The Informal Imperialist Dr. Clement Williams at the Court of King Mindon, Mandalay, 18611879

<p>Dr. Clement Williams was a British army surgeon, political agent, and businessman who gained unparalleled access to the court of King Mindon, the great ruler of Mandalay, between 1861 and his premature death in 1873.</p><p>William’s official diaries, his legal disputes, his commercial contracts, his travel book, and (most of all) his extraordinarily rare photographs offer a unique portrait of an ancient civilisation on the cusp of industrial, technological, and political change. Drawing on primary sources and academic works, <strong><em>The Informal Imperialist</em></strong> has already been recognised as a significant contribution to Burmese studies within and beyond Myanmar. And, by weaving Williams’s story into a clear and compelling narrative, it reveals a vanished world to both scholars and general readers alike. </p>