Asia Audiobooks | History

Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story

"It has been a century since the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh, but Punjab is still to recover from the shock of it. The British Empire never did either-the impact of those bullets fired for ten minutes at an unarmed, peaceful crowd inside a community park with one narrow exit rang through its remaining years in India. Yet, the true horror of the event itself has been forgotten, as also the volatile atmosphere in Punjab at the time. What was the catalyst for the events of that day and how did it become a turning point in India's struggle for independence? Why did the British feel the need to impose martial law on Amritsar, which had shown little inclination for violence, despite provocation? What do we know about the individuals whose lives spun out of control on 19 April 1919, never to recover? Why did the people of Punjab suffer barbaric punishments, including public flogging, torture and even bombing, unknown to the rest of the world? These 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. Based on the reports of the Hunter Committee and the Indian National Congress, as well as other historical documents, Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story provides a sharp analysis of General Dyer's actions and their fallout-the official narrative and the Indian counter-narratives."

Kishwar Desai (Author), Shivani Vakil Savant (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ghost Nation: The Story of Taiwan and Its Struggle for Survival

"'Indispensable and timely' - Melissa Chan, Emmy-nominated international affairs correspondent 'Few books qualify as essential reading but Ghost Nation is one of them' - Clive Hamilton, bestselling co-author of The Hidden Hand The gripping story of Taiwan's past and precarious present from one of Taiwan's top foreign correspondents. With all eyes on Ukraine and the Middle East, Taiwan is emerging as the next geopolitical tinderbox. Despite sitting at the heart of the tense relationship between China and the US, Taiwan's history and its people have long been overlooked and misunderstood. In Ghost Nation, Taiwan-based journalist Chris Horton tells their stories and explores why this diplomatically isolated country has become such an important player on the world stage. As China's military preparations continue apace, the stakes have never been higher. Perched precariously on the fault-lines of global power, the fate of this vibrant democracy and tech colossus will shape Asia's future - either containing or facilitating China's expansionist goals. Drawing from over a decade of living and reporting in Taiwan, and informed by interviews with everyday citizens, presidents and other key figures, Horton provides a panoramic view of this fascinating country. Ghost Nation will leave listeners with a profound appreciation for Taiwan's struggle for self-determination - and its pivotal role in our shared future. 'An unmissable account . . . Accessible, entertaining and immaculately researched' - Dr Jonathan Sullivan, co-author of Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat and former Director of the China Policy Institute"

Chris Horton (Author), Christopher Ragland (Narrator)

Audiobook

China's Church Divided: Bishop Louis Jin and the Post-Mao Catholic Revival

"During the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese state sought to eradicate religious life throughout the country. But by 1978, two years after the death of Mao Zedong, the Communist Party under Deng Xiaoping cautiously embraced the revival of religion. At the same time, the newly elected Pope John Paul II made a point of renewing outreach to China. Paul P. Mariani tracks the fate of Chinese Catholicism in the wake of these transformative leadership changes, focusing on the influential Catholic community in Shanghai. Earlier policies of the 1950s had fractured the Catholic community into a state-approved 'patriotic' church that answered to the government and an underground church loyal to Rome. Even after the Cultural Revolution, Mariani shows, this divide remained firmly intact. The resulting tensions were on vivid display in Shanghai, owing to the leadership of the Jesuit priest Louis Jin Luxian. Bishop Jin used his position to revitalize the local Catholic community, but his cooperation with the party put him ever at odds with underground church leaders. Sensitive to the ideals, compromises, and disappointments of Catholics on both sides of the rift, China's Church Divided reveals how the community navigated the irreconcilable differences between a worldwide Church centered in Rome and a regime wary of foreign spiritual authority."

Paul P. Mariani (Author), Bob Souer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Vietnam War: A Military History

"“Remarkable… the best overview of America’s misadventure in Southeast Asia, and it is sure to become the standard one-volume book on the war.” – Thomas E. Ricks, New York Times The Vietnam War cast a shadow over the American psyche from the moment it began. In its time it sparked budget deficits, campus protests, and an erosion of US influence around the world. Long after the last helicopter evacuated Saigon, Americans have continued to battle over whether it was ever a winnable war. Based on thousands of pages of military, diplomatic, and intelligence documents, Geoffrey Wawro’s The Vietnam War offers a definitive account of a war of choice that was doomed from its inception. In devastating detail, Wawro narrates campaigns where US troops struggled even to find the enemy in the South Vietnamese wilderness, let alone kill sufficient numbers to turn the tide in their favor. Yet the war dragged on, prolonged by presidents and military leaders who feared the political consequences of accepting defeat. In the end, no number of young lives lost or bombs dropped could prevent America’s ally, the corrupt South Vietnamese regime, from collapsing the moment US troops retreated. Broad, definitive, and illuminating, The Vietnam War offers an unsettling, resonant story of the limitations of American power. This audiobook is expertly read by Andy Ingalls, with audio engineering by Mike Thal. Produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, LLC an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont."

Geoffrey Wawro (Author), Andy Ingalls (Narrator)

Audiobook

Samurai: From Feudal Warriors to the Fall of a Legend

"This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice. Samurai: From Feudal Warriors to the Fall of a Legend Honor. Power. Betrayal. The true story behind the myth. Step into the shadows of ancient Japan and uncover the riveting saga of the samurai, the elite warrior class whose fierce loyalty, deadly skill, and unbreakable code of honor shaped the destiny of an empire. From their blood-soaked rise during the Heian period to their dominance under the shogunate and eventual downfall in the modern age, Samurai: From Feudal Warriors to the Fall of a Legend brings history to life like never before. Journey through epic battles, political intrigue, and the philosophical heart of bushidō, the soul of the samurai. ✔Richly detailed and deeply researched ✔Features legendary figures like Miyamoto Musashi, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu ✔Perfect for fans of military history, Japanese culture, and epic storytelling Whether you're a seasoned historian or a curious reader, this book offers a gripping narrative that is both educational and unforgettable. Discover how these warrior legends lived, fought, and died, and why their legacy still captivates the world today. Unlock the legend. Learn the truth. Become part of the story."

Jodie Brooks (Author), Synthesized voice – unspecified (Narrator)

Audiobook

Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia

"** THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER ** 'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' PETER FRANKOPAN 'Remarkable … The prose is vivid, the storytelling cinematic' GUARDIAN ‘This book is a revelation … both original and important' MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait – were bound together under a single imperial banner, an entity known officially as the ‘Indian Empire’, or more simply as the Raj. It was the British Empire’s crown jewel, a vast dominion stretching from the Red Sea to the jungles of Southeast Asia, home to a quarter of the world’s population and encompassing the largest Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian communities on the planet. Its people used the Indian rupee, were issued passports stamped ‘Indian Empire’, and were guarded by armies garrisoned in forts from the Bab el-Mandeb to the Himalayas And then, in the space of just fifty years, the Indian Empire shattered. Five partitions tore it apart, carving out new nations, redrawing maps, and leaving behind a legacy of war, exile and division. Shattered Lands, for the first time, presents the whole story of how the Indian Empire was unmade. How a single, sprawling dominion became twelve modern nations. How maps were redrawn in boardrooms and on battlefields, by politicians in London and revolutionaries in Delhi, by kings in remote palaces and soldiers in trenches. Its legacies include civil war in Burma and ongoing insurgencies in Kashmir, Baluchistan and Northeast India, and the Rohingya genocide. It is a history of ambition and betrayal, of forgotten wars and unlikely alliances, of borders carved with ink and fire. And, above all, it is the story of how the map of modern Asia was made. Sam Dalrymple’s stunning history is based on deep archival research, previously untranslated private memoirs, and interviews in English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Konyak, Arabic and Burmese. From portraits of the key political players to accounts of those swept up in these wars and mass migrations, Shattered Lands is vivid, compelling, thought-provoking history at its best. ‘A stunning achievement. Shattered Lands reframes the story of South Asia with rare empathy and elegance, breathing life into the legacies of the partitions that shape a quarter of our world today’ THANT MYINT-U ‘This richly researched, vividly written book tells the story of how a colossal and powerful Empire was broken up into many distinct nation-states…An impressive debut by a gifted and very energetic young writer’ RAMACHANDRA GUHA"

Sam Dalrymple (Author), Sam Dalrymple (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Milk Tea Alliance: Inside Asia's Struggle Against Autocracy and Beijing

"Why are activists in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Burma willing to court danger to help one another? The political situations in Burma, Thailand, and Hong Kong are radically different. Only Burma is in a state of civil war. Only Hong Kong has changed in just a few years from a place with virtually no political prisoners to one with many. Only Thailand is a monarchy with lèse-majesté laws. Yet, many young activists and exiles from these regions feel that their struggles are connected. Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom met dozens of dissidents, including Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, known for his protests against compulsory Thai military service; Agnes Chow, co-founder of a political party now banned in Hong Kong; and Ye Myint Win (aka Nickey Diamond), who fled to Germany from Burma in the early 2020s, fearing reprisal from the junta for his human rights work. Activists like these three express solidarity with one another online and on the streets, and sometimes refer to themselves as belonging to the "Milk Tea Alliance," a nod to their shared opposition to nationalistic Beijing loyalists and the fact that their cultures' iconic drinks contain dairy, unlike mainland China's traditional tea. How do these activists, each facing their unique situations, find common ground and sustain one another? Wasserstrom traveled globally to interview members of this loosely constituted alliance, meeting some in Asia and others in exile, finding them united by democratic values, shared concerns over autocrats, and the rising influence of a common adversary-the Chinese Communist Party."

Jeffrey Wasserstrom (Author), Nancy Wu (Narrator)

Audiobook

India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent

"Much of world history is Indian history. Home today to one in four people, the subcontinent has long been densely populated and deeply connected to Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas through migration and trade. In this magisterial history, Audrey Truschke tells the fascinating story of the region historically known as India—which includes today’s India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan—and the people who have lived there. A sweeping account of five millennia, from the dawn of the Indus Valley Civilization to the twenty-first century, this engaging and richly textured narrative chronicles the most important political, social, religious, intellectual, and cultural events. And throughout, it describes how the region has been continuously reshaped by its astonishing diversity, religious and political innovations, and social stratification. Here, readers will learn about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism; the Vedas and Mahabharata; Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire; the Silk Road; the Cholas; Indo-Persian rule; the Mughal Empire; European colonialism; national independence movements; the 1947 Partition of India; the recent rise of Hindu nationalism; the challenges of climate change; and much more. Emphasizing the diversity of human experiences on the subcontinent, the book presents a wide range of voices, including those of women, religious minorities, lower classes, and other marginalized groups. You cannot understand India today without appreciating its deeply contested history, which continues to drive current events and controversies. A comprehensive and innovative book, India is essential reading for anyone who is interested in the past, present, or future of the subcontinent. “Audrey Truschke’s India is the first scholarly one-volume history of the subcontinent to be published in a quarter century—and it was worth the wait. A book informed by a remarkable command of languages and primary texts and a historical range that few scholars possess, it offers a rich, up-to-date resource for students, teachers, and general readers alike.”—Sheldon Pollock, author of The Language of the Gods in the World of Men"

Audrey Truschke (Author), Audrey Truschke (Narrator)

Audiobook

Accidental Tyrant: The Life of Kim Il-Sung

"Kim Il-sung was the enigmatic architect of North Korea. His life is an extraordinary tale of improbable success: once a barely educated guerrilla fighter, he rose to lead the nation at the young age of thirty-three. Against all odds, he established a horrifyingly stable dictatorial regime, one that still struggles to provide for its people, yet could obliterate Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and much of East Asia in nuclear strikes. Based on extensive new sources in Korean, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese, Fyodor Tertitskiy tells the unlikely story of one of the twentieth century's most brutal but little-known dictators, from his early life in Japanese Korea to the lasting repercussions of his autocratic rule today. Tertitskiy showcases Kim's political prowess in gaining autonomy from the USSR; explores how his inept economic policy led to catastrophic famine; and highlights how he implemented a system of hereditary rule, paving the way for today's 'Supreme Leader', Kim Jong-un, to assume power and continue his grandfather's vision. Accidental Tyrant serves as a stark cautionary tale, underscoring that the triumph of liberty is never guaranteed. Met with insufficient resistance, even the most unlikely leader can build a regime of repression and privation that long outlives its founder."

Fyodor Tertitskiy (Author), Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Should the World Fear China?

"For Washington, China is a strategic competitor: the only country with both the will to reshape the world order and, increasingly, the means to do so. For Europe, the People's Republic is a 'partner for cooperation, an economic competitor, and a systemic rival'. For NATO, it is a 'decisive enabler' of Russia's war against Ukraine. Yet Beijing's image is far more positive in the Global South, of which the PRC considers itself a part. Zhou Bo's essays unpack China's own view of its role today. The PRC is operating not only in a world becoming less Western, but—more importantly—a West becoming less Western; and the key to its outlook lies in Africa, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific as much as in Europe and the White House. Are Moscow and Beijing really so closely aligned? Where are Sino-Indian relations headed? Is China a new Cold-War foe for the West? Or will economic ties inevitably bring the two powers closer together?"

Zhou Bo (Author), David Cui Cui (Narrator)

Audiobook

Fuji Fire: Sifting Ashes of a Forgotten U.S. Marine Corps Tragedy

"On October 19, 1979, the largest, most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded propelled 5,500 gallons of gasoline into corrugated steel huts filled with United States Marines. The gas ignited, injuring seventy-three people, thirteen of them fatally. The Marine Corps commandant, a veteran of combat in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, was stunned as he met scores of horribly burned survivors. 'Having witnessed a lot of bad things, ugly things,' the general declared, 'none can compare to that experience.' And yet this 1979 catastrophe on the slopes of Japan's iconic Mount Fuji remains all but forgotten except by those directly affected. Now, the fruits of Chas Henry's exhaustive four-year, two-continent investigation provide insight into what many have called the United States Marine Corps' worst-ever peacetime disaster. Fuji Fire shares the compelling and intimate stories of heartbreak and inspiration forged by these events while bringing to light new, critical analyses of the incident's causes and effects."

Chas Henry (Author), Chas Henry (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Sepoy Mutiny: India's First War of Independence

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The roots of the Sepoy Mutiny, or India’s First War of Independence, can be traced back to the long period of British colonial rule in India. British imperialism had a profound impact on the socio-economic fabric of Indian society, as the British East India Company systematically dismantled traditional systems of governance, trade, and culture. The British imposed policies that were not only economically exploitative but also culturally insensitive. The Indian population, especially the peasantry, suffered due to heavy taxation and the destruction of traditional industries. The Indian nobility, once powerful and autonomous under Mughal rule, found themselves losing influence and autonomy as the British solidified their control. Alongside these socio-economic changes, there was growing resentment among the Indian population over the increasing interference in religious and cultural practices. The British policy of ‘civilizing’ India through missionary work and the introduction of Western norms often clashed with the deeply rooted traditions of the Indian people. In particular, the British made efforts to reform Hindu and Muslim practices, such as the outlawing of Sati (the practice of a widow self-immolating on her husband’s funeral pyre) and the introduction of laws allowing widows to remarry. While some of these reforms were beneficial, they were perceived by many as an attack on India’s religious and cultural identity. The discontent simmered under the surface, but what truly sparked the flames of rebellion was the growing resentment among the sepoys, the Indian soldiers in the British East India Company’s army. The sepoys had long been subject to humiliating treatment, low pay, and the imposition of foreign orders."

Nova Ashford (Author), Digital Voice Ava G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History