Jan-Philipp Sendker

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS
Print: ©2002; Translation ©2006 Kevin Wiliarty; 978-1590514634; Other Press; 339 pages
(Digital: Yes.)
(Audio: Yes.)
(Film: Not that I know of.)

SERIES:
Yes-part of a trilogy

CHARACTERS: (Not comprehensive)
Julia Win – one of two main character
Judith Win – Julia’s mother
U Ba – a story teller Julia meets in Burma
Tin Win – Julia’s father the other main character
Maya Maya – Tin Win’s mother
Khin Maung’s – Tin Win’s father
Su Kyi – Tin Win’s caretaker
U May – a monk—the abbot at the monastery
Mi Mi – Tin Win’s friend
U Saw – Tin Win’s Uncle

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
A young woman seeking the father who disappeared 4 years previous;
A couple who, upon hearing their astrologer’s sought-after prediction about their newborn, of sorrow and medical malady; shut down in despair before the astrologer could share the rest of what he saw—the exceptional blessings surrounding the child; A love that grows and endures to the point that neither partner doubts or miss-interprets the other’s intent, so true that time and distance cannot sever or diminish its vitality.
These elements and more are in this wonderfully imagined legend of a story.

Occasionally, I accompany my husband to a used book shop and pick up a book in print to satiate the nostalgic yearning to turn the pages of a ‘real’ book. While browsing, one of the shop’s volunteers pulled this book from the cart I stood before and handed it to me saying she’d loved it and would never part with her own copy.
I bought it for fifty cents. It’s worth so much more and I am oh-so appreciative.

AUTHOR:
Jan-Philipp Sendker 1960. According to Goodreads, “an-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, and, longing to travel the world, became the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a nonfiction book about China. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is his first novel, and since then, he has written 3 further novels, including a sequel to "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats", "A Well-Tempered Heart". In 2013, he received The indies Choice Honor Award in the category Adult Fiction for "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. He lives in Potsdam with his family and is currently working on the third installment in his China-trilogy.”

TRANSLATOR:
Kevin Wiliarty. According to “The Day”, “Wiliarty holds a Ph.D. in Germanic linguistics and is a former reference librarian at HCHL.”

GENRE:
Literature, fiction

LOCATIONS:
Kalaw; Rangoon ; New York

TIME FRAME:
1940’s-1990’s

SUBJECTS:
Missing persons; Americans in Burma; Family secrets; Burma; Love

DEDICATION:
“For Anna, Florentine, and Jonathan
And in memory of Vivian Wong (1969-2000)”

SAMPLE QUOTATION:
From Chapter 15:
“Nearly four years passed in this way between Mi Mi and Tin Win. After those first few weeks they had not let a day go by without seeing each other. She waited for him after school, or he went to the market after his lessons. On weekends he would collect her at home first thing in the morning. You’re quite inseparable, her mother had said once, half in jest. Inseparable. In her usual fashion, Mi Mi had reflected on that word for a long time. She had turned it this way and that in her mind to see whether the sound of it appealed to her, whether it fit, and after a few days had come to the conclusion that there was no better description. They were inseparable. Her heart would flutter at the mere sight of him, and some part of her was missing when he was not around. As if the world stopped in his absence. She felt the lack of him in her entire body. Her head would ache. Her legs would grow heavy and lame. Pangs shot through he belly and breast. Even breathing was laborious without him.”

RATING:
5 stars—a delightful tale.

STARTED-FINISHED
6/26/2021 – 8/8/2021
… (more)

Really 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story and the setting.
A successful middle aged lawyer, one day leaves his home and family, never to be seen again. His grown daughter, Julia, after 4 years, gets a packet of letters from her mother, where she discovers her father may have had a secret love. She decides to go back to his homeland in Burma to discover what happened.
When she arrives, an older man approaches her, and for the rest of the book, he tells her a story; the story of her father.
The story is beautiful, tender and sweet. I love how it unfolds, such a wonderful tale of love.
The way it's told almost makes it like a fairy tale, but who of us doesn't want to hear a tale of undying love.
I found it fascinating and enchanting.… (more)

Overall, I guess that I enjoyed the book. I thought the story of Tin Win and Mi Mi was sweet and sad and almost magical. BUT I was annoyed by the passivity of Tim Win. His feelings were profound and yet he was ok with living without her for fifty years? Really? Why? If he was truly content why suddenly go back to Burma? I'm too cynical for this book.

The timeline for U Ba and Julia didn't make a great deal of sense to me either - their ages did not seem to reconcile. Perhaps I need to re read the early sections of the book to clear things up. I'm also not sure why they needed to add the "twist" at the end. To make the overall story arc more sad?


… (more)