Asian history Books

Book Synopsis'Entertainingly written history . . . ravishingly beautiful photographs.'The Times Bamber Gascoigne's classic book tells of the most fascinating period of Indian history, the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when the country was ruled by the extraordinarily talented dynasty of emperors known to European travellers as 'the Great Moghuls', for their almost limitless power and incomparable wealth. Here is a unique picture of the way of life of India's most flamboyant rulers, their sublime palaces, their passions in art, science and religion, and their sophisticated system of administration that stabilized the greater part of India and was later adopted by the British. Acclaimed by travellers and scholars alike, and beautifully illustrated in colour with sixteen pages of photographs, this is a book for anyone with an interest in India's glorious past and an engaging survey of a splendid culture and its singular achievements.Trade ReviewWhile the story rattles along, it is also built on sound and scholarly foundations. Christina Gascoigne deserves a special word of praise. Her photographs are superb. They jerk us into looking at the Indian scene, and at Moghul architecture, in a fresh way. * History Today *Thoroughly sound. . . extremely readable. * Times Literary Supplement *A tremendous story, full of delight as well as the requisite horrors . . . unreservedly to be recommended. * Oxford Mail *Entertainingly written history . . . ravishingly beautiful photographs. * The Times *

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Book Synopsis''Bracingly apocalyptic stuff: atmospheric, chock-full of information and with a constantly escalating sense of pace and tension'' Sunday TelegraphSimon Winchester''s brilliant chronicle of the destruction of the Indonesian island of Krakatoa in 1883 charts the birth of our modern world. He tells the story of the unrecognized genius who beat Darwin to the discovery of evolution; of Samuel Morse, his code and how rubber allowed the world to talk; of Alfred Wegener, the crack-pot German explorer and father of geology. In breathtaking detail he describes how one island and its inhabitants were blasted out of existence and how colonial society was turned upside-down in a cataclysm whose echoes are still felt to this day.

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Book SynopsisIt is 2011, and all universities in North Korea have been shut down for an entire year, except for the all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. This is where Suki Kim has accepted a job teaching English. Over the next six months she will eat three meals a day with her young charges and struggle to teach them to write, all under the watchful eye of the regime.Life at the university is lonely and claustrophobic. Her letters are read by censors and she must hide her notes and photographs not only from her minders but also from her colleagues, evangelical Christian missionaries, whose faith she does not share.As the weeks pass she discovers how easily her students lie, and how total is their obedience to Kim Jong-il. She also, bravely, hints at the existence of a world beyond their own: the internet, free travel, democracy, and other ideas forbidden in a country where torture and execution are commonplace. Yet her pupils are also full of boyish enthusiasm, with flashes of curiosity not yet extinguished.Without You, There Is No Us offers a moving and incalculably rare glimpse of life inside the world's most inscrutable country.Trade ReviewStrangely terrifying...A beautifully written book that greatly expands the limited bounds of what we know about North Korea's ruling class -- Barbara Demick, author of Nothing To EnvyThis superb work of investigative journalism is distinguished by its grave beauty and aching tenderness. -- Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of LossA rare and revealing insight into the world of this closed nation's "priviligentsia", a sector of society about which very little information is available. * The Times Online *(Suki Kim) lived under constant surveillance, fearful that she might slip up. * Daily Mail *A glimpse into the North Korean mind. * Francis Wheen, Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisSunil Khilnani is the author of the acclaimed and influential The Idea of India (Penguin). He is currently Avantha Professor and Director of the India Institute at King's College London.Trade ReviewDefies historical conventions...scholarly and accessible, lively and deeply serious. I confess I recognised only about 20 of the names and what I thought I knew was wrong or incomplete... revelatory, bold and contemplative. -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown * The Independent *A majestic sweep of 2,500 years of Indian history...Khilnani is a rare blend of scholar and cracking travel writer, and his book is replete with distinguished characters little known in the West. -- Tarquin Hall * The Sunday Times *A tour de force of intellectual history, engagingly written and peppered with wry personal anecdotes. -- James Crabtree * Financial Times *Scholarly and playful * The Telegraph *Khilnani is a warm, personable voice on the radio and in this beautifully illustrated book his personal touch has been preserved. It is hard to think of this mammoth task being executed any better.... Superb, ***** -- Sameer Rahim * The Telegraph *Beautifully written with both scholarship and an enviably light touch, thoughtfully constructed and enviably erudite in its wide-ranging references, and as much at ease discussing higher mathematics and philosophy as politics and art, Incarnations is a major work by one of India's most impressive minds, and the best possible introduction to both the complexities and the charms of Indian history. -- William Dalrymple * The Guardian *An exceptionally liberating intellectual journey to take. Mr Khilnani's prose is light and fast-paced... [and his] ability to empathise with people long dead is also astonishing -- Nilanjana S Roy * Business Standard, New Delhi *I enjoyed everything about this book -- Charles Allen * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisIndia is a vast sub-continent with a complex history and a great array of languages, cultures and religions. This books serves as a short introduction to the exquisite weapons used in the region from the earliest times to the twentieth century. Among others, it covers archery, swords, shields, daggers, firearms, artillery and elephant armour.

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Book SynopsisOperation Rolling Thunder was the campaign that was meant to keep South Vietnam secure, and dissuade the North from arming and supplying the Viet Cong. It pitted the world's strongest air forces against the MiGs and missiles of a small Soviet client state. But the US airmen who flew Rolling Thunder missions were crippled by a badly thought-out strategy, rampant political interference in operational matters, and aircraft optimised for Cold War nuclear strikes rather than conventional warfare.Ironically, Rolling Thunder was one of the most influential episodes of the Cold War its failure spurring the 1970s US renaissance in professionalism, fighter design, and combat pilot training. Dr Richard P. Hallion, one of America's most eminent air power experts, explains how Rolling Thunder was conceived and fought, and why it became shorthand for how not to fight an air campaign.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Attackers' Capabilities /Defenders' Capabilities /Campaign Objectives /The Campaign /Analysis and Conclusion /Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“This ambitious and eye-opening book shows what political science at its best — based on real-world knowledge, free of jargon and focused on substantive concerns rather than disciplinary marginalia — can contribute to pressing contemporary debates.”—Ricardo Soares de Oliveira, TLS“Dictators without Borders is mandatory reading for those wishing to understand the power dynamics in the region, without falling into the trap of erroneously viewing Central Asia as a region that is closed off from the rest of the world.”—Ana-Maria Anghelescu, Journal of Soviet & Post-Soviet Politics & Society “Among a growing body of literature on the politics of Central Asia’s post- soviet states, Cooley and Heathershaw’s book occupies a distinctive position. [. . . ] The book provides a platform for future theoretical and empirical work on the interplay between global and domestic structural factors and agency in promoting, sustaining, and, perhaps, challenging “dictators without borders.” —Dinissa Duvanova, Canadian-American Slavic StudiesDictators Without Borders was shortlisted for the Central Eurasian Studies Society 2018 book award.“This insightful, ground-breaking book goes to the heart of why such governments are among the worst human rights abusers in the world—all the more reason it should be widely read.”—Hugh Williamson, Europe & Central Asia director, Human Rights Watch'This book shines an important light on the role international financial centres such as London play in facilitating grand corruption and reinforces the urgent need to address this continuing financial system weakness.'- Tom Keatinge, Director, Centre for Financial Crime & Security Studies at RUSI"Insightful and topical—a comprehensive take on a neglected region."—Edward Lucas, senior editor, Economist'This panoramic survey of cronyism and corruption in five Central Asian republics delivers a sobering insight into how the dictators in this quarter salt away their ill-gotten gains in offshore funds. But the greatest shock comes from revelations about the apparent complicity or indifference of Western companies, banks, regulators and politicians.' - Tristram Riley-Smith, Director of Research, Department of Politics & International Studies, University of Cambridge

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Book SynopsisBurma is currently ruled by a harsh dictatorship unmoved by Western activists and sanctions. It is also the sight of the longest-running conflict in the world. Drawing both on his own family''s stories and his years of hands-on political experience working with the United Nations, Thant Myint-U has written an illuminating account of how Burma''s rich past informs its violent present, and of how the world might transform the country''s future. In The River of Lost Footsteps, Thant Myint-U tells the story of modern Burma, in part through a telling of his own family''s history, in an interwoven narrative that is by turns lyrical, dramatic, and appalling. His maternal grandfather, U Thant, rose from being the schoolmaster of a small town in the Irrawaddy Delta to become the UN secretary-general in the 1960s. And on his father''s side, the author is descended from a long line of courtiers who served at Burma''s Court of Ava for nearly two centuries. Through their stories aTrade Review"'It is hard to imagine a more thought-provoking or eloquently written elucidation of Burma's afflictions and their causes - nor one more heartfelt.' Sunday Times"

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Book SynopsisWhen the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, killing 100,000 men, women and children, it was the beginning of a terrifying new episode in human history. Written only a year after the disaster, John Hersey brought the event vividly alive with this heart-rending account of six men and women who survived despite all the odds. He added a further chapter when, forty years later, he returned to Hiroshima to discover how the same six people had struggled to cope with catastrophe and with often crippling disease. The result is a devastating picture of the long-term effects of one very small bomb.Trade Review'To this day nothing tells better the horror of Hiroshima ... One of the most powerful writers of modern times' Washington Post 'A vision of hell ... its terrible images are reminiscent of Dante's Inferno' The Times

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Book SynopsisGandhi''s non-violent struggles against racism, violence, and colonialism in South Africa and India had brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. He feared the enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding of his quest for truth rooted in devotion to God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices, celibacy, and a life without violence. This is not a straightforward narrative biography, in The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Gandhi offers his life story as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps.

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Book SynopsisA PULITZER PRIZE FINALISTA riveting, masterfully researched account of the bold innovators who adapted the Chinese language to the modern world, transforming China into a superpower in the processWhat does it take to reinvent the world''s oldest living language?China today is one of the world''s most powerful nations, yet just a century ago it was a crumbling empire with literacy reserved for the elite few, left behind in the wake of Western technology. In Kingdom of Characters, Jing Tsu shows that China''s most daunting challenge was a linguistic one: to make the formidable Chinese language - a 2,200-year-old writing system that was daunting to natives and foreigners alike - accessible to a globalized, digital world.Kingdom of Characters follows the bold innovators who adapted the Chinese script - and the value-system it represents - to the technological advances that would shape the twentieth century and beyond, from the Trade ReviewEnchanting... [Tsu's] love for the enigma and beauty of Chinese shines through in this delightful mix of history and linguistics... A pleasure to read -- Michael Sheridan * Sunday Times *Erudite and beautifully written -- Rana Mitter * TLS *Incredibly fascinating... Chinese is the oldest written language in the world, and this book is very much an aperture book. Look through its linguistic premise and a whole panorama of politics, technology and aesthetics springs into life... Remarkable -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *Impressive... A well-told story about those who created modern China not through the barrel of a gun or a little red book but through dictionaries, libraries and printing presses. As the Chinese say, heroes are born out of turbulent times, and what China has undergone has been nothing if not turbulent -- Cindy Yu * Spectator *[Tsu] brings to life the individuals who gave their all to solve China's problems with language technology, even as political and social turmoil was raging around them -- Gaston Dorren * Guardian *How to permit what Joseph Needham admiringly called "the glittering, crystalline world" of China's ancient ideographic script to run along the western-made telegraph wires, to be typewritten instead of brush-stroked, to make full use of Silicon Valley's internet and the iPhone, is a story of both dazzling technical and political fascination and an ever-swelling global importance. Jing Tsu has crafted a tale of this achievement with flair, originality and extraordinary narrative power: seldom have I read a book about modern China so informative, revelatory and enjoyable -- Simon WinchesterAn absolute joy to read. This stunning, meticulously researched book is the detective story of Chinese characters. Jing Tsu has seamlessly fused the craft of the linguistic historian with the artistry of the storyteller - including cliff-hangers -- David Crystal, author of THE STORIES OF ENGLISH and HOW LANGUAGE WORKSAn amazing story! How Chinese speech and script go to be standardized and made fit for the age of printing, data-processing and the internet is a true adventure story, told with brio and passion in this eye-opening book. It's a complicated tale, to be sure, and the solutions found verge on the miraculous. But the false starts, forgotten heroes, the rejections of the past and returns to tradition that are clearly laid out in this book also map out a cultural history of modern China. Immensely instructive and thoroughly enjoyable -- David Bellos, author of IS THAT A FISH IN YOUR EAR?Writing about writing is hard; writing about Chinese writing in English is devilish. Strokes, logographs, ideographs - even the basic terminology can cloud the mind like a calligraphy brush loaded with too much ink. Jing Tsu's brilliant solution is to focus on characters - not the ones written from left to right, top to bottom, but the actual living, breathing, thinking individuals who, since the start of the twentieth century, did everything they could to adapt the Chinese language and writing system to the modern world. In Kingdom of Characters, Tsu introduces us to a cast of unforgettable figures: the wanted fugitive who pushes for Mandarin as China's national tongue; the engineer and bamboo expert who develops a Chinese typewriter; the railway administrator who tries to figure out how to send telegrams in a language without an alphabet. Along the way, Tsu tells an essential story of modern China: a country at once transformed and yet deeply traditional -- Peter HesslerKingdom of Characters is an eye-opener. It approaches a central topic in modern and contemporary Chinese culture through a unique perspective, combining scholarship with vivid historical narrative. Jing Tsu wears her erudition lightly and gives us a fascinating and moving story. It shows the passionate struggle of generations of pioneers, who tried to find ways of reshaping and preserving the Chinese written script. It's a story of desperate strife, unflagging dedication, and ultimately, triumph -- Ha JinKingdom of Characters is a deeply engaging and revealing narrative of the Chinese language in modern times: its graphic and phonetic transformations, conceptual debates, technological innovations, and political contentions. Jin Tsu has brought together a series of key moments concerning Chinese modernity, from the first Chinese typewriter to the digital Sinosphere, from the script reform to the voice revolution. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this book is indispensable for anyone interested in the sound and script of modern China -- Professor David Wang, Harvard UniversityInteresting and very readable -- Peter Gordon * Asian Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE''Remarkable ... this brilliant book stands as an important monument to an almost forgotten world'' William Dalrymple, Spectator A sweeping, magisterial new history of India from the middle ages to the arrival of the BritishThe Indian subcontinent might seem a self-contained world. Protected by vast mountains and seas, it has created its own religions, philosophies and social systems. And yet this ancient land experienced prolonged and intense interaction with the peoples and cultures of East and Southeast Asia, Europe, Africa and, especially, Central Asia and the Iranian plateau between the eleventh and eighteenth centuries. Richard M. Eaton''s wonderful new book tells this extraordinary story with relish and originality. His major theme is the rise of ''Persianate'' culture - a many-faceted transregional world informed by a canon of texts that circulated through ever-wideningTrade ReviewRemarkable... Richard Eaton's brilliant book stands as an important monument to this almost forgotten world. -- William Dalrymple * The Spectator *By rethinking this history as India's 'Persianate age', Eaton breaks free from religious sectarianism that projects today's tensions into the past ... His book is a fine tribute to India. -- Tanjil Rashid * The Times *A brilliant, gripping, refreshing and scholarly history of India from 1000AD to the 1750s, analysing the power of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mogul Empire, its rise and decline and the rise of the East India Company - totally essential reading. -- Simon Sebag MontefioreGenius ... India in the Persianate Age is Eaton's mature masterpiece. It will, undoubtedly, become the authoritative account of this most politically controversial period of South Asia's long history. -- Katherine Schofield * History Today *A richly researched, badly needed and wholly convincing account ... World history proves its worth. -- John Keay * Literary Review *Richard Eaton employs rich empirical detail to demonstrate that intellectual encounters between the Sanksrit and Persian worlds were not tied to any one religion and that the two were not hostile ... and does so with great panache. -- Rudrangshu Mukherjee * Business Standard *

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Book SynopsisThe Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empire, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam tells the darkly humorous story of the French colonial state''s failed efforts to impose its vision of modernity upon the colonial city of Hanoi, Vietnam. Part of the Graphic Histories series, this book offers a case study in the history of imperialism, highlighting the racialized economic inequalities of empire, colonization as a form of modernization, and industrial capitalism''s creation of a radical power differential between the West and the rest. On a deeper level, The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt examines the contradictions unique to the French Third Republic''s colonial civilizing mission, the development of Vietnamese resistance to French rule, and the history of disease. Featuring forty-nine primary sources--many available in English for the first time--and three full-color maps, The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt illustrates the ironic and tragic ways in which modernization projects can have unintended consequTrade ReviewVann and Clarke have provided a helpful addition to the large selection of textbooks on Vietnam. Clear writing, helpful footnotes, and historical context help Vann and Clarke deliver a readable history of a complex topic. The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt offers a model of how to translate a history that is equal parts global, transnational, and local history into a new medium. * Zachary M. Matusheski, Journal of American-East Asian Relations *The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt effectively engages its readers in the intertwined stories of French colonialism, the New Imperialism, and a Vietnam in transition during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in a thought-provoking and memorable blend of critical textual discussion and high-quality illustration. * David W. Del Testa, Bucknell University *This is a beautifully written and illustrated history based on solid research. The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt does a phenomenal job of contextualizing the far reaches of the French empire in world history. Students will enjoy the graphics and the intellectual stimulation of the story. I strongly recommend it for classes in world history, historical methodology, and Southeast Asian history. * Christina Firpo, California Polytechnic State University *The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt very usefully integrates a discussion of the civilizing mission with the history of colonial urbanism, public health, and scientific experimentation. There's very little accessible material on this in English for undergraduate students, and the text does an excellent job of translating complex historiography in a readable way. * Rebecca Scales, Rochester Institute of Technology *Students will be delighted by The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt. The superb graphics and the story itself will enthrall general readers as well. * J. R. McNeill, Georgetown University *The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt is a captivating story! If offers an 'all in one' package that makes it a practical text for world history courses. * Margaret B. Bodemer, California Polytechnic State University *

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Book SynopsisDiscover one family''s fascinating story in this beautiful, sweeping, multigenerational memoir, spanning 19th century south China to modern day Singapore''A captivating, compelling story of history, family loyalty, and personal sacrifice. A fascinating and richly textured multigenerational tale'' Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake''I would learn that when families tell stories, what they leave out re-defines what they keep in. With my family, these were not secrets intentionally withheld. Just truths too painful to confront . . .''________In the last years of her life, Teresa Lim''s mother, Violet Chang, had copies of a cherished family photograph made for those in the portrait who were still alive. On the back is the place and date: Hong Kong, 1935.Teresa would often look at this photograph, enticed by the fierceness and beauty of her great-aunt Fanny looking back at her. But Fanny never seemed to feature in the told and retold family stories. Why? she wondered.This photograph set Teresa on a journey to uncover her family''s remarkable history. Through detective work, serendipity, and the kindness of strangers, she was guided to the fascinating, extraordinary life of her great-aunt and her world of sworn spinsters, ghost husbands and the working-class feminists of 19th century south China.But to recover her great-aunt''s past, we first must get to know Fanny''s family, the times and circumstances in which they lived, and the momentous yet forgotten conflicts that would lead to war in Singapore and, ultimately, a long-buried family tragedy.________ The Interpreter''s Daughter is a beautifully moving record of an extraordinary family history. For fans of Wild Swans, The Hare With Amber Eyes, and Falling Leaves this is the next classic in the making.Trade ReviewA captivating, compelling story of history, family loyalty, and personal sacrifice... Teresa Lim's quest to uncover a hidden chapter in her family's history makes for a fascinating and richly textured, multigenerational tale * Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake *A captivating family history. Lim vividly recreates Singapore in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and lucidly explains historical matters and cultural traditions * Publisher's Weekly *Rich in the little-discussed history of Singaporean Chinese, this multigenerational memoir offers a timeless tale of the quest for identity, wholeness and truth. An eloquently enlightening family history * Kirkus Reviews *'A wonderful portrait of a family. One for lovers of Wild Swans. Hats off to Teresa Lim' -- Hope Adams

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Book SynopsisMidnight in Peking is a gripping true murder mystery by Paul FrenchTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER - AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4''A first-rate murder story, a thrilling narrative. Hurtles along from one cliffhanger to the next'' SpectatorPeking, 1937:The teenage daughter of a British consul is brutally slaughtered. The police investigation is botched; as war looms British and Chinese authorities close ranks. A grieving father vows to uncover the truth - alone.Seventy-five years later, historian Paul French uncovers a stash of forgotten documents revealing the killer''s identity . . .For those who loved The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil this is a riveting and evocative true crime classic.''Gripping, spellbinding . . . drawing the reader from the very first pages into an unwholesome, macabre world'' Guardian''Part historical docudrama, part tragic opera Trade ReviewAn instant true crime classic. Grips from the first page to the last -- David Peace, author of Red Riding and The Damned UnitedFascinating and irresistible. I couldn't put it down -- John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and EvilWritten in the style of a gripping murder mystery, but all the facts are true -- Kirsty Lang * BBC Radio 4 (Book of the Week) *Engrossing true crime whodunnit... A terrific read -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *Not only does Mr French succeed in solving the crime, he resurrects a period that was filled with glitter as well as evil * The Economist *French has an easygoing prose style... well chosen quotes bring a new vigour and crispness... [He] succeeds in giving voice to a tragic quest for justice * Sunday Telegraph *It is the storytelling flair that marks Midnight in Peking so highly above the run-of-the-mill true crime stories: with its false leads and twists, it sucks the reader in like the best fiction * The Scotsman *The shocking true tale, combined with prose you can't drag yourself away from, makes Midnight in Peking a work of non fiction as compulsive as any bestselling crime novel. It also brings justice at last for a young woman whose murder nearly went unsolved * Sunday Express *Terrific, engrossing ... a gruesome tale of a hitherto forgotten case, and of the sheer tenacity of a grieving father -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisA history of the great Mughal rulers of India, one of the world's greatest empires.Trade ReviewThis is a majesterial history covering six reigns of that larger-than-life empire... this paperback edition improves on the hardback with some full colour illustrations. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Fans of Starkey or Schama should now look east with Abraham Eraly... This edition improves on the hardback with a sumptuous selection of Mughal art. -- BOYD TONKIN * THE INDEPENDENT *An entertaining and informative journey charting the rise of the Mughal dynasty while examining the lives, concerns and fascinations of the first six of the 11 Indian emperors... who each in their different way ruled with a ruthless, ego-driven aggression that helped preserve thrones, cities, artefacts and harems while advocating war, pillage and plunder. * IRISH TIMES *Eraly's exhilarating saga of India's great emperors celebrates the last golden age of India, a great multicultural period of imperial achievement. * THE TIMES *An unashamedly old-fashioned narrative history of the Mughal Emperors. * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisLand-based, multi-domain anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) forces can play a role in deterring or defeating aggression. This report highlights growing Chinese and Russian A2/AD capabilities and potential scenarios for conflict in the Asia-Pacific region (centered on China) and the Baltic Sea (centered on Russia). Ground-based capabilities offer an affordable way for U.S. allies and partners to deter or defeat aggression.

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the religious crisis triggered by the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church set out to conquer faithful in new territories. The first missionaries to arrive in Japan were the Jesuits who were forced to adopt a different type of evangelization, with a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. This volume shows that Japan turned out to be a land of experimentation and development of a global Catholicism, as well as an unprecedented laboratory of encounter between political, scientific and religious cultures in the age of the first globalization. It analyzes the different conversion strategies developed by the Jesuit fathers toward various groups, including samurai, Buddhist bonzes and Japanese peasants. A key step was the appropriation of sacred space by the missionaries: first in a violent way with the construction of large crosses and the destruction of temples, pagodas and pagan idols, then through strategies more flexible and accommodating of replacing pTable of ContentsIntroduction I. Preaching a foreign God1. Missionary violence2. Christ’s samurai3. From persecutions to martyrdom II. Planting Crosses1. The conquest of sacred space2. Symbol of a suffering God III. The Miraculous Tree1. The cross in the trunk2. Christianizing ancient cults IV. The Wood of Martyrdom1. Crosses of blood2. The Japanese Roses of Nagasaki V. The Pope’s Samurai: Takayama Ukon1. A martyr without martyrdom2. The postmortem career: from failures to the altars

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Book SynopsisThis book is an accessible, comprehensive, and nuanced history of Pakistan. It reflects upon state and society in Pakistan and shows they have been shaped by historical forces and personae. Hoodbhoy expertly maps the journey of the region from many millennia ago to the circumstances and impulses that gave birth to the very first state in history founded upon religious identity. He documents colonial rule, the trauma of Partition, the nation's wars with India, the formation of Bangladesh, and the emergence of Baloch nationalism. The book also examines longstanding complex themes and issues such as religious fundamentalism, identity formation, democracy, and military rule as well as their impact on the future of the state of Pakistan.Drawing on a range of sources and written by one of the foremost intellectuals of the region, this book will be indispensable for scholars, researchers, students of history, politics, and South Asian studies. It will be of great interest to the gTrade ReviewHoodbhoy’s richly textured inquiry into Pakistan’s evolution from early days onward brings out reality, myth, hope. With penetrating insight and scrupulous care he explores and dismantles multiple poisonous fallacies. But this is no Jeremiad. The cures, he shows, exist as do hopes for a much brighter future.– Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), Massachusetts Institute of Technology A hard-hitting and truth-seeking analysis of how Pakistan came to be what it is today with the conclusion, first, that the very idea of Pakistan must be rethought, and second, suggestions as to how this might be done.– Francis Robinson, Professor of the History of South Asia, University of London (UK) The effort which has gone into writing this book can only be called monumental. It is highly recommended to all who are interested in truthful history and is especially recommended to those who disagree with the author - if only to promote rational, intellectual debate on the subject of Pakistan's origins and identity.– Tariq Rahman,​ Linguist, Humboldt Laureate, Distinguished National Professor of Social Sciences, HEC (Pakistan)In a bold sweep, Pervez Hoodbhoy seeks to analyze Pakistan's nationhood, its origins, its present, and its future, as also figures critical to the country's formation. The result is a clinical and candid book, yet one that is also constructive and very readable.– Rajmohan Gandhi, author, biographer, peace activist, IIT Gandhinagar (India)The book unabashedly lays bare facts of history that in the past were only just whispered. A brave expose and, equally, a desire for a different Pakistan that few dare talk about.– Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc. – Inside Pakistan’s Military EconomyAs a scientist, Hoodbhoy weighs evidence as he fearlessly digs into explaining and resolving crucial issues that present-day Pakistanis face. His scholarship is meticulous and wide-ranging, laying a foundation for an extraordinarily insightful exploration of Pakistan’s history and its social, cultural, and political dynamics extending into the present day. Withal, he reaches out to the reader with straightforward and clear questions, inviting informed revision of the conventional understanding of Pakistan.– Philip K. Oldenburg, Columbia University (USA)Agree with it or not, Pervez Hoodbhoy's book demands to be read. It provides the most thorough reversal of existing narratives about Pakistan's origins. A bracing and counter-intuitive interpretation of nationalist history. – Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University'Hoodbhoy’s richly textured inquiry into Pakistan’s evolution from early days onward brings out reality, myth, hope. With penetrating insight and scrupulous care he explores and dismantles multiple poisonous fallacies. But this is no Jeremiad. The cures, he shows, exist as do hopes for a much brighter future.'Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)'A hard-hitting and truth-seeking analysis of how Pakistan came to be what it is today with the conclusion, first, that the very idea of Pakistan must be rethought, and second, suggestions as to how this might be done.'Francis Robinson, Professor of the History of South Asia, University of London (UK)'The effort which has gone into writing this book can only be called monumental. It is highly recommended to all who are interested in truthful history and is especially recommended to those who disagree with the author - if only to promote rational, intellectual debate on the subject of Pakistan's origins and identity.'Tariq Rahman,​ Linguist, Humboldt Laureate, Distinguished National Professor of Social Sciences, HEC (Pakistan)'In a bold sweep, Pervez Hoodbhoy seeks to analyze Pakistan's nationhood, its origins, its present, and its future, as also figures critical to the country's formation. The result is a clinical and candid book, yet one that is also constructive and very readable.'Rajmohan Gandhi, author, biographer, peace activist, IIT Gandhinagar (India)'The book unabashedly lays bare facts of history that in the past were only just whispered. A brave expose and, equally, a desire for a different Pakistan that few dare talk about.'Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc. – Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy'As a scientist, Hoodbhoy weighs evidence as he fearlessly digs into explaining and resolving crucial issues that present-day Pakistanis face. His scholarship is meticulous and wide-ranging, laying a foundation for an extraordinarily insightful exploration of Pakistan’s history and its social, cultural, and political dynamics extending into the present day. Withal, he reaches out to the reader with straightforward and clear questions, inviting informed revision of the conventional understanding of Pakistan.'Philip K. Oldenburg, Columbia University (USA)'Agree with it or not, Pervez Hoodbhoy's book demands to be read. It provides the most thorough reversal of existing narratives about Pakistan's origins. A bracing and counter-intuitive interpretation of nationalist history.'Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford, UKTable of ContentsForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart One: Long Before The Two-Nation Idea 1. Identity Formation in Medieval India2. The British Reinvent IndiaPart Two: A Closer Look At Pakistan’s Three Founder-Heroes3. Founder I: The Lonely Modernizer4. Founder II: Premier Poet–Preacher–Politician5. Founder III: Liberal, Secular, Visionary?6. Jinnah Trounces his Muslim OpponentsPart Three: Postnatal Blues7. Stubborn Angularities I: East Pakistan8. Stubborn Angularities II: BalochistanPart Four: Five Big Questions9. Was Partition Worth the Price?10. What Is the Ideology of Pakistan – and Does It Matter?11. Why Couldn’t Pakistan Become an Islamic State?12. Why Is Pakistan a Praetorian State?13. Identity: I’m Pakistani, but What Am I?Part Five: Looking Ahead14. Three Physical Perils up Ahead15. The Paths Travelled Post-197116. Replacing the Two Nation TheoryIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book offers comprehensive coverage of Chinaâs military history from the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) to present.China has become one of the great world powers of the twenty-first century. As a result, Chinese leaders and observers outside of China alike seek to explain Chinaâs strategic thought and action. In doing so, they routinely refer to Chinaâs military history. This volume examines this history, beginning with the Qing dynastyâs era of imperial expansion and subsequent decline, continuing with the wars against foreign aggression and internal uprisings of the nineteenth century, the revolutionary overthrow of the Qing in 1911 and seemingly constant wars of the first half of the twentieth century and concluding with the Chinese Communist Partyâs use of military power from 1950 to present.This history is generally presented as a narrative of imperial greatness followed by a century of national humiliation followed by a recovery of national wealth and power under Communist Party leadership. Harold Tanner digs deeper to reveal a fundamental continuity of interests underlying Chinese strategic thinking from the Qing to the present while also showing how the theory and practice of war in China changed over time as Chinese political and military leaders wrestled with tremendous challenges, drawing on foreign sources as well as their own cultural heritage to seek new solutions.Both engaging and timely, War in Modern China: A Military History is essential reading for students, scholars, and enthusiasts of Chinese and global military history.

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Book SynopsisChris Horton is a reporter who has covered cross-strait politics, domestic politics, the economy, culture and breaking news in Taiwan for The New York Times, Bloomberg News, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Financial Times and Nikkei Asia. He has lived in Taiwan since 2015, and in China and Hong Kong for the decade preceding that. Ghost Nation is his first book.

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Book SynopsisIn the first study to incorporate majority Han and minority Uyghur perspectives on ethnic relations in Xinjiang following mass violence during July 2009, David Tobin analyses how official policy shapes identity and security dynamics on China''s northwest frontier. He explores how the 2009 violence unfolded and how the party-state responded to ask how official identity narratives and security policies shape practices on the ground. Combining ethnographic methodology with discourse analysis and participant-observation with in-depth interviews, Tobin examines how Han and Uyghurs interpret and reinterpret Chinese nation-building. He concludes that by treating Chinese identity as a security matter, the party-state exacerbates cycles of violence between Han and Uyghurs who increasingly understand each other as threats.Trade Review'If you want to understand Xinjiang and Chinese policymaking, read David Tobin's book. Its critique of Beijing's nation-building policy looks to both the local politics of Han-Uyghur relations, and the global politics of identity, security, and postcolonial IR. Tobin's fieldwork with both Han Chinese and Uyghurs in Ürümchi makes this book particularly valuable.' William A. Callahan, London School of Economics and Political Science'Tobin's timely treatise is of interest to specialists of the region, policy makers, development planners, social theorists, and comparative political scientists. His close analysis of the policies and events leading up to the watershed July 2009 riots, as well as his thoughtful sifting through the subsequent tidal shift in State policy toward the entire region, deftly explains the subsequent radical securitization of the region.' Dru C. Gladney, Pomona College'In one of the first ethnographic works on the post-2009 policy shift towards ethnic 'fusion', Tobin eloquently illustrates how boundaries in Xinjiang have hardened to produce a tripartite 'ethno-hierarchy of insecurities'. Most compelling is his argument that the multi-ethnic, Han-centric Zhonghua minzu is fatally flawed because it entails the competing logics of an imperial civilisation (which excludes Uyghurs as 'barbarians') and a modern nation-state (which seeks to violently transform and include them). Essential reading within and beyond Xinjiang studies.' Jo Smith Finley, Newcastle UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Securing China on the multi-ethnic frontier; 2. Mass education as an identity-security practice; 3. 'East Turkestan' in China's identity and security narratives; 4. Identity and insecurity after “7–5”; 5. Performing inclusion of the Uyghur other; 6. Han and Uyghur narratives on ethnic and national identity; 7. Han and Uyghur narratives on identity and insecurity; Conclusion: Identity and insecurity in Xinjiang; Appendix 1. Cast of characters; Appendix 2. Lyrics to “one family” – original Mandarin and English translation; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisFor decades, Hong Kong has maintained precarious freedom at the edge of competing world powers. In City on the Edge, Ho-fung Hung offers a timely and engaging account of Hong Kong''s development from precolonial times to the present, with particular focus on the post 1997 handover period. Through careful analysis of vast economic data, a myriad of political events, and intricate networks of actors and ideas, Hung offers readers insight into the fraught economic, political, and social forces that led to the 2019 uprising, while situating the protests in the context of global finance and the geopolitics of the US-China rivalry. A provocative contribution to the discussion on Hong Kong''s position in today''s world, City on the Edge demonstrates that the resistance and repression of 2019-2020 does not spell the end of Hong Kong but the beginning of a long conflict with global repercussions.Trade Review'At a time when many of Hong Kong's freedoms seem to have been extinguished, Ho-fung Hung brings historical knowledge and a deft analysis of capital to show that the desire for liberal values in the city is by no means dead and that a new more hopeful phase for Hong Kong may yet emerge.' Rana Mitter, Oxford University'A powerful book packed with incisive and informative analyses, animated by a deep and intimate understanding of the local people and society. Hung's masterful narrative places Hong Kong's storied history in global, regional, national and comparative perspectives. At a time of looming darkness and despair, this is essential reading for making sense of the past and forging a brave new future.' Ching Kwan Lee, UCLA & Founding Chair of the Society for Hong Kong Studies'… meticulous and informative … an illuminating look at an issue of grave geopolitical import.' Publishers Weekly'… a penetrating analysis of the city's evolution … Hung insists that the struggle for the future of Hong Kong has not ended. But his analysis of how Hong Kong arrived at this bleak state is so persuasive that it doesn't leave the reader with much hope.' Andrew J. Nathan, Foreign Affairs'a deeply researched and colourful history' Victor Mallet, Financial Times'… a timely and carefully researched expose of how China botched its stewardship of Hong Kong after taking over the British colony in 1997.' Ian Johnson, The New York Review of BooksTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. At Empires' Edge, 1197–1997; Part I. Capital: 3. The Making of China's Offshore Financial Center; 4. Mainlandization of Business Monopoly; Part II. Empire: 5. 'One Country, Two Systems' Before Hong Kong; 6. From Autonomy to Coercive Assimilation; Part III. Resistance: 7. The Class Politics of Democratic Movement; 8. Hong Kong as a Political Consciousness; 9. Conclusion: Endgame or New Beginning?

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between America and Pakistan is based on mutual incomprehension and always has been. Pakistan,to American eyes,has gone from being a quirky irrelevance, to a stabilizing friend, to an essential military ally, to a seedbed of terror. America,to Pakistani eyes,has been a guarantee of security, a coldly distant scold, an enthusiastic military enabler, and is now a threat to national security and a source of humiliation.The countries are not merely at odds. Each believes it can play the other,with sometimes absurd, sometimes tragic, results. The conventional narrative about the war in Afghanistan, for instance, has revolved around the Soviet invasion in 1979. But President Jimmy Carter signed the first authorization to help the Pakistani-backed mujahedeen covertly on July 3,almost six months before the Soviets invaded. Americans were told, and like to believe, that what followed was Charlie Wilson's war of Afghani liberation, with which they remain embroiled to this day. It was not. It was General Zia-ul-Haq's vicious regional power play.Husain Haqqani has a unique insight into Pakistan, his homeland, and America, where he was ambassador and is now a professor at Boston University. His life has mapped the relationship of the two countries and he has found himself often close to the heart of it, sometimes in very confrontational circumstances, and this has allowed him to write the story of a misbegotten diplomatic love affair, here memorably laid bare.Trade ReviewLibrary Journal "Haqqani uses his wealth of personal experience to present a detailed account of the genesis and evolution of U.S.-Pakistani relations over the last 60 years... The book is a useful resource for academics, journalists, and policymakers at all levels." Publishers Weekly "Insightful if disturbing... Making it clear why he is persona non grata in his homeland, Haqqani concludes that military aid has undermined Pakistan's democracy, converting it into a rentier state living off American money rather than its people's productivity." Asian Age "The book is part memoir, part searing indictment of Pakistan's flawed strategy of using jihadis to secure its strategic space... [Haqqani proves] himself to be a diligent and tireless researcher who backs up almost every stinging commentary on Pakistan's journey since independence to the present day, with fact." Mark Moyer, Wall Street Journal "[Haqqani's] purpose isn't to narrate his service as ambassador or score political points but to outline the contours of American relations with Pakistan over time, with a final chapter depicting the 2011 collapse as a new instance of historical trends. While one might desire a fuller accounting of his ambassadorship, the book covers its chosen ground superbly." Richard Leiby, Washington Post "A solid synthesis of history, political analysis and social critique." Lisa Curtis, National Interest "If you want a better understanding of why U.S. policy has failed so miserably in Pakistan, you should read Husain Haqqani's latest book... Fast-paced and highly readable... Haqqani has provided a well-documented and interesting account of the policy disconnects between the United States and Pakistan. His book should make a tremendous contribution toward grounding U.S. policy toward Pakistan in more realistic assumptions that will help avoid future crises between the two countries." Kirkus Reviews, starred review "[An] insightful, painful history of Pakistani-American relations... Demonstrating no mercy to either party, Haqqani admits that Pakistan verges on failed-state status but shows little patience with America's persistently shortsighted, fruitless policies."

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Book SynopsisAn internationally-renowned cartoonist and reluctant war vet details Japan's involvement in World War II. Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan continues Eisner award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki's historical and autobiographical account of Japanese life in the twentieth century. This volume covers the devastation of the Sino-Japanese War and the first few years of the Pacific War a chilling reminder of just how harsh life in Japan was during this hostile era. Pivotal events like the attack on Pearl Harbor are reframed as part of a larger context detailing the country's brutal military expansion into Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Its effects on the otherwise unseen Japanese populace similarly come to the fore. On a personal level, these years mark a dramatic transformation in Mizuki's life too. His idyllic youth in the countryside comes to an abrupt halt when he is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army against his will. On the tiny island of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, a constant struggle for survival ensues. Not only must he fend off attacks from Allied forces, but from the harsh discipline of his own commanding officers too. It is here that Mizuki comes to understand the misery and beauty of the island itself, a place that will permanently mark and haunt him for the rest of his life.

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Book SynopsisThe final, Eisner Award-winning chapter of a legendary cartoonist s history of Japan. Showa 1953-1989: A History of Japan concludes award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki's stunning historical and autobiographical series about Japanese life in the twentieth century. The final volume picks up in the wake of utter defeat in World War II, covering the United States shift from enemy to ally. Jobs, money, and opportunity are funneled along in a bid to establish the country as a bulwark against Communist expansion. Japan thus reinvents itself, emerging as an economic powerhouse. Events like the Tokyo Olympiad and the World's Fair reintroduce the world to a much friendlier Japan, but this period of peace and plenty conceals a populace still struggling to come to terms with the devastation of their all-too-recent past. Mizuki's own struggles mirror those of the nation during this period of recovery and reconciliation. He fights his way back from poverty, rising to the rank of cartoon celebrity beloved by millions of manga-reading children. However, prosperity cannot bring the happiness Mizuki craves, as he struggles to find meaning in the sacrifices made during the war. This visionary series, told by a true man of his time, is a magnum opus fully representative of the graphic novel as world literature.

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Book SynopsisI.B.Tauris in association with the Iran Heritage Foundation Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire has been acclaimed as one of the most intellectually exciting books about late antique Persia to have been published for years. It proposes a convincing contemporary answer to an age-old mystery and conundrum: why, in the seventh century ce, did the seemingly powerful and secure Sasanian empire of Persia succumb so quickly and disastrously to the all-conquering armies of Islam? In her bold solution to this enigma, Parvaneh Pourshariati explains that the decentralized dynastic system of the Sasanian ruling hierarchy in fact contained the seeds of its own destruction. This confederacy, whose powerbase relied on patronage and preferment, eventually became unstable, and its degeneration sealed the fate of a doomed dynasty.Trade Review'This is a monumental work of first-class scholarship. Its publication represents a landmark, and it immediately becomes the point of departure for further work on the many subjects it deals with. I can think of few other books I have read over the years that can match this work's astounding combination of originality, bold vision, clarity of presentation, meticulous examination of the sources, and practical puzzle-solving. I learned immensely from reading it. Dr Pourshariati's book is in my view one of the most important individual contributions to our understanding of the history of Iran since Christensen's L'Iran sous les Sassanades, published seventy years ago. Especially remarkable is the breadth of the author's agenda, and the way in which she has convincingly woven together different strands. These include: the political rivalry of the great families, the Sasanians' collapse before Byzantine and Muslim attacks, the religious diversity of medieval Iran, questions of historiography, the substance of the Iranian popular epic, and the important details to be gleaned from seals and other documents. Any one of these would be (and for many scholars has been) a subject for full immersion for many years, but Pourshariati has integrated each into a complex and meaningful whole, even as she has made signal contributions to the more detailed study of each one.' - Fred M Donner, Professor of Near Eastern History, University of Chicago, 'Both impressive and intellectually exciting, Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire is a major, even pathbreaking, work in the field - a field which this book should revolutionize.' - Stephen Dale, Professor of History, Ohio State University

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Book SynopsisA page-turning, laugh-out-loud historical adventure by comedian and broadcaster Iszi Lawrence, perfect for fans of Horrible Histories.Time flies when you're having fun. But what does it do when you're not?Sunil's next door neighbour Alex is trying to cheer him up after a tricky maths test sends his day pear-shaped. Originally searching for an American corn dog, Sunil and Alex are soon journeying through time to meet child versions of future leaders. From getting in a scrap defending a young Rosa Parks to fetching water with baby Genghis Khan and a close encounter with the Tudors, will Sunil and Alex want to come back home at all? And will Mr Shaykes and his pet kiwi ever keep it down?!_______________The Time Machine Next Door is an exciting new series of quirky historical chapter books for readers aged 7-9, to be enjoyed as a series or as standalone stories. Written by comedian, podcaster and children's author Iszi Lawrence, these books b

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Book SynopsisHow have Central Asians responded to China's growing role in their countries? Can Beijing maintain its dominant position in an increasingly hostile region?

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Book SynopsisA fresh take on the history of post-independence India, revealing how Muslim leaders in Congress and the community abandoned those they claimed to represent.

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Book SynopsisIn 1980, at the age of ten, Loung Ung escaped a devastated Cambodia and flew to the US as a refugee. She and her eldest brother, with whom she escaped, left behind their three surviving siblings, and her book is alternately heart-wrenching and heart-warming, as it follows the parallel lives of Loung and her closest sister, Chou, during the 15 years it took for them to be reunited. Their two worlds were very different, and Loung's depiction of the contrast between her life in the affluent West and that of her sister, who navigated her way through landmine-strewn fields and survived raids by the Khmer Rouge, is laced with the guilt she feels about being the lucky one. This powerful story helps us to understand what happens when a family is torn apart by politics, adversity and war. It is also the compelling and inspirational tale of a remarkable woman.Trade ReviewI encourage everyone to read this deeply moving and very important book -- Angelina JolieWhat could easily be a tale of despair and defeat becomes, through simple and poweful prose, a celebration of courage and humanity * The Times *A rich narrative that explores the ravages of war and strength of family bonds . . . far too relevant to our own time -- Amnesty InternationalHeart-rending and eloquent . . . A moving reminder of human resiliency and the power of family bonds * Newsweek *Change the names of the characters, give them another country of origin, and this story of dislocation becomes a tragedy millions of immigrants have lived through but seldom talk about * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Bernard Chiang records the history of his family and their contributions to Singapore's community in the country's early years. The book traces his family history, which spans across the countries of Singapore, China and Thailand, and across more than half a century. Following different branches of the Chiang family tree, it delves into his paternal family's ancestral roots and their ancestral home in the ancient port township of Zhanglin in Chenghai district of Shantou Prefecture, China, his extended family in Thailand, and his maternal family and their culture.The history of Chia Keng Village and its development via local bottom-up grassroots efforts are also chronicled in this volume. Of particular interest are the family's efforts in developing the kampong spirit in Chia Keng Village, including initiatives such as free clinics for the needy, a fire-fighting unit, and even an amateur Teochew Opera troupe. Through this book, the legacy of the Chiang family and Chia Keng Village lives on. It captures in its pages important events in the history of Singapore from a grassroots perspective, such as Konfrontasi and the racial riots of the 1960s.

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Book SynopsisBy 1969, following the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, over 500,000 US troops were in country' in Vietnam. Before America's longest war had ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975, 450,000 Vietnamese had died, along with 36,000 Americans. The Vietnam War was the first rock 'n' roll war, the first helicopter war with its doctrine of airmobility', and the first television war; it made napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange infamous, and gave us the New Journalism of Michael Herr and others. It also saw the establishment of the Navy SEALs and Delta Force. At home, America fractured, with the peace movement protesting against the war; at Kent State University, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on unarmed students, killing four and injuring nine. Lewis's compelling selection of the best writing to come out of a war covered by some truly outstanding writers, both journalists and combatants, includes an eyewitness account of the first major battle between the US Army and the People's Army

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Book SynopsisBy the time U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's squadron of four ships sailed into Tokyo Bay on July 8, 1853, the Japanese Tokugawa government had already fended off similarly unwelcome intrusions by the French, the Russians, the Dutch, and the British. These Western imperialists had the power and the means to force Japan into the kinds of treaties that would effectively spell the end of Japan’s autonomy, maybe even its existence as an independent country. At the same moment, Japan was also grappling with a serious insurrection, the death of an emperor, and the death of a shogun—as well as with a series of natural disasters and associated famines. The Japanese response to this incredible series of catastrophes would permanently alter the balance of geopolitical power around the world. Drawing on the best recent scholarship, this short introductory volume examines the motivations and maneuvers of the major participants in the conflict and sets the "opening" of Japan in the context of broader global history. Selections from twenty-​nine primary sources provide firsthand accounts of the event from a variety of perspectives. Several illustrations are also included, along with a note on historiographic interpretation.Trade Review"In this concise volume, Clark provides a nice split between detailed yet engaging narrative history—of the sort required to understand Japan in the context of the nineteenth century world—and primary sources that include updated translations, previously unused sources, classic texts, and helpful visual materials. A welcome addition to world, East Asian, and Japanese history courses." —Michael Wert, Marquette University

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Book SynopsisA Financial Times Best Book of the Year The first book that examines India's mega-publicity campaigns to theorize the global transformation of the nation-state into an attractive investment destination. The early twenty-first century was an optimistic moment of global futures-making. The chief narrative was the emergence of the BRICS nations—leading stars in the great spectacle of capitalist growth stories, branded afresh as resource-rich hubs of untapped talent and potential, and newly opened up for foreign investments. The old third-world nations were rapidly embracing the script of unbridled capitalism in the hope of arriving on the world stage. If the tantalizing promise of economic growth invited entrepreneurs to invest in the nation's exciting futures, it offered utopian visions of "good times," and even restoration of lost national glory, to the nation's citizens. Brand New Nation reaches into the past and, inevitably, the future of this phenomenon as well as the fundamental shifts it has wrought in our understanding of the nation-state. It reveals the on-the-ground experience of the relentless transformation of the nation-state into an "attractive investment destination" for global capital. As Ravinder Kaur provocatively argues, the brand new nation is not a mere nineteenth century re-run. It has come alive as a unified enclosure of capitalist growth and nationalist desire in the twenty-first century. Today, to be deemed an attractive nation-brand in the global economy is to be affirmed as a proper nation. The infusion of capital not only rejuvenates the nation; it also produces investment-fueled nationalism, a populist energy that can be turned into a powerful instrument of coercion. Grounded in the history of modern India, the book reveals the close kinship among identity economy and identity politics, publicity and populism, and violence and economic growth rapidly rearranging the liberal political order the world over.Trade Review"A hugely thoughtful and innovative analysis of the phenomenon known as 'India Inc.'. Skillfully written—with a good measure of irony, humor, and bite—this book will set the standard for our understanding of this topic and period." -- Sumathi Ramaswamy, James B. Duke Professor of History and International Comparative Studies * Duke University *"Brand New Nation takes us on a tour—a tour de force, really—of the changing trajectory of the nation-state: specifically, its transformation from a liberal democratic polity into a business enterprise, underpinned by the neoliberal faith in the capacity of markets to produce utopic futures. Ravinder Kaur has a wonderfully acute eye for the telling example, the revealing case, the moment of historical rupture that opens a window onto the process of nation branding and the corporatization of the state. As a result, Brand New Nation is a riveting read—in addition to being a pathbreaking piece of work." -- John Comaroff * Harvard University *"Ravinder Kaur convincingly argues that the era of 'happy globalization' is over in India and that it is largely responsible for the dominant repertoire of national-populism under Modi. It is not only the new middle class that has asserted itself after the 1991 liberalization that is very supportive of Hindu nationalism, but the aspiring categories coming from the plebeians are also finding a sense of belonging in Hindutva politics. Kaur's book is a truly remarkable exploration of the unintended political consequences of economic developments, as in India capitalism and religious national-populism have clear affinities." -- Christophe Jaffrelot, Research Director * Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique *"[Brand New Nation] offers a new, enriching, and also, counter-intuitive perspective....This important book is a must-read." -- Roshan Kishore * Hindustan Times *"This book addresses...[many] questions with clarity and insight, and is an important read for all interested in contemporary India, media and cultural studies, and the making of a hegemonic imaginary." -- Aparna Gopalan * New Books Network *"This is an original and highly provocative book." -- Martin Wolf * Financial Times *"[Kaur] peels off layers and layers of contemporary Indian history to prove, on her own terms, that the 'manifestation of Hindu cultural nationalism and market liberalisation' owe their dominance to each other....Following the course of Kaur's arguments is a sheer treat." -- Ullekh NP * Open Magazine *"Ravinder Kaur has written a perceptive, compelling, and very engaging book. This is the first systematic treatment of the remaking of politics and ideology in the wake of the economic resurgence in India and offers a radical rethinking of nationalism." -- Tirthankar Roy * H-Asia *"Kaur's work is a lyrical tale of pitching India to the world as an 'attractive destination for investment capital.'... She shines in every page of Brand New Nation, and every page is a treat of elegant writing, sharp insights, and nuanced analysis." -- Tarique Niazi * Global Policy *"Brand New Nationis atour de forcethat sheds light on how post-colonial India has changed and is changing rapidly. Kaur's book opens our eyes to those changes." -- Karthik Nachiappan * The Wire *

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Book SynopsisThe war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C.  —H. R. McMaster (from the Conclusion)Dereliction Of Duty is a stunning analysis of how and why the United States became involved in an all-out and disastrous war in Southeast Asia. Fully and convincingly researched, based on transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations and decisions, it is the only book that fully re-creates what happened and why. McMaster pinpoints the policies and decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the published theories of other historians and excuses of the participants.A page-turning narrative, Dereliction Of Duty focuses on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy and other top aides who deliberately deceived the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Congress and the American public.McMaster’s only book, Dereliction of Duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the United States involvement in Vietnam.

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Book SynopsisPresents the history of Japan from c 8000 BC to the present day. This title covers a range of subjects, including geology, climate, agriculture, government and politics, culture, literature, media, foreign relations, imperialism, and industrialism.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations. Conventions Used. Acknowledgements. Preface. Maps. Introduction. Part I: Beginnings:. 1. Geology, Climate, and Biota. 2. From Origins to Agriculture. Part II: The Age of Dispersed Agriculturalists (400 BCE - 1250 CE):. 3. Political Consolidation to 671 CE. 4. Establishing the Ritsuryô Order (672-750). 5. Ritsuryô Adaptation and Decay (750-1250). 6. Classical Higher Culture (750-1250). Part III: The Age of Intensive Agriculture (1250-1890):. 7. The Centuries of Disorder (1250-1890). 8. Medieval Higher Culture (1250-1550). 9. Establishing the Bakuhan Order (1550-1700). 10. The Age of Growth (1590-1700). 11. Stasis and Decay (1700-1850). 12. Crisis and Redirection (1800-1890). Part IV: The Age of Industrialism: Early Decades (1890-Present):. 13. Early Imperial Triumph (1890-1914). 14. Early Imperial Society and Culture. 15. Later Imperial Politics and Economy (1914-1945). 16. Later Imperial Society and Culture (1914-1945). 17. Drift to Disaster (1914-1945). 18. Entrepreneurial Japan: Politics and Economy (1945-1990). 19. Society and Environment (1945-1990). 20. The Culture of Entrepreneurial Japan (1945-1990). Epilogue: Japan Today and Tomorrow. Endnotes. Appendices. A. Tables I-X. B. Chinese Words: Wade-Giles & Pinyin Orthographies. C. Glossary of Japanese Terms. D. Supplemental. Readings. Index

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION''S JOHN K. FAIRBANK PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDHILL HISTORY PRIZE 2017''This is the finest single-volume history of Vietnam in English. It challenges myths, and raises questions about the socialist republic''s political future'' Guardian''Powerful and compelling. Vietnam will be of growing importance in the twenty-first-century world, particularly as China and the US rethink their roles in Asia. Christopher Goscha''s book is a brilliant account of that country''s history.'' - Rana Mitter''A vigorous, eye-opening account of a country of great importance to the world, past and future'' - Kirkus ReviewsOver the centuries the Vietnamese have beenboth colonizers themselves and the victims of colonization by others. Their country expanded, shrunk, split and sometimes disappeared, often under circumstances far beyond their control. Despite these often overwhelming pressures,Trade ReviewChallenges myths, and raises questions about the socialist republic's political future... groundbreaking... Goscha manages the (not easy) task of showing Vietnam's complexity without losing the reader with too much detail... quite simply the finest, most readable single-volume history of Vietnam in English' -- Joshua Kurlantzick * Guardian *A vigorous, eye-opening account of a country of great importance to the world, past and future. * Kirkus Reviews *For those who have wanted a distinct and comprehensive overview of Vietnam's history, this is it. Christopher Goscha has an eye for how history connects through generations and how a country can rise from disasters in a new form, without losing sight of its past -- Odd Arne Westad, author of Restless Empire: China and the World Since 1750A splendid achievement. Christopher Goscha is one of our leading historians of modern Vietnam, and he shows it in this nuanced, fair-minded, deeply humane book. Destined to be a standard work on the subject -- Fredrik Logevall, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s VietnamPowerful and compelling. Vietnam will be of growing importance in the twenty-first-century world, particularly as China and the US rethink their roles in Asia. Christopher Goscha's book is a brilliant account of that country's history. Paying careful attention to Vietnamese voices as well as those of colonizers, he constructs a narrative that sets Vietnam in context, and makes it for western readers so much more than a half-remembered event in the Cold War -- Rana MitterA perceptive and much needed contribution to our understanding of Vietnam. Christopher Goscha's prodigious research is equaled only by his intimate understanding of Vietnamese culture, people, and history -- Larry Berman, author of Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, Time Magazine Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent

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Book SynopsisFrom Hello Kitty to Maneki Neko—Japan is the epicentre of global cat culture!Whether lurking in corners or taking center stage, cats are a ubiquitous presence in Japanese art. Depending on the situation, they may invite good fortune, prompt the viewer to meditate on a tale or provide evidence of an unseen world of magic and supernatural happenings.In 200 charming woodblock prints, paintings, screens and figurines spanning three centuries, Japanese art expert Rhiannon Paget celebrates the rich symbolism and surprising stories surrounding the feline image in Japan. This collection features works from over 30 museums and institions across the world, and contains essays on the following fascinating topics: Domestic Companion or Household God? Japanese artists represent the great affection and sense of pride which bonds cat owners to their pets The Feline Muse: Feline figures as ideal subjects for artists to explore in fluid lines and organic forms, their glossy fur and markings lending themselves to the interplay of textures and materials Lucky Cats: Auspicious creatures in Japanese culture, symbolizing health, longevity and prosperity Mischief and Mayhem: Japan's rich visual record of cats as witches and feline monsters Philosophers' Cats, Teachers' Pets and Moggies with Messages: The felines deployed to illustrate philosophical and religious ideas, and as conveyors of folk wisdom Plus much more! This delightful book will appeal to anyone with an interest in Japanese art and culture, plus of course to all cat lovers!Trade Review"Splendidly illustrated and meticulously researched, this charming and erudite book brings the richness and complexity of the feline subject in Japanese art into lively relief." --Andreas Marks, Ph.D., Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and Director of the Clark Center for Japanese Art"As curator Rhiannon Paget writes in her new illustrated book Divine Felines: The Cat in Japanese Art, cats are represented in the miniature sculptures known as netsuke, popular in the 17th to 19th centuries, and as a 'droll foil' for a beautiful woman in a painting by Hokusai (ca. 1803-04).…Some striking prints in Divine Felines come from 20th-century artists influenced by Western art, especially after the postwar American occupation of Japan." —Peter Saenger, The Wall Street Journal"Packed with a lavish amount of iconic feline-themed work with detailed descriptions, Divine Felines is a delightful and well-researched foray into cats in Japanese art." --Manami Okazaki, author of Japanese Kokeshi Dolls

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Book SynopsisThe history of Asia can be told through its great port cities: Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai, Nagasaki, Basra, Aden, Jeddah, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Colombo, Batavia (Jakarta), Manila, Singapore, and many others. For millennia, port cities have been centres of global trade and the exchange of goods, peoples, cultures and ideas. They developed into cosmopolitan, multicultural societies and evolved distinctive, hybrid styles of art, architecture, material culture and ways of living. They were also crucibles of innovation, and have played an enormous, though under-appreciated, role in the spread of new technologies, new forms of creative expression and new ways of thinking throughout Asia. This book takes the reader on an epic journey across maritime Asia and the Indian Ocean, stopping at 60 port cities along the coasts and rivers of China, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and Africa. The timeframe of the book is equally sweepin

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