Denis D. Gray, author of the introductory essay on Myanmar past and present, was born in the Czech Republic and resided in Germany, South Africa and France until his university education at Yale and George Washington. He served in Japan and South Vietnam as a U.S. Army officer before joining the Associated Press in Albany, New York, in 1972. A year later he was assigned to cover the war in Indochina. Since 1975 he has reported major stories for the AP in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, ranging from coups in Thailand to Olympic Games and the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Balkans and elsewhere. He has also contributed to numerous magazines including Smithsonian, National Geographic, GEO Germany, Travel and Leisure and Reader's Digest. He first went to Myanmar in the mid-1970s and has covered the country since, although he was banned from entering the country for many years. He was removed from the blacklist, along with many colleagues, not long after President Thein Sein took office.
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Largely isolated from the world for more than four decades, Myanmar has made a remarkable return to the global stage following a political transformation that represents a watershed moment in the country's history. Now, for the first time ever, the rich culture, stunning landscapes and diverse peoples of the country are presented in a unique visual time capsule. Here is the new Myanmar as seen over a single week by a team of thirty famous photographers from eleven different countries. Their mission? To capture the life and spirit of Myanmar from every angle in every corner of the country. Through the downtown streets of Yangon and the handicraft centers of Mandalay, above the temple-dotted plains of Bagan and on the waters of Inle Lake, inside border towns and hill tribe villages and all the way to the furthest reaches of the north and south. The portrait they created reveals a nation full of natural beauty, old-world charm, deep spirituality and new hope. Featuring essays that provide context on Myanmar's history and culture and hundreds of outstanding original photographs, 7 Days in Myanmar shows why the world is watching Myanmar and why Myanmar is ready for the world.