Yangon Days

A Collection of Urban Short Stories

Select Preferred Format

Yangon, previously known as Rangoon, is the former capital of Myanmar (Burma) and one of the major commercial cities in Southeast Asia. Moreover, it stands out among its neighboring cities, such as Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, and is regarded as a well-structured and booming city. The influx of people is constant, with individuals coming and going through the city. Even famous international literary luminaries, such as Rudyard Kipling, Rabindranath Tagore, George Orwell, Pablo Neruda, and Somerset Maugham, once visited, stayed, and enjoyed Rangoon’s vibrant life.

Yangon has become a home for many people, both locals and expats, who seek jobs, success, a new life, good food, and good housing. While most Yangon residents gain success and prosperity from what the commercial city has to offer, some encounter failures and frustrations. However, a city is a city, amiably welcoming those who seek refuge in its bountifulness.

These twenty-six stories revolve around people, especially ordinary individuals, living in the city of Yangon. They depict their delight, empathy, follies, and humanness through their daily and family lives. “Yangon Days” is about them.

The book is intended for general readers, especially teenagers and adults living in Southeast Asia and beyond. By reading these stories, they will become more familiar with Yangon and its charming people, gaining insights into how the city offers and treats its residents.