The Nature of Happy Endings

We have finished the final chapter of Saving Fish From Drowning, and I'm thinking about the meaning of the title of the book. I think Amy Tan wrote to explore themes such as the unintended consequences of well-meaning actions, the oppression of indigenous peoples by military governments, and the well-meaning but futile efforts to combat it by outsiders. We know that writers create fiction to reveal a greater truth.

I'm thinking about Burma's history as I read a media article about human rights abuses involving the oil pipeline from Burma to Thailand, partly owned by Chevron Corp:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/29/BUIO10D8C0.DTL&hw=burma&sn=004&sc=620

Also news about Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, the leader of the nonviolent movement for human rights and democracy in Burma, who has been in prison or house arrest for 12 of the last 18 yrs.
http://www.dassk.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi

I liked reading Saving Fish From Drowning as both a political, and travel book. I'm motivated to continue reading Tan's books and look forward to starting on the Bonesetter's Daughter soon...