，而昂山素季女士所面临的局面比南非复杂得多：
一是经济问题。在本书中提到，军政府经常宣扬其执政成就，诸如基础设施建设，而把民主派斥为"破坏和捣乱分子"。昂山素季女士反驳，论基础设施建设，英国殖民当局远优于军政府，这不能成为执政合法性的依据。然而“It's the economy，stupid."作为执政者，能否改善居民生活，是民主派执政基础是否稳固的重要前提。
二是统治集团利益分配问题。目前军政府只是退居幕后，军政府和民主派的利益分配就极为辣手。再加上掌权之后，民主派的各个世代如何分配权力尚不明朗。更为可虑的是，当前吴廷觉为总统、昂山素季做内阁资政的架构是不稳定的。久而久之，民主派必然围绕这两个人各自成立新的派系。内部分裂指日可期。
三是少数民族问题。在未执政的时候，民主派为了建立统一战线，给少数民族大开空头支票。现在到了兑现的时候了。但兑现并不容易。2015年年底，昂山素季对罗兴亚人问题表态就极为强硬。与苏联的少数民族问题不同，缅甸主体民族并不掌握压倒性的军事力量。大家都是带着枪来开21世纪彬龙会议的。如何在克钦、汉人等等民族之间纵横捭阖、又打又拉、连吓带哄？说实在的，这种脏活不太适合缅甸玫瑰来干。但这恰恰是民主派能否长期执政的关键。
以上只是我盲人摸象一般的看法，泛泛而谈、不足为训。
##东方公主
政治太复杂了，我们还是来谈爱情吧。本书最打动我这种普通人的，还是昂山素季女士与Michael Aris先生之间的夫妻之情。我猜想，Michael Aris先生在1971年娶昂山素季女士的时候，可能觉得自己取的是一位没落贵族的女儿，没有想到竟是一位公主。毕竟当时他大舅哥昂山觉已经归化为美国公民了。但1988年之后，他没能像谢里夫一样当上”20%先生”，反而成了事实上的鳏夫。他作为一名学者，只能通过写书编书、四处上电视“营救”自己的太太。本书记录他在牛津接待缅甸来客，四处指点“当时我和Sue在这里喂鸭子”，“Sue最爱逛这家服装店了”，“Sue和Alexander、Kim在这里到处乱跑”。用情之深、令人动容。本书写到此处，作者引用了叶芝那首“当你老了”，对于这场牛郎织女一般的爱情真是一场贴切。
我在网上看了他们两人年轻时的夫妻合照，真是一对璧人。
##附记
本书收听自Audio Cat。感谢小城畸人先生。

[Mika Auramo]

Jesper Bengtsson kirjoittaa väkevän historiikin yhdestä nykyajan tunnetuimmista demokratian ja ihmisoikeuksien puolustajista eli burmalaisesta Aung San Suu Kyistä.

Pirjo Ahon suomentaman teoksen alaotsikkona on ”Taistelu vapaudesta”. Aung San Suu Kyi on ollut pitkään kotiarestissa ja vankeudessa synnyinmaassaan eli nykyisessä Myanmarissa. Sotilasjuntta on pitänyt kovassa otteessaan koko maata ja hallinnut sortaen säälimättä eri kansallisia vähemmistöjään.

Kirjan julkaisuhetkellä Kyi oli vielä kotiarestissa mutta on sittemmin päässyt vapaaksi ja on nykyään puolueensa parlamenttiedustaja.

Neljääntoista lukuun jaettu elämäkerta tai henkilökuva laajenee Myanmarin historiaa käsitteleväksi teokseksi, jossa taustoja pengotaan aina brittivaltaa edeltävältä ajalta. Burman kuningaskunta teki hyökkäyksiä itäiseen Intiaan ja viime vuosisadan alkupuolella brittiarmeija valloitti vähitellen lähes nykyisen Myanmarin - lukuun ottamatta lukuisia vuoristoalueita, joilla asuu sotaisia heimoja, mm. karenit ja monet muut.

Kyin isä Aung San oli merkittävä hahmo Burman historiassa ja osallistui mm. japanilaismiehitykseen ja lopulta vaihtoi puolta. Hänen salamurhansa jälkeen Burma joutui japanilaistyrannian jälkeen sotilasdiktatuuriin, jonka seurauksia ja kriisejä on ollut aika ajoin mediassa.

Kirjan päähenkilö lähti maasta jo lapsena, varttui Britanniassa, meni naimisiin ja hankki lapsia. Sitten hän työskenteli mm. YK:ssa ja palasi takaisin entiseen kotimaahansa ja osallistui politiikkaan. Toiminta häiriintyi ensimmäisen vaalivoiton jälkeen, ja siitä alkoi vapaustaistelijan pitkä kotiaresti, n. 15 vuotta.

Kaiken kaikkiaan kirja on enemmänkin Myanmarin historiaa painottava teos, jossa perheenäidin rooli jää suuren elämäntehtävän jalkoihin ja välit jo edesmenneeseen mieheen ja lapsiin katkeavat. Kirjassa on poliittista vehkeilyä niin oman maan sisäpolitiikassa, Vietnamin sodasta aina Obaman aikaan. Sotilasjuntta on aina löytänyt milloin mistäkin päin maailmaa tukijoita, vaikka omassa kotimaassa valta on perustunut julmuuksiin ja väkivaltaan - ainakin sellaisen kuvan kirja haluaa välittää lukijoilleen.

[Rajat TWIT]

A poorly written and confused biography, this book lacks creativity to present the life of one of the most admired Asian Leaders of our generation. The author has done very abrupt research and his usage of timeline is so random, that many times it is almost incomprehensible to link the shift of eras. The book has given some space to study the history of Burmese administration through the life of Aung San, the legendary figure and father of our lady in focus Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, and has given a rather average description of his time. But the life of Ms Suu Kyi is just not documented properly. Moreover, many of the acquaintances and close people of Kyi come and leave the book so weirdly that you almost miss their relevance and most of the times are left confused with the happenings.
The book is very bland with extremely dry language and lacks the creativity to engage readers with the history. The most baffling point is that many incidents and people presented in the book are mentioned as if readers must know about them. (A good example is on page 124-last paragraph, 2 line; “……was killed in THAT fateful aeroplane crash…..”. I mean, how would I know about THAT crash?) Another example is the Shwedagon Speech which is always referred as a historic point but is never discussed. Many of anecdotes have been introduced without any proper set-up distracting the whole flow of reading. Overall, this is a book that may be avoided because better information about Aung San Suu kyi is available on internet than this book. But I will agree that this book gives some good insight in the Military history of Burma.
And oh yes, did I mention that better usage of punctuations makes the read easier, if not more lucid. No? Then please add that to the thoughts above somewhere, because I have lost the art of writing in a flow after reading this book!!!

[Cmorice]

Ce livre nous fait découvrir la vie d'Aung San Suu Kyi, son engagement, son combat politique, son dévouement pour la cause de son peuple au détriment de sa propre vie. De son enfance marquée par un père figure légendaire de Birmanie, à ses 20 années d'enfermement dans les geôles de la junte et d'isolement, de son mari qu'elle n'a jamais pu revoir à ses succès récents en politique, nous suivons le destin exceptionnel de cette femme hors du commun, liée à la liberté de tout un peuple.
Plus qu'une simple biographie et sans jamais tomber dans le mélodrame populaire, Jesper Bengtson nous livre ici un magnifique ouvrage habité par l'espoir. En rendant hommage à " The Lady " et à tous ceux qui se sont battus et qui se battent encore, au sein de la Ligue nationale pour la démocratie, pour le salut de la Birmanie, c'est en réalité l'histoire et de le destin de tout un pays que l'auteur écrit à travers la vie d'Aung San Suu Kyi et de ses proches.


Une biographie riche en témoignages, détails historiques et explications politiques, un texte dense et clair, au style adapté au grand public comme aux amateurs du genre.

[Mike]

Aung San Suu Kyi is an amazing woman. She separates herself from her husband and two sons in order to make a political stand for democracy against the junta controlled state in her native Burma. She endures cruelty and frustration while not allowing herself to fall into despair. She takes in stride things that would drive most people mad like the regime declaring election results null if they were against the regime. Or being allowed to only say hello to her dying husband over the phone before the line is cut. She's a lesson in standing for something and living by simple rules. It's a good thing she's so compelling because the writing in this book wasn't that great... maybe it's the translation.

[Kate]

Rather than being a book about Aung San Suu Kyi within the context of Burma's political environment it is more a book about the political and economic history of Burma from the mid-20th Century to the present day with bits about Aung San Suu Kyi. This book draws heavily on the work of other academics and researchers but this is understandable given the limited access to the key players in the battle for leadership in Burma. I had hoped the book would give an insight to what makes Aung San Suu Kyi who she is and whilst this book didn't quite deliver on this it has sparked an interest in me that will no doubt see me seek out other works on this topic.

[Henni]

Det er ikke bare en bog om Aung San Suu Kyi, men også en lyn lektion i Burmas historie, og det er en spændende, tragisk, blodig og kompliceret historie.
Før jeg læste bogen var min viden om Aung San Suu Kyi begrænset til "noget med husarrest og en nobelpris", nu er min respekt for hende mangedoblet, det er fantastisk at man kan beholde et positivt livssyn og forhandlingsvillighed til et regime der gang på gang lyver, smider ens venner og demokatifæller i fængsel og skyder ind i fredelige demonstrationer.
Hvis du får en øv-følelse over regeringen eller andre offentlige ting i landet, skulle man læse denne bog - det får lige fødderne ned på jorden igen.

[Jaymee]

Dry writing; seems as if the author just combined facts about Suu Kyi and Burma during her time, and placed a few quotes by Suu Kyi. Though you learn a few interesting bits, it's difficult to remain with the book as there's no narrative thread or flow. Could have been a promising book, with the topic alone and the writer's own travels.

[Shobhit Bhatnagar]

Not very exhaustive but enough.
Not just Aung San Suu Kyi but also Burma's history is depicted in the book. Although the events are not very detailed but that is what prevents it from being boring. The events are also not strictly chronological which though may sometimes be confusing but actually intermingles well. Last two chapters can be avoided though.

[Maria Papazoglou]

Aung San Suu Kyi's life is very inspiring. It was a rather difficult book to read with many dates and historical references that were difficult to follow. I certainly felt I had learnt heaps about a part of the world I knew very little about before.

[Silke]

I didn't think this is such a good book, it's jumps a lot from one fact to another and isn't always chronologically, if it would be chronologically it would be a 4 star for me....it's a pity, because it's good written, clear, and neutral.

[Omkar Pendse]

Besides just being a biography of Aung San Suu Kyi, the book tells the story of history of Burma, its colonial past, its very short lived tryst with democracy and the repressive dictatorship of the junta regime.

[Fi]

A wonderful insight into the life of an inspirational woman.

[sunhermit]

Easier read but not fitting to my historical investigation unlike The Perfect Hostage by Justin Wintle.

[Bora Hourt]

She is one of the most inspiring democracy activists.