These are stories from the people themselves. In this sense, the book is an incredibly valuable source of descriptive material from the field. * Newbooks.Asia * Mullen's book sheds light on the reality of everyday life under military rule, and the stories he reveals challenge the narratives we have become accustomed to. During this often difficult period of top-down change in Myanmar, the book is a refreshing reminder that change comes from multiple sources and carries various meanings for each of us. * Tea Circle, University of Oxford * Places a powerful magnifying glass over what precisely is happening in Myanmar...remarkable insights on almost every page. * The Nation * This book captures a story that needed to be told, and extracts lessons for both Myanmar and the world. As Mullen states, struggling against authoritarianism is "never as simple as rallying around those fighting the good fight." * Aung Naing Oo, Burmese peace and democracy advocate * This book gives voice to all those in Myanmar who continue to fight for change. The change we see in Myanmar today did not fall from the sky. It was made by small steps won each day over years, even decades. This book documents how these steps were taken. * Nwet Kay Khine, journalist and former editor of The Voice (Myanmar) * In an era when many are eager to declare themselves "Burma experts", Matthew Mullen stands out for his humility and thoughtfulness. He has created a rarity: an academic book that's fun to read, painstakingly detailed, and which provides model of how to do research in a shifting landscape. * Rosalie Metro, University of Missouri * This book provides important insights into how internal politics, foreign powers, and cultural peculiarities can shape transition in the most unexpected ways. * Yaraslau Kryvoi, University of West London *