The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

This is a moving love story set in Burma written in a lyrical, understated style. It is about a young woman's journey to discover why her father unexpectedly disappeared from her life. While the main theme is a love story, it is also a coming of age story for a young man with an all consuming desire to be reunited with his true love. A range of emotions surface as the story unfolds and the mystery is revealed. The descriptions of Burma are excellent, creating a strong sense of time and place and exposing the vast cultural differences between this country and ours. In summary - a unique and compelling story for those who enjoy a more literary read. It is character driven with a languid pace that should be read slowly and savored for full appreciation.

A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present. When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be . . . until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father's past, Julia travels to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of hardship, resilience, and passion that reaffirms the power of love to move mountains.

Other Press - 336 pages - January 31, 2012 - ISBN-10: 1590514637

1. In your opinion, what does the back and forth between Julia's and U Ba's narratives add to the telling of the love story between Tin Win and Mi Mi? How do these stories interrelate?

2. Tin Win is born to parents who abandon him as a child, while Mi Mi is born into a close knit family. Do you see this developmental difference reflected in the adults they become, or in the way they relate to one another?

3. After he loses his sight, Tin Win spends several years in a monastery under the tutelage of the abbot, U May. What does U May model for Tin Win? How does Tin Win grow in these years?

4. Tin Win's wealthy uncle, U Saw, finances Tin Win's eye operation and education abroad, yet his motives are self interested and he blocks all communication between Tin Win and Mi Mi. Is U Saw portrayed as a villain - or is he even villainous?

5. A portion of the novel is in the form of letters. Does this change the mood or the flow of the novel? The way you see the characters?

6. Tin Win and Mi Mi develop an intense, symbiotic relationship: he walks for her and she acts as his eyes. They become inseparable, then are separated for decades. Given what you know about each character, how are they able to withstand the time apart?

7. Discuss the role of memory in the novel, both individual and collective. How does memory shape choices for Julia, Tin Win, and Mi Mi?

8. Burma, now Myanmar, was occupied by the British from the nineteenth century until 1948. How important is this colonial history to the major events of the novel?

9. Prophecy and superstition play a significant role in Burmese culture. Do these beliefs inspire security or anxiety in the main characters, and why?

10. The novel contrasts Western and Eastern values - individualism and personal achievement versus kinship and transcendence. Where and how are these differences brought to light?

This book explores the meaning of true love between a man and a woman - and whether it can endure across years of separation. It also examines the love between parent and child, abandonment, trust, and forgiveness. Recommended for clubs that enjoy a more literary read with rich sense of place and culture.