Sean Turnell has produced a very interesting book that fills a much needed gap in the literature on Burma. Given the current state of Burma's banks, Burmese financial history might not seem very pertinent, but Turnell shows how the trouble with Burmese finance has led to many of the current political problems. Turnell is very good at weaving an understanding of Burmese politics with the economics of finance - a rare combination of expertise indeed.
The book is very well researched and seems to cover absolutely every aspect of Burmese finance, even detailed many of the individual banks during various points in history. It begins with colonial Burma and the infamous chettiers and ends with the present (circa 2007 by the time of publication). However, the book does veer more toward history than the present - the BSPP and SLORC eras are given short shrift, except for the 2002 banking crisis.
Turnell explains enough of Burmese history to make the book accessible to non-experts. One warning: This is a very detailed look into a somewhat esoteric subject. I'd only recommend this book to scholars of Burmese history or development economics. It will probably prove a bit dry for lay readers.
Definitely recommended for Burma watchers.