Bound by Blood, Bridged by Love - Paperback

by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay (Author), San Shwe Baw (Translator)

Bound by Blood, Bridged by Love is a moving novel that bridges two cultures through the bond between a brother and sister separated by distance but united by blood.

Set in the aftermath of World War II, Yumisan, a young Japanese woman, discovers she has a Burmese half-brother, Maung Maung--born from her father's wartime relationship with a local woman in Myanmar. Determined to uncover her family's hidden past, Yumisan travels to Myanmar to find him.

Their meeting sparks a complex journey of discovery and reconciliation, as both siblings confront cultural divides, the wounds left by war, and the difficult path toward understanding and forgiveness.

Author Biography

San Shwe Baw holds a BA in English from the Institute of Education, Yangon, Burma, an advanced Diploma in English Language Teaching (DELT) from the University of Leeds, UK, and an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from St. Michael's College, USA. He retired as an assistant professor at the Theodore Maria School of Arts, Assumption University, Thailand, where he served for nearly three decades. Before moving to Thailand in 1994, he spent twelve years as an English tutor at Yangon University and Sittwe College. His English language teaching articles have been published in both Thailand and USA.

San Shwe Bawis the author of four acclaimed novels--The Astrologer's Predictions, Enslaved by English, Love by Fate, and A Candle in Darkness. In addition to his original works, he has brought notable Burmese classics to English readers through his translations, among them I Gave My Life for Thee--the English rendering of Myay Si Mel Mel Thway Yel Yel by Phoe Kyawt--Ah Phyu, She, and Six Timeless Short Stories, all by the celebrated writer Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay. I Gave My Life for Thee was honored with the
prestigious 10th Mekong Literary Award. His books have been published in Myanmar by Myat Su Mon Sarpay, Global Ahlin, Myanmar Book Centre, Seikku Cho Cho, Juty Sarpay, and Thihayadanar Sarpay.

Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay, often regarded as one of the foremost Burmese writers of the 20th century, authored nearly twenty books along with numerous articles and short stories. Many of her contemporaries, as well as younger writers, recognize her as a literary genius who won two top Burmese Literary Prizes and had a unique gift for transforming everyday events into compelling narratives. Her works reflect the lives, struggles, and aspirations of modern Burmese society, resonating deeply with readers across generations. Ma Ma Lay, being one of Burma's few prominent female authors, became the president of the Writers Association in 1948.