A superb account of how European imperialism in Asia was undermined by a network of ingenious radicals, who used printing presses, global travel and the colonisers' languages to spread their... read more
Takes the reader from the earliest written accounts to the present in vivid portraits. The empress Masako is there, and presumably princess Murasaki Shikibu, whose diary is not only fascina... read more
Despite his prominence as a crucial figure in China's struggle against deforestation, Purdom (1880-1921) has been largely overlooked by history. He lived a short, quietly heroic life, campai... read more
The earliest mosque still standing in something close to its original state. An excellently researched book, as you would expect from this publisher. Illustrated.
Argues that the West's strategy with China has failed: trade and contact with the West have left it more aggressive, repressive and threatening than ever.
From the perspective of the people who have worked and lived there since 1862, when it was a fishing village, rather than of the imperial powers who controlled it.
In 1600 Adams was the first English man to step on Japanese shores - one of only nine survivors of a Dutch trading expedition. He became the shogun's advisor and ship builder, and a samurai.... read more
The 60 years following the Portuguese arrival in the Moluccas in 1511 saw an epic global struggle for the sources and distribution of this new geyser of wealth. Told with verve and authority... read more
From the home of the indigenous Formosans to a European trading post, from a Japanese colony to the last bastion of the Republic of China. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understan... read more
A wander through the city's various districts by one of Korea's foremost architects: his love of old Seoul, with its low-rise neighbourhoods and narrow streets, is palpable.The Korean taste ... read more