{"product_id":"9781401395704","title":"Smile as they Bow","description":"As the weeklong Taungbyon Festival draws near, thousands of villagers from all regions of Burma descend upon a tiny hamlet near Mandalay to pay respect to the spirits, known as \u003cem\u003enats\u003c\/em\u003e, which are central to Burmese tradition. At the heart of these festivities is Daisy Bond, a gay, transvestite spiritual medium in his fifties. With his sharp tongue and vivid performances, he has long been revered as one of the festival's most illustrious \u003cem\u003enatkadaws\u003c\/em\u003e. At his side is Min Min, his young assistant and lover, who endures unyielding taunts and abuse from his fiery boss. But when a young beggar girl named Pan Nyo threatens to steal Min Min's heart, the outrageous Daisy finds himself face-to-face with his worst fears. Written in lyrical, intoxicating prose, \u003cem\u003eSmile as They Bow\u003c\/em\u003e is, like the works of Arundhati Roy and Ha Jin, an unexpectedly whimsical, illuminating, and above all revealing portrayal of a culture few Westerners have ever witnessed.  Over the past twenty years, Nu Nu Yi has become one of Burma's most acclaimed authors--and in 2007, she became the first person living in Burma to be nominated for an international literary award. \u003cem\u003eSmile as They Bow\u003c\/em\u003e was censored for more than twelve years by the Burmese government. It is fitting, then, that this is her American debut.","brand":"Hachette Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47121445028080,"sku":"9781401395704","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781401395704_p0.jpg?v=1763714072","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781401395704","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}