Asian history Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Siege of Tsingtau
Book SynopsisAn account of how the Japanese, with token support from Britain, conquered Germanys Asia-Pacific colonial empire in 1914.
£14.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC US Navy Ships vs Kamikazes 194445
Book SynopsisThe ineffectiveness of conventional air attacks on U.S. Navy surface ships, particularly heavily defended targets such as carrier task groups, forced the Japanese to reevaluate their tactics in late 1944. The solution they arrived at was simple: crash their aircraft into American ships. This notion of self-sacrifice fit well within the Japanese warrior psyche and proved terrifying to the American sailors subjected to it. These tactics brought immediate results, and proved effective until the end of the war. This book examines this terrifying new way of waging war, revealing how the U.S. Navy was forced to adapt its tactics and operations and deploy new weapons to counter the threat--analyzing the actual military benefits of the kamikaze mission and assessing whether the damage to American naval strength by the loss of so many pilots and aircraft actually had a material impact.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Design and Development /Technical Specifications /The Strategic Situation /The Combatants /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Aftermath /Bibliography /Index
£15.19
Stanford University Press The Meiji Restoration
Book SynopsisFor Japan, the Meiji Restoration of 1868 has something of the significance that the French Revolution has for France: it is the point from which modern history begins. In this now classic work of Japanese history, the late W. G. Beasley offers a comprehensive account of the origins, development, and immediate aftermath of the events that restored Imperial rule to Japan. He makes the case that the origins of the Meiji Restoration are not found in economic distress or class struggle, but in a growing sense of national danger and national pride spurred by Japan's contacts with the West. Nationalism provided the impetus for overthrowing the Tokugawa military government and reuniting Japan under the Emperor Meiji. Only when the Tokugawa were gone did their successors turn, of necessity, to the making of modern Japan, seeking strength and stability in new social patterns. Originally published in 1972, this new paperback edition contains a foreword written by Michael R. Auslin that celebrates Beasley's legacy.
£23.79
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh
Book SynopsisIn late-eighteenth-century India, the glory of the Mughal emperors was fading, and ambitious newcomers seized power, changing the political map forever. Enter the legendary Maharajah Ranjit Singh, whose Sikh Empire stretched throughout northwestern India into Afghanistan and Tibet. Priya Atwal shines fresh light on this long-lost kingdom, looking beyond its founding father to restore the queens and princes to the story of this empire’s spectacular rise and fall. She brings to life a self-made ruling family, inventively fusing Sikh, Mughal and European ideas of power, but eventually succumbing to gendered family politics, as the Sikh Empire fell to its great rival in the new India: the British. Royals and Rebels is a fascinating tale of family, royalty and the fluidity of power, set in a dramatic global era when new stars rose and upstart empires clashed.Trade Review'A clear-eyed account … Atwal charts all of this history with flair and economy.’ -- The Wall Street Journal'A brilliant book [that] is full of surprising stories … Atwal has managed to craft a very fresh and page-turning history of the origins and demise of the Sikh Kingdom.’ -- BBC History Magazine'The book is a tour-de-force, as Atwal brings her careful reading of a wide range of historical material to reveal the contingencies of the past in all its complexity.' -- LSE Review of Books‘Priya Atwal’s regal history combines academic finesse with lucid prose to examine the role women played in the Sukerchakia dynasty. … Atwal brilliantly combines cultural analysis with an intricate dissection of Orientalist gender stereotypes.’ -- The Wire‘An intricate masterpiece laden with gems as old as the empire itself, “Royals and Rebels” is a welcome and necessary addition to the South Asian history repertoire.’ -- Brown Girl Magazine‘Shattering the stereotype of the ‘crude’ warrior, Dr. Atwal exposes how culture was central to the Sikh imperial project… [and] challenges our traditional, monolithic concept of Empire itself.’ -- Artmag'Smart, timely and fresh, from an exciting new voice in history writing.' -- Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator, Historic Royal Palaces, and presenter of 'Royal History's Biggest Fibs''Priya Atwal's lyrical and authoritative retelling will ensure that this fascinating bit of history commands the attention it deserves.' -- Dan Snow, historian and broadcaster'A wonderfully vivid appraisal of a fascinating period of Indian history. Atwal's work is serious and captivating. A welcome new voice, with much to teach us.' -- Anita Anand, broadcaster and author of 'The Patient Assassin', 'Sophia', and 'Koh-i-Noor''I wish all histories were written like this one. Priya Atwal blasts through centuries of Orientalist and misogynist history to shed brilliant new light on women in the high politics of empire. A thrilling, richly detailed and important book.' -- Hannah Jewell, pop culture host, The Washington Post, and author of '100 Nasty Women of History''Gripping! A dramatic tale of the Sikh Empire taking on the British, especially its forgotten but influential queens and princes. A new history that marvellously expands the horizons of our knowledge.' -- Shashi Tharoor, Indian MP and author of 'Inglorious Empire''Priya Atwal has produced an important book, one that is a delight to peruse, complete with carefully chosen images, while at the same highly innovative and informative in terms of its historical perspective.' -- H-Diplo'A wonderfully engaging, intimate history of India's Sikh Empire, accompanied by previously unseen images of the Sikh court. We meet the extraordinary women and men who shaped its culture, and established their own remarkable relationships with Britain's royal family.' -- Rosalind O'Hanlon, Professor of Indian History and Culture, University of Oxford'A path-breaking, thought-provoking and highly original study that will reign supreme over literature on the Sikh Kingdom. This ambitious and compelling book will inspire both scholars and general audiences even fifty years from now.' -- Pashaura Singh, Distinguished Professor and J.S. Saini Chair in Sikh Studies, University of California, Riverside
£15.99
Helion & Company Ceylon at War, 1939-1945
Book Synopsis
£31.50
Vitasta Publishing Pvt.Ltd History That India Ignored
Book Synopsis
£22.49
Vitasta Publishing Pvt.Ltd Hanuman Flies to Ravanas Lanka
Book Synopsis
£15.99
Pentagon Press Jammu and Kashmir: A Battle of Perceptions
Book SynopsisThe resolution of the complex Jammu & Kashmir problem cannot be over-emphasised. However, a web of external and political-social-legal-economic factors within the country has created a knotty problem which require long term strategising and a whole of the government approach to find solutions that improve the overall security situation and foster peace and prosperity. This book has tapped a vast knowledge bank and experience of various sections of society in the form of a Net Assessment. Based on these inputs, it has analyzed the perceptions of various actors and have come up with viable strategies for short, medium and long term.The author strongly believes that in the coming years the battle for Jammu and Kashmir will increasingly shift to the cognitive domain and perception management will be the key to success, hence through this book and the study he has attempted to identify each and every factor playing on the minds of the people of J&K with special reference to Kashmir.Over the years many books have been written on the situation in Kashmir, but most of them paint only the not so rosy picture that the state has gone through in the years of turmoil, almost certainly none give a roadmap with logic for solutions towards achieving peace and prosperity. This book is an attempt towards this end.
£42.75
HarperCollins India Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story
Book SynopsisThese are the questions fuelling the research that eventually gave shape to this meticulous and determined reconstruction of that crucial day, and the events which followed.
£14.00
HarperCollins India Strange Stories from History: Quirky History 2
Book SynopsisCan it get quirkier than that? See history come alive and pop right out of this book through this amazing collection of unusual stories!
£10.79
Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd Flowing with the Currents
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£15.52
Pentagon Press Occupied Territories of Bharat
Book SynopsisMost Indians are unaware that the territory depicted on maps as Bharat is not entirely under Bharat’s. This book attempts to fill in the knowledge gap about Bhartiya territories under foreign occupation. It specially focusses on the territories of union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir that are under Pakistan and China’s Occupation. This book tries to analyse the circumstances under which these territories came under adverse possession and gives a brief description of their history, geography and other characteristics, primarily with an intention to enlighten citizens of Bharat about these forgotten regions.
£999.99
Greenpoint Books, LLC Bamboo: Its Cult and Culture
Book Synopsis
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers Rebels Against the Raj Western Fighters for
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ELIZABETH LONGFORD PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHYA narrative of startling originality As discussions of Britain's colonial legacy become increasingly polarised, we are in ever more need of nuanced books like this one' SAM DALRYMPLE, SPECTATORRebels Against the Raj tells the little-known story of seven people who chose to struggle for a country other than their own: foreigners to India who across the late 19th to late 20th century arrived to join the freedom movement fighting for independence.Of the seven, four were British, two American, and one Irish. Four men, three women. Before and after being jailed or deported they did remarkable and pioneering work in a variety of fields: journalism, social reform, education, organic agriculture, environmentalism.This book tells their stories, each renegade motivated by idealism and genuine sacrifice; each connected to Gandhi, though some as acolytes where others found endless infuriation in his views; each understanding they woulTrade Review‘A narrative of startling originality … his excitement at discovering a forgotten chapter of Indian history is contagious … As discussions of Britain’s colonial legacy become increasingly polarised, we are in ever more need of nuanced books like this one’Sam Dalrymple, Spectator ‘Fascinating and provocative … Guha organises his material expertly and presents it clearly and stylishly, illuminating an aspect of Raj history which is often forgotten or neglected but which is nonetheless crucial for an understanding both of present-day India and of Britons’ complex and ambivalent past relationship to this ‘jewel’ in their collective crown. This superb book does them justice, as well as adding a new dimension to the histories both of subject India and of imperial Britain – and being a thoroughly good read’Literary Review ‘Guha has done well to remind us of these forgotten stories, all the more as India, like much of the world, is becoming more xenophobic and intolerant, believing all the virtues lie in national frontiers’Irish Times ‘Illuminating and engaging … Guha’s wide-ranging research and lucid narration brings to life these men and women … Rebels Against the Raj, however, makes a larger, more important and incisive point. Guha calls the lives and work of these rebels a morality tale for the world we now inhabit – a world incandescent with xenophobia and jingoism, and full of contempt for thoughts and ideas that a culture can imbibe from outside its borders’New Statesman ‘Eminently readable and dazzling … Painstakingly researched, this is history writing at its best. It is indeed a masterly study of hitherto neglected western figures of modern India and opens a new way of engaging with the complex fault-lines between nationalism and imperialism, between India and the West … Guha’s outstanding work … couldn’t be more relevant. Every Indian should read this book’The Tribune
£23.75
Penguin Random House India The Narayanpur Incident
Book SynopsisBut Narayanpur is seething within and it all comes to a head when a group of children dare to confront the police.
£9.79
Penguin Random House India The Discovery of India
Book SynopsisOxford reissues Jawaharlal Nehru's famous works, showcasing his diverse interests and knowledge in politics, nature, wildlife, drama, poetry, history, and science. The books highlight his skillful and elegant writing style.
£20.42
Penguin Putnam Inc Ghost Wars
Book SynopsisWinner of the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction • A New York Times bestseller“The CIA itself would be hard put to beat his grasp of global events . . . Deeply satisfying.” —The New York Review of BooksFrom the award-winning and bestselling author of Directorate S and The Achilles Trap comes the explosive first-hand account of America's secret history in Afghanistan.To what extent did America’s best intelligence analysts grasp the rising thread of Islamist radicalism? Who tried to stop bin Laden and why did they fail? Comprehensively and for the first time, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Coll recounts the history of the covert wars in Afghanistan that fueled Islamic militancy and sowed the seeds of the September 11 attacks. Based on scrupulous research and firsthand accounts by key government, intelligence, and military personnel both foreign and American, Ghost Wars
£17.62
Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd Forgotten
Book Synopsis
£11.07
Penguin Random House India Imagining India
Book Synopsis
£16.12
Penguin Random House India Lost River
Book Synopsis
£18.95
Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd India Since 1947 The Indepenent Years
Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to independent India since 1947, covering key events like economic reforms, political transitions, technological advancements, and social developments. Includes details on democracy, economic growth, healthcare milestones, and significant historical moments.
£13.99
Penguin Random House India The Case that Shook India Publisher penguin books
Book SynopsisThe Case That Shook India by Prashant Bhushan recounts the landmark Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain case that led to the imposition of Emergency in India. It exposes the misuse of power to save the PM's election, highlighting threats, bribes, and deceit. The book serves as a crucial legal and historical document with contemporary relevance.
£16.16
OUP India Mughal India Studies in Polity Ideas Society and
Book SynopsisBased on extensive and critical use of sources, this collection covers a wide range of themes concerned with Mughal history - administration, society, religion, and culture.Table of ContentsAntecedents: 1. The Islamic Background to Indian History, 2. Encounter and Efflorescence; 3. Nobility under Muhammad Tughluq, 4. Capital of the Sultans; 5. The Punjab Between the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Centuries; Formation of the Empire: 6. Towards and Interpretation of the Mughal Empire, 7. The Pre-Colonial Social Structure and the Polity of the Mughal Empire, 8. The Mughal Polity, 9. Political Structures of the Islamic Orient in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, Political Thought: 10. The evolution of the Perception of India ; 11. The State in Islamic Thought in India, 12. Elements of Social Justice in Medieval Islamic Thought; The Religious World: 13. The 'Vision' in the Salt Range, 1578, 14. Sulh-i Kul and the Religious Ideas of Akbar, 15. Translations of Sanskrit Works at Akbar's Court, 16. The Religious World of Jahangir, 17. The Religious Environment under Shah Jahan, 18. Sidelights into Ideological and Religious Attitudes in the Punjab during the Seventeenth Century, 19. Pursuing an Elusive Seeker of Universal Truth, 20. Muslims' Perceptions of Judaism and Christianity in Medieval India; The Politics of Empire: 21. The Religious Issue in the War of Succession 1658-59; 22. Causes of the Rathor Rebellion of 1679, 23. Provincial Governors Under Aurangzeb; The Empire and Contemporary Powers: 24. 'International Law' or Conventions Governing Conduct of Relations between Asian States, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries; 25. Jahangir and the Uzbeks, 26. The Objectives Behind Mughal Expedition into Balkh and Badakhshan, 1646-47; The Passing of Empire: 27. The Passing of the Empire, 28. Recent Theories of Eighteenth-century India; Sources: 29. History in Indo-Muslim Tradition, 30. The Use of Sources in Mughal Historiography, 31. The Correspondence of Aurangzeb and its Historical Significance; Bibliography, Index; Map, 'Scientific Frontier' in Afghanisthan
£20.61
Oxford University Press, USA Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas Oxford India Perennials Series
Book SynopsisThis book discusses the history of the Mauryas with a special emphasis on the reign and activities of Asoka. It focuses on sources, socio-economic conditions, administration, Dhamma, foreign relations, and the decline of the Mauryas. This third edition contains a new foreword which updates research.Table of ContentsLIST OF PLATES; PRE-WORD; LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS; CONCLUSION; APPENDICES; 1. THE DATE OF THE ARTHASTRA; 2. THE TITLES OF ASOKA; 3. THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF THE EDICTS; 4. POTTERY AND COINS OF THE MAURYAN PERIOD; 5. A TRANSLATION OF THE EDICTS OF A?OKA; 6. MAURYAN ART; AFTERWORD; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX
£999.99
OUP India Trouble at the Mill
Book SynopsisIn 1881 The Factory Act was passed producing the first official definition of 'factories' in modern Indian history, as workplaces using steam power and regularly employing over 100 workers. In 1891, the Factory Act was amended: factories were redefined as workplaces employing over 50 workers and women mill-workers were brought within its ambit.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction PART I THE BIRTH OF FACTORY REGULATION 1. Imperial Entanglements 2. The Emergence of Factory Law: Bombay, 1874-81 PART II THE LIFE OF A LAW 3. The Work of Law: Factory Inspection in Bombay, 1881-7 4. Law, Age, and the Factory Child PART III FACTORY LAW AND INDUSTRIAL POLITICS 5. The Antinomies of Industrial Relations, 1884-95 6. Snapping the Tie: Chronicles of the Plague Years, 1896-8 Conclusion Select Bibliography Index About the Author
£19.00
University of Washington Press Yamuna Walk
Book SynopsisExplores the myriad ways that modern life along the Yamuna is shaped by water, from the rural outskirts of the city to the polluted landscape of urban Delhi
£35.10
University of Washington Press Roots and Reflections
Book SynopsisDeconstructs stereotypes and cultural assumptions made by non- South Asians and South Asians alikeTrade Review"The authors address different social mores for women and men, as well as organizations created to support progressive world agendas and help individuals. Highly recommended." * Choice *"It's directly relevant to the immigration debate being waged at a national level. In particular, it reveals how policies such as the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 continue to dictate who gets to come to the U. S. in terms of country." -- Shiwani Srivastava * International Examiner *"The resulting interviews were so rich in life experience and so telling in diasporic drama . . . Amy Bhatt and Nalini Iyer have collaborated to share some of these stories in book form and provide context for them within the bigger picture of Pacific Northwest history." -- Barbara Lloyd McMichael * Bellingham Herald *"A timely intervention in the field of South Asian diaspora studies . . . this study veritably nuances and complicates the prototypes of South Asian immigrant narratives made popular by fictions of Jhumpa Lahiri and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, to offer an account that, in its diversity and rich detail, is going to be of seminal interest to students and scholars across disciplines." -- Sreyoshi Sarkar * South Asian Review *"An intimate, transnational narrative that sheds light on the political turmoil that pushed many emigrants out of their countries in South Asia and the educational and professional opportunities that pulled them to the Pacific Northwest. . . . [A] readable and captivating narrative." -- Jennifer Macias * Pacific Northwest Quarterly *"Informative, insightful, and a model for using oral histories as the primary narrative mechanism for driving a publication that has appeal for scholars as well as more general readership. . . . I recommend Roots and Reflections to anyone who considers collaboration to be an opportunity for rethinking methodologies in the social sciences and humanities as well as an integral component to feminist praxis. Overall, the book offers an exceptional model for using oral histories as well as archival material in a manner that is respectful to the narrators and both engaging and informative to the reader." -- Sarah Dziedzic * Oral History Review *"Roots and Reflections is an accessible and engaging text. It would be useful in undergraduate courses on Asian American history and help generate productive discussions in other courses about methodology, specifically oral history and community-based scholarship." -- Seema Sohi * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsForeword by Deepa Banerjee Preface Introduction: Situating Stories An Introduction to South Asian Communities in the Pacific Northwest 1. “Finding Traces of Our Existence Here”: Pre-World War Two South Asian Migrations 2. Routes and Roots: Stories of Departure and Arrival 3. Creating Professional Classes: Education and Training 4. All in a Day’s Work: Employment, Migration, and Identity 5. Falling from the Tree: Family, Gender, and Generational Differences 6. Seeds Take Root: Growing South Asian Communities in the Pacific Northwest Epilogue: Meditations on Methodologies Appendix 1. Interviews in the South Asian Oral History Project Appendix 2. Narrator Biographies Notes References Index
£68.25
Cambridge University Press From Asian to Global Financial Crisis
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£58.90
Cambridge University Press The New Cambridge Medieval History Volume 5 c1198c1300 The New Cambridge Medieval History Series Number 5
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£999.99
Cambridge University Press Asian Voices in a PostColonial Age
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£28.99
Cambridge University Press Suharto A Political Biography
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£46.55
Cambridge University Press The Caucasus A History
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£139.65
Cambridge University Press Science and Civilisation in China Volume 5 Chemistry and Chemical Technology Part 11 Ferrous Metallurgy
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£221.35
Random House, India Bahawalpur
Book SynopsisThe nation's troubled history has clouded a clear picture of it and shrouded its component parts. From the microcosm of Bahawalpur, this account helps to join the dots of a more coherent view of the macrocosm of Pakistan and queries the future route of the Islamic State.
£27.09
Monash University Publishing Changing Histories
Book SynopsisThe history of contact between Japan and Australia is rich in literature, business, romance and war. Challenging the notion that these two nations have long been culturally isolated, this volume brings out the diversity of their relationship.
£999.99
Stanford University Press Dialectic of the Chinese Revolution
Book SynopsisLooking at the history of communist China as a history of consciousness, this book makes an innovative departure from previous studies. It charts a journey that led from utopianism to nihilism and then to the hedonism and consumerism that pervade China today.Trade Review"Chinese thinkers and western sinologists alike document the corruption and depravity of post-Mao China and survey the cataclysmic events of recent history which brought about that crisis. Ci Jiwei, however, probes its spiritual dimension, and he does it masterfully. . . . He has produced a work of profound philosophical reflection and great analytical sophistication." -- Canadian Journal of HistoryTable of ContentsContents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
£72.80
Stanford University Press Balance Sheet
Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive evaluation of the consequences of the Iraq war for the national security of the United States. This work examines both how the war has advanced or retarded the achievement of other important goals of US national security policy and its impact on the ability of the US to pursue its security interests in the future.Trade Review"In a carefully written, thoughtful collection of essays, Duffield, Dombrowski, and their contributors look at both the credits and debits of the US invasion of Iraq as they judge the year in terms of its overall contribution to US national security."—C. Potholm, Choice"Editors Duffield and Dombrowski have enlisted the help of experts to provide a 'balance sheet' on the Iraq War that evaluates the impact of the last six years on such issues as national security policy, the War on Terror, nuclear proliferation, stability in the Middle East and America's standing in the world. Written for anyone interested in the development of American foreign policy, this book analyzes the failure of counterproliferation strategies and questions whether we are safer now than before 9/11."—Book News"Although it is too soon for a definitive answer to the question of how has the war in Iraq has affected American security, it is not too soon for a serious assessment, which this excellent, well-rounded, and integrated set of essays provides. Scholarly and yet accessible, they contribute a great deal to our understanding." —Robert Jervis, Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Affairs, Columbia University" Balance Sheet is a nuanced and careful assessment of the ways that the invasion of Iraq affected U.S. national security. On a subject that inevitably attracts partisan posturing, the editors and contributors strive to be fair-minded and objective. It won't be the last word on this important subject, but it sets the bar high for those who address it in the future." —Stephen M. Walt, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University"This book is an excellent addition to a growing body of literature that seeks to set the record straight on the second Iraq War. With statistics and an impressive lot of facts, the authors show not just that the war is costly but that Americans will be paying for it for generations to come. A must read for serious students of the conflict." —Stephen C. Pelletiere, author of Losing Iraq: Insurgency and Politics
£23.99
Random House USA Inc Asias Cauldron The South China Sea and the End of
Book SynopsisNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY FINANCIAL TIMESFrom Robert D. Kaplan, named one of the world’s Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine, comes a penetrating look at the volatile region that will dominate the future of geopolitical conflict. Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly shifting from Europe to Asia. With oil reserves of several billion barrels, an estimated nine hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and several centuries’ worth of competing territorial claims, the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential conflict. The underreported military buildup in the area where the Western Pacific meets the Indian Ocean means that it will likely be a hinge point for global war and peace for the foreseeable future. In Asia’s Cauldron, Robert D. Kaplan offers up a vivid snapshot of the nations surrounding the South China Se
£14.99
University of Missouri Press Banned
Book SynopsisMuch has been written about the evolution of publisher''s freedom in countries such as UK, USA or Nazi Germany. For instance, in Britain by the nineteenth century, law and public opinion created an atmosphere conducive to virtually free exchange of opinion and news. But this same press liberty was not extended to its colonies. Historians usually begin their studies in the late 1700 ad and conclude with a short sketch on post-1900 developments. Lack of analysis of the latter period is particularly disturbing because the confrontation the ruler (the Raj) and the ruled after 1900 brought into focus the conflict between cherished British ideological traditions and the demands of control over a non-Western population. Censorship, banning, and other varieties of official interference with freedom of the Press also constitute key but little known elements in India's struggle for Independence. This book which examines the GovernmentPress interaction during 1907-1947 is intended primarily as a
£43.22
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Images of Women in Chinese Thought and Culture
Book SynopsisThis rich collection of writings--many translated especially for this volume and some available in English for the first time--provides a journey through the history of Chinese culture, tracing the Chinese understanding of women as elucidated in writings spanning more than two thousand years. From the earliest oracle bone inscriptions of the Pre-Qin period through the poems and stories of the Song Dynasty, these works shed light on Chinese images of women and their roles in society in terms of such topics as human nature, cosmology, gender, and virtue.Trade Review. . . this work is a monumental effort on the part of the editor and contributors and can be used in many different ways and for many different purposes. The most rewarding, but also the most demanding, is to read it from cover to cover; this will afford diligent readers a wide perspective and enable them to gain a more profound understanding of the wide variety of ideologies and practices that existed in ancient China regarding women and gender, and the changes and developments in these ideas and practices through the ages. Alternatively, it can be used as a reference to locate specific texts with their translation. Not least, it can be used as a sourcebook for teaching gender in a particular dynasty, school of thought, or literary genre. --Lily Xiao Hong Lee, China Review InternationalWang's comprehensive anthology, utilizing the expertise of contemporary sinologists, historians, and philosophers, is an impressive collection of translated classical writings that provides scholars an invaluable tool for surveying the images of women across the literary landscape of China. . . . Particularly suitable as a source book not just for scholarly research but for classroom teaching as well. --Li-Hsiang Lisa Rosenlee, Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy
£42.50
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Faith Myth and Reason in Han China
Book Synopsis In his classic study of the cultural history of Han China, Michael Loewe uses both archaeological discoveries and written records to sketch the conceptual background of various artifacts of the Han period, and shows how ancient Chinese thought is as much informed by mythology as it is dependent on reason. Originally published as Chinese Ideas of Life and Death: Faith, Myth and Reason in the Han Period (202 BC-AD 220), this edition includes a new Preface that discusses relevant discoveries made since the first publication and an updated list of other works on relevant topics. Trade Review. . . this is a slight book but one that belies its unpretentious appearance. It is in fact the best introduction available to the cultural background of Han China. --Paul W. Kroll, Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews
£16.14
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Faith Myth and Reason in Han China
Book SynopsisTrade Review. . . this is a slight book but one that belies its unpretentious appearance. It is in fact the best introduction available to the cultural background of Han China. --Paul W. Kroll, Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews
£39.09
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Everyday Life in Early Imperial China
Book SynopsisIn this lively and accessible account, with illustrations on nearly every page, Michael Loewe gives us a vivid picture of the lives of peasants working the land, the lives of town inhabitants, and the elaborate hierarchy of institutions and civil servants that sustained the vast imperial government. In a new Preface and an updated Bibliography, Loewe calls our attention to the significance of scholarly research and discoveries since the original publication of his classic work.
£12.34
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc The Government of the Qin and Han Empires 221 BCE
Book SynopsisIn this concise volume, Michael Loewe provides an engaging overview of the government of the early empires of China. Topics discussed are: the seat of supreme authority; the structure of central government; provincial and local government; the armed forces; officials; government communications; laws of the empire; control of the people and the land; controversies; and problems and weaknesses of the imperial system. Enhanced by details from recently discovered manuscripts, relevant citations from official documents, maps, a chronology of relevant events, and suggestions for further reading keyed to each topic, this work is an ideal introduction to the ways in which China's first emperors governed.
£31.49
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc A Tale of Two Melons
Book SynopsisA commoner''s presentation to the emperor of a lucky omen from his garden, the repercussions for his family, and several retellings of the incident provide the background for an engaging introduction to Ming society, culture, and politics, including discussions of the founding of the Ming dynasty; the character of the first emperor; the role of omens in court politics; how the central and local governments were structured, including the civil service examination system; the power of local elite families; the roles of women; filial piety; and the concept of ling or efficacy in Chinese religion.Trade ReviewUndergraduates will join specialists in enjoying this feast of melons. Schneewind's marvelous little book is at once a primer in some key aspects of China's traditional civilization and history, as well as a case study of an obscurely understood event that took place in 1372, in the reign of Taizu, founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). When two melons share a single stalk, and a local grower presents the anomaly to the emperor, the symbolism, the intentions of the giver, the reaction of the recipient, and the meaning of the whole act to observers and later commentators turn out to be anything but straightforward. Divergent interpretations began immediately, and continue to the present day. --John Dardess, University of KansasBuilding on an apparently tiny incident in 1372, Sarah Schneewind has conjured up an absorbing evocation of Chinese imperial power, the ambiguity of omens, and the unpredictability of fate. This concise and finely crafted book also provides a grand introduction to the ways historians (both then and now) think, work and present their findings. --Jonathan Spence, Yale UniversitySchneewind offers sharp insights into the structure and daily workings of premodern Chinese society and government and t he subtle forces that acted to temper absolute imperial power. Especially appealing is the metaphor of a social and political fabric perpetually in process of weaving, as exemplified by the complex interplay between center and peripheries, near and far; between individuals, products, and texts; between the formally empowered and the relatively powerless, whether ruler and subject or men and women; between the human, natural and supernatural worlds; and between past, present, and future. A rich and original study that wears its erudition lightly and presents a wealth of detail in highly readable form. --Joanna Waley-Cohen, New York UniversityTable of ContentsOn a Lacquer Tray; With the Emperor Said; Up from the Garden; The Zhang Family; The Smile of the God; Retelling the Melon Story; Movements and Exchange in the Ming Empire; Major Dynastic Periods of Chinese History; Reign Periods of the Ming Dynasty; Chronology of Main Events; The Zhang Family; The Zhang Family Tree; Types of Documents; Notes.
£13.29
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc A Tale of Two Melons
Book SynopsisA commoner''s presentation to the emperor of a lucky omen from his garden, the repercussions for his family, and several retellings of the incident provide the background for an engaging introduction to Ming society, culture, and politics, including discussions of the founding of the Ming dynasty; the character of the first emperor; the role of omens in court politics; how the central and local governments were structured, including the civil service examination system; the power of local elite families; the roles of women; filial piety; and the concept of ling or efficacy in Chinese religion.Trade ReviewUndergraduates will join specialists in enjoying this feast of melons. Schneewind's marvelous little book is at once a primer in some key aspects of China's traditional civilization and history, as well as a case study of an obscurely understood event that took place in 1372, in the reign of Taizu, founder of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). When two melons share a single stalk, and a local grower presents the anomaly to the emperor, the symbolism, the intentions of the giver, the reaction of the recipient, and the meaning of the whole act to observers and later commentators turn out to be anything but straightforward. Divergent interpretations began immediately, and continue to the present day. --John Dardess, University of KansasBuilding on an apparently tiny incident in 1372, Sarah Schneewind has conjured up an absorbing evocation of Chinese imperial power, the ambiguity of omens, and the unpredictability of fate. This concise and finely crafted book also provides a grand introduction to the ways historians (both then and now) think, work and present their findings. --Jonathan Spence, Yale UniversitySchneewind offers sharp insights into the structure and daily workings of premodern Chinese society and government and t he subtle forces that acted to temper absolute imperial power. Especially appealing is the metaphor of a social and political fabric perpetually in process of weaving, as exemplified by the complex interplay between center and peripheries, near and far; between individuals, products, and texts; between the formally empowered and the relatively powerless, whether ruler and subject or men and women; between the human, natural and supernatural worlds; and between past, present, and future. A rich and original study that wears its erudition lightly and presents a wealth of detail in highly readable form. --Joanna Waley-Cohen, New York UniversityTable of ContentsOn a Lacquer Tray; With the Emperor Said; Up from the Garden; The Zhang Family; The Smile of the God; Retelling the Melon Story; Movements and Exchange in the Ming Empire; Major Dynastic Periods of Chinese History; Reign Periods of the Ming Dynasty; Chronology of Main Events; The Zhang Family; The Zhang Family Tree; Types of Documents; Notes.
£30.59
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Butterfly Mother
Book SynopsisA collection of epics from the Miao (Hmong) ethnic group of southwest China. The poetic narratives, traditionally performed by two groups of singers, relate the creation of the world and the people and creatures in it. These mythic narratives serves as encyclopedias of traditional myths, legends, and folk customs of the Miao people.Trade ReviewBender has published translations and studies of Chinese minority nationality epics and folktales since the early 1980s. The current volume brings together about 20 Miao (Hmong) epic songs, grouped into six parts: 'Prelude', 'Song of Gold and Silver', 'Song of the Ancient Sweet Gum', 'Song of Butterfly Mother,' 'The Great Flood', and 'Westwards, Upriver'. Historical, geographic, ethnographic, linguistic, and folkloristic introductions help the reader understand the internal logic of the songs and the myths, legends, and folk customs of the Miao. Including ample notes and a selected bibliography, this is a book for those interested in folklore, epics, mythology, and ethnography. Summing up: Recommended. --J. W. Walls, CHOICETalk about 'persistent cultures'--this translation of the great epic, mythic tellings of the Miao/Hmong peoples is a window into a huge ancient soul of sustainable spirit and practice. Mark Bender's commentary provides context and details of places and singers that makes it even richer. This book provides new insights into how deeply oral recitation and performance can be embedded in a whole society, and some fresh, stunning stories. --Gary Snyder, author of Mountains and Rivers Without End
£15.19
Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Butterfly Mother
Book Synopsis Butterfly Mother is a collection of epic songs from the rich oral tradition of the Miao (Hmong) people of southwest China. These poetic narratives, traditionally performed by two groups of singers, relate the creation of a world in which everything is alive, and listeners find that besides mountains, rivers, trees, and creatures, inanimate objects are also ''born'' and have spirits. In his engaging introduction, Mark Bender places these mythic narratives in their social and historical context, describing the workings and traditions of Miao society. Brimming with cultural lore, Butterfly Mother is a virtual encyclopedia of time-honored myths, legends, and folk customs of the Miao people. Trade ReviewBender has published translations and studies of Chinese minority nationality epics and folktales since the early 1980s. The current volume brings together about 20 Miao (Hmong) epic songs, grouped into six parts: 'Prelude', 'Song of Gold and Silver', 'Song of the Ancient Sweet Gum', 'Song of Butterfly Mother,' 'The Great Flood', and 'Westwards, Upriver'. Historical, geographic, ethnographic, linguistic, and folkloristic introductions help the reader understand the internal logic of the songs and the myths, legends, and folk customs of the Miao. Including ample notes and a selected bibliography, this is a book for those interested in folklore, epics, mythology, and ethnography. Summing up: Recommended. --J. W. Walls, CHOICETalk about 'persistent cultures'--this translation of the great epic, mythic tellings of the Miao/Hmong peoples is a window into a huge ancient soul of sustainable spirit and practice. Mark Bender's commentary provides context and details of places and singers that makes it even richer. This book provides new insights into how deeply oral recitation and performance can be embedded in a whole society, and some fresh, stunning stories. --Gary Snyder, author of Mountains and Rivers Without End
£35.99
