Asia Audiobooks | History

The Indian Mosaic: Successes, Struggles, and Solution

"In 'The Indian Mosaic: Successes, Struggles, and Solutions,' author Sandeep Chavan takes readers on an enlightening journey through the vibrant tapestry of modern India. This comprehensive exploration delves into the nation's rich cultural heritage, its dynamic economy, and the social transformations shaping its future. From the bustling streets of urban centers to the serene landscapes of rural communities, Chavan paints a vivid picture of India’s diversity, celebrating its achievements while candidly addressing the challenges that persist. The book navigates through key themes such as technological advancements, educational reforms, environmental concerns, and the empowerment of youth, offering a balanced perspective that reflects both hope and realism. As India stands on the brink of its centenary of independence, this book serves as a timely reflection on the path forward. Chavan articulates a compelling vision for the future, emphasizing sustainability, inclusivity, and collaborative efforts between government, civil society, and the private sector. 'The Indian Mosaic' is not just a chronicle of a nation; it is a call to action for all Indians—both at home and abroad—to engage in the ongoing dialogue about their country’s trajectory. It invites readers to reflect on their roles in shaping India’s destiny and inspires a collective commitment to nation-building. Whether you are an Indian citizen, a member of the diaspora, or simply someone interested in understanding the complexities of a rapidly evolving nation, this book provides valuable insights and thought-provoking narratives that resonate across borders. Discover the multifaceted identity of India through the eyes of a passionate educator and thinker, and join the journey towards a brighter, more equitable future."

Sandeep Chavan (Author), Stephen Pierce (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Origins of Chinese Civilization: A History of China

"'Origins of Chinese Civilization: A History of China' by Hui Wang takes you on a journey through China's ancient past, told in a way that feels like you're listening to an elder recounting myths around a campfire. The book starts with Fuxi, the first leader, whose inventions like the Eight Trigrams and fishing nets shaped early Chinese culture. The story moves through key figures like Nüwa, who patched the sky and shaped humanity from clay, and the Yan Emperor, who pioneered agriculture and medicine. Finally, the legendary Yellow Emperor, known as a creator of civilization, brings the narrative into a more organized and developed era. The legends are filled with fascinating myths—like Fuxi's miraculous birth from a footprint, or Nüwa molding people from earth, and the rise of agriculture through Emperor Yan's curiosity about plants. The author doesn't simply recite the historical figures but adds warmth, humor, and a sense of connection, making it easy to see why these stories have endured for thousands of years. It's not just about dates and events; it's about people trying to live better, inventing things that changed their daily lives, and facing challenges with creativity and resilience. This book is perfect for those who want to explore Chinese history not through dry facts but with lively storytelling that brings ancient China to life."

Hui Wang (Author), Frederick Surrey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Piracy and the Making of the Spanish Pacific World

"Piracy and the Making of the Spanish Pacific World offers a new interpretation of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippine islands. Drawing on the rich archives of Spain's Asian empire, Kristie Patricia Flannery reveals that Spanish colonial officials and Catholic missionaries forged alliances with Indigenous Filipinos and Chinese migrant settlers in the Southeast Asian archipelago to wage war against waves of pirates, and even the British fleet that attacked at the height of the Seven Years' War. This revisionist study complicates the assumption that empire was imposed on Filipinos with brute force alone. Rather, anti-piracy also shaped the politics of belonging in the colonial Philippines. Real and imagined pirate threats especially influenced the fate and fortunes of Chinese migrants in the islands. They triggered genocidal massacres of the Chinese at some junctures, and at others facilitated Chinese integration into the Catholic nation as loyal vassals. Piracy and the Making of the Spanish Pacific World demonstrates that piracy is key to explaining the surprising longevity of Spain's Asian empire, which survived the Age of Revolutions and endured almost to the end of the nineteenth century. It offers important new insight into piracy's impact on the trajectory of globalization and European imperial expansion in maritime Asia."

Kristie Patricia Flannery (Author), Brigid Lohrey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pakistan's ISI: A Concise History of the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate

"Forged during the tumultuous aftermath of Partition in 1947, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) has grown to become the preeminent intelligence service in Pakistan. Its capabilities are comprehensive, its remit covers both foreign and domestic intelligence, and it is one of the most feared and respected agencies of the Global South. Pakistan's ISI provides an up-to-date and detailed introduction to the ISI and its historical evolution. The narrative is rooted in a deep and wide-ranging contextualization of the state of Pakistan and its security environment. The story is one of an agency that grew from humble beginnings into an extremely capable and robust force at the heart of power in the state. The ISI utilizes broad human intelligence networks and employs covert action and support for militants, particularly in its rivalry with India. As a crucial intelligence partner for the West during the Cold War and into the contemporary era, the ISI has been both an essential ally and problematic partner. The shadow of this agency continues to loom over Pakistan's democratic institutions. This book will appeal to students, scholars, and general listeners interested in intelligence and the politics and history of South Asia."

Julian Richards (Author), Mike Cooper (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Great Reversal: Britain, China and the 400-Year Contest for Power

"A vivid history of the relationship between Britain and China, from 1600 to the present The relationship between Britain and China has shaped the modern world. Chinese art, philosophy, and science have had a profound effect upon British culture, while the long history of British exploitation is still bitterly remembered in China today. But how has their interaction changed over time? From the early days of the East India Company through the violence of the Opium Wars to present-day disputes over Hong Kong, Kerry Brown charts this turbulent and intriguing relationship in full. Britain has always sought to dominate China economically and politically, while China's ideas and exports—from tea and Chinoiserie to porcelain and silk—have continued to fascinate in the west. But by the later twentieth century, the balance of power began to shift in China's favor, with global consequences. Brown shows how these interactions changed the world order—and argues that an understanding of Britain's relationship with China is now more vital than ever."

Kerry Brown (Author), Michael Page (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Shortest History of India: From the World's Oldest Civilization to Its Largest Democracy—A Retel

"5,000 years of history—from the Bhagavad Gita to Bollywood—fill this masterful portrait of the world's most populous nation and a rising global power. India—a cradle of civilization with five millennia of history, a country of immense consequence and contradiction—often defies ready understanding. What holds its people together—across its many cultures, races, languages, and creeds—and how has India evolved into the liberal democracy it is today? From the Harappan era to Muslim invasions, the Great Mughals, British rule, independence, and present-day hopes, John Zubrzycki distills India's colossal history into a gripping true story filled with legendary lives: Alexander the Great, Akbar, Robert Clive, Tipu Sultan, Lakshmi Bai, Lord Curzon, Jinnah, and Gandhi. India's gifts to the world include Buddhism, yoga, the concept of zero, the largest global diaspora—and its influence is only growing. Already the world's largest democracy, in 2023, India became the most populous nation. Can India overcome its political, social, and religious tensions to be the next global superpower? As the world watches—and wonders—this Shortest History is an essential, clarifying must-listen."

John Zubrzycki (Author), Julian Elfer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Shortest History of Japan

"Zen, haiku, martial arts, sushi, anime, manga, film, video games . . . Japanese culture has long enriched our Western way of life. Yet from a Western perspective, Japan remains a remote island country that has long had a complicated relationship with the outside world. Japan—an archipelago strung like a necklace around the Asian mainland—is considerably farther from Asia than Britain is from Europe. The sea has provided an effective barrier against invasion and enabled the culture to develop in unique ways. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shoguns successfully closed the country to the West. Then, Japan swung in the opposite direction, adopting Western culture wholesale. Both strategies enabled it to avoid colonization—and to retain its traditions and way of life. A skilled storyteller and accurate historian, Lesley Downer presents the dramatic sweep of Japanese history and the larger-than-life individuals—from emperors descended from the Sun Goddess to warlords, samurai, merchants, court ladies, women warriors, geisha, and businessmen—who shaped this extraordinary modern society."

Lesley Downer (Author), Lucy Rayner (Narrator)

Audiobook

Chinafy: Why China is Leading the West in Innovation and How the Rest of the World Can Catch Up

"Ten key principles for innovation that Chinese businesses have been quietly and successfully implementing for years. Western business leaders make two key assumptions about China: that China is always copying the West, and that the West is the seat of innovation. The truth is surprising: China is both copying and innovating, and while Western businesses are busy looking for the next new thing, China is rapidly iterating on what’s already been done and pushing ahead. While businesses in the West are getting disrupted and left behind, the savvy leaders among them can learn, innovate, and excel – by copying China’s playbook! Chinafy distills the key lessons from China to unlock business potential anywhere in the world. These lessons serve as catalysts for how to “Chinafy” innovation for growth. Taking a deep dive into the workings of China’s most successful brands – from Haier to ByteDance – author Joanna Hutchins reveals what it takes to get ahead in the world of business and innovation."

Joanna Hutchins (Author), Alastair Leithead (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Tamil] - Gandhi Padukolai - Pinnaniyum Vazhakkum: காந்தி படுகொலை - பின்னணியும் வழக்கும்

"A proud Aurality tamil audio book production ebook by Swasam Publications மகாத்மா காந்தியின் படுகொலை பற்றிய முக்கியமான நூல். பல்வேறு தரவுகளைப் படித்து, ஒப்பிட்டு, எவ்விதச் சார்பும் இன்றி, உள்ளது உள்ளபடிச் சொல்லும் புத்தகம். காந்திஜியின் படுகொலை உலகையே உலுக்கியது. அப்போதுதான் சுதந்திரம் பெற்றிருந்த இந்தியாவின் அரசியல் எதிர்காலம் இந்தப் படுகொலையை ஒட்டியே மாற்றியமைக்கப்பட்டது. இந்தப் படுகொலை நிகழ்ந்தபோது இந்தியாவில் நிலவிய அரசியல் சூழல் என்ன, ஏன் கோட்சே காந்தியைக் கொன்றார், அதன் பின்னணி என்ன, எப்படி எந்தச் சூழலில் மகாத்மாவின் உயிரைப் பறிக்கும் அராஜகமான முடிவுக்கு இந்தக் கூட்டத்தினர் வந்து சேர்ந்தார்கள், வழக்கு எப்படி நடைபெற்றது, வழக்கின் தீர்ப்பு என்ன என்பதையெல்லாம் துல்லியமாக விளக்குகிறது இந்த நூல். இந்தியாவில் அப்போது கிடைத்த குஜிலி இலக்கியத்தில் இருக்கும் மனவோட்டத்தைக் கூட இந்தப் புத்தகத்தில் பதிவு செய்திருக்கிறார் நூலாசிரியர் ஆர். ராதாகிருஷ்ணன். இந்தியாவில் 1947ல் நிலவிய அசாதாரணமான அரசியல் சூழலைப் புரிந்துகொள்ள உதவும் அருமையான புத்தகம். எழுத்தாளர் R. Radhakrishnan எழுதி சுவாசம் பதிப்பகம் வெளியிட்டிருக்கும் புத்தகத்தின் ஒலிவடிவம் கேட்போம்."

R. Radhakrishnan (Author), Pushpalatha Parthiban (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - Inventos de la Antigua China(Serie de cultura china)(Edición española)

"Inventos de la Antigua China En China, una de las grandes fuentes de la civilización humana, fueron creados numerosos y brillantes inventos científicos y tecnológicos, por los cuales el país asiático mantenía en un puesto de liderazgo en todo el mundo durante un largo período a lo largo de la historia milenaria. A través de las observaciones y estudios sobre la astronomía, la geografía y la vida cotidiana los antiguos chinos formaron el concepto filosófico de “integración entre la naturaleza y los seres humanos”, y basándose en esta teoría se generaron maravillosos inventos científicos y tecnológicos. Tales logros nutrían la cultura y civilización de China, como notable aporte al avance de toda la humanidad. Los inventos y descubrimientos de la antigua China constituyen en un tema inacabable y un tesoro inagotable."

Deng Yinke (Author), Pérez Sánchez (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Ripple Effect: China's Complex Presence in Southeast Asia

"Many studies of China's relations with and influence on Southeast Asia tend to focus on how Beijing has used its power asymmetry to achieve regional influence. Yet, scholars and pundits often fail to appreciate the complexity of the contemporary Chinese state and society, and just how fragmented, decentralized, and internationalized China is today. In The Ripple Effect, Enze Han argues that a focus on the Chinese state alone is not sufficient for a comprehensive understanding of China's influence in Southeast Asia. Instead, we must look beyond the Chinese state, to non-state actors from China, such as private businesses and Chinese migrants. These actors affect people's perception of China in a variety of ways, and they often have wide-ranging as well as long-lasting effects on bilateral relations. Looking beyond the Chinese state's intentional influence reveals many situations that result in unanticipated changes in Southeast Asia. Han proposes that to understand this increasingly globalized China, we need more conceptual flexibility regarding which Chinese actors are important to China's relations, and how they wield this influence, whether intentional or not."

Enze Han (Author), David Lee Huynh (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Archive of Empire: Knowledge, Conquest, and the Making of the Early Modern British World

"How modern data-driven government originated in the creation and use of administrative archives in the British Empire Over the span of two hundred years, Great Britain established, governed, lost, and reconstructed an empire that embraced three continents and two oceanic worlds. The British ruled this empire by correlating incoming information about the conduct of subjects and aliens in imperial spaces with norms of good governance developed in London. Officials derived these norms by studying the histories of government contained in the official records of both the state and corporations and located in repositories known as archives. As the empire expanded in both the Americas and India, however, this system of political knowledge came to be regarded as inadequate in governing the non-English people who inhabited the lands over which the British asserted sovereignty. This posed a key problem for imperial officials: What kind of knowledge was required to govern an empire populated by a growing number of culturally different people? Using files, pens, and paper, the British defined the information order of the modern state as they debated answers to this question. In tracing the rise and deployment of archives in early modern British imperial rule, Asheesh Kapur Siddique uncovers the origins of our data-driven present."

Asheesh Kapur Siddique (Author), Keval Shah (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History