Asia Audiobooks | History

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which had ruled Japan for over two and a half centuries, was a symbol of stability and order. Established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogunate brought an end to the Sengoku period, a time of civil war and unrest. Under Tokugawa rule, Japan experienced relative peace, the development of a strict social hierarchy, and the establishment of a centralized feudal system. However, by the mid-19th century, a series of internal and external pressures began to undermine this system, leading to the eventual collapse of the Tokugawa regime and the rise of the Meiji Restoration. Internally, the Tokugawa government was facing growing dissatisfaction and instability. The rigid class structure and the concentration of power in the hands of the samurai elite created discontent among other segments of society, especially peasants and merchants. Economic challenges, such as rising taxes and crop failures, worsened the situation, leading to widespread protests and unrest. These internal problems were compounded by the inefficiency and corruption of the Tokugawa bureaucracy, which struggled to adapt to the changing circumstances. Externally, Japan’s isolationist foreign policy, known as sakoku, which had been enforced for over 200 years, came under pressure from Western powers. In 1853, the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry and his 'Black Ships' marked a turning point in Japan’s history. Perry’s mission to open Japan to trade, backed by the threat of military force, exposed the vulnerability of the Tokugawa government. The subsequent signing of the unequal treaties with Western nations, such as the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, further weakened the shogunate’s authority and led to growing resentment among the Japanese people."

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

Audiobook

The Opening of Japan: Commodore Perry's Expedition

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The opening of Japan to the West in the mid-19th century marked a pivotal moment in both Japanese and world history. For over two centuries, Japan had maintained a strict policy of isolation, known as Sakoku, under the Tokugawa Shogunate. During this time, Japan had little contact with the outside world, limiting foreign trade to a few select countries and regulating all foreign interactions. The Japanese government feared the spread of foreign influence, particularly the rise of Christianity, and sought to preserve its cultural and political autonomy. This policy of seclusion, however, could not last indefinitely as global dynamics began to shift. In the early 19th century, Japan’s isolation became increasingly untenable. European powers and the United States, motivated by economic interests and a desire for new markets, began expanding their reach in Asia. In particular, the U.S. sought to establish trade relations with Japan to secure supplies of coal and other resources for its ships traveling across the Pacific and to open new markets for its goods. By the mid-1800s, Japan was surrounded by foreign powers asserting their interests in the region, making its isolated stance increasingly difficult to maintain. The United States, under President Millard Fillmore, decided to take decisive action to open Japan to American trade. The task was entrusted to Commodore Matthew Perry, a naval officer with extensive experience in international affairs. Perry was given a clear mandate: to convince Japan to end its isolation and enter into trade agreements with the United States. Perry’s mission would prove to be a turning point, not only for Japan but for the entire region, as it set in motion a process of modernization and westernization that would radically transform Japanese society."

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

Audiobook

Broadcasting Vietnam: Media, Public Opinion, And The Rise Of The American Antiwar Movement

"This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice. 'Broadcasting Vietnam' offers a powerful and deeply human look at one of the most controversial wars in modern history and how it was brought into the living rooms of America. With an unflinching eye on the role of mass media, Davis Truman examines how televised images, frontline reporting, and photojournalism contributed to turning the tide of public opinion and fueling one of the most significant protest movements in U.S. history. From the revolutionary leadership of Ho Chi Minh and the early days of conflict to the escalating American involvement and the devastating use of napalm and chemical weapons, this book chronicles the Vietnam War in vivid detail. Through chapters like 'Napalm Girl' and 'War and Mass Media,' Truman highlights the undeniable impact of iconic moments that shocked a nation and galvanized a generation. Combining historical analysis with cultural insight, Truman also explores the long-term consequences of the war, including its profound impact on American society, politics, and public trust. This is not just a book about war. It's a story about how information, images, and voices changed the course of history. Bold, gripping, and unflinchingly honest, Broadcasting Vietnam is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the power of media in shaping truth, perception, and resistance."

Davis Truman (Author), Synthesized Voice (AI) (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bushido: An Introduction to the Samurai Spirit and Bushido (How Bushido, Habits, Discipline, and Neu

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. This book is not merely a historical reflection—it is a blueprint for leadership in the modern age. By dissecting Nitobé’s interpretation of Bushido and applying it to contemporary management and organizational practices, Bushido Leadership offers a strategic framework for navigating leadership with discipline, decisiveness, and moral clarity. Through thoughtful analysis, practical insights, and case studies, this work remains the samurai ethos for leaders committed to resilience, ethical governance, and the enduring strength of principled leadership. In this book, you will find: - Cute illustrations - Study tips - Information about culture - Maps - Anime and game trivia - Index You will also learn things that have to do with neurology, discipline, and habits, these principles are really important to achieve your life objectives and to achieve freedom. What we need is to control the events in our lives, to be who we are, unleash who we are and our potential, the rest will take care of itself."

Mike Brown (Author), Digital Voice Matt G (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Partition of India: Birth of Two Nations

"This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. The partition of India in 1947, which resulted in the creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, was one of the most significant events in the history of the subcontinent. However, the roots of this division were planted long before the final moment of independence. The seeds of partition lay in the complex historical, political, and social landscape of British colonial rule over India, as well as the deepening religious and cultural divides among the people. Under British colonialism, India was governed by a system that often played on the differences between its diverse religious communities. The British policies of 'divide and rule' exacerbated existing tensions, particularly between Hindus and Muslims, as both groups experienced distinct social, cultural, and political realities. These divisions were, at times, accentuated by the British preference for employing Muslims in administrative roles, leading to resentment from the Hindu majority. The rise of Indian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was initially a unified struggle for self-rule, with both Hindus and Muslims coming together under the Indian National Congress (INC) to demand independence from British rule. However, as the movement gained momentum, it became evident that there were distinct political interests within the subcontinent. The INC, largely dominated by Hindus, began to push for a unified India, while the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, started to voice concerns over the protection of Muslim rights within a Hindu-majority nation."

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

Audiobook

The Tantric Sex Lover's

"Jing and his fellow lovers have been exploring tantric sex for months, attending workshops and deepening their connection. However, Jing starts to feel a darkness looming over the group and tries to bring it up, but his concerns are dismissed. One night, a member has a breakdown, leading Jing to realize he needs to leave the group. He returns home feeling lost but begins exploring other passions. Months later, he reconnects with Maya, who also left the group, and they bond over their shared experiences. Jing reflects on his journey and finds a new sense of purpose and freedom. He and Maya continue to deepen their love and explore tantric sex together. They visit their former group and help de-escalate the chaos, finding closure. Jing receives a call from his former lover, who confesses their love for him. Jing is torn between Maya and his former lover but decides to choose Maya and commit fully to their relationship. They embrace and feel closer than ever before.In the final chapter, Jing and his group of tantric sex lovers continue to enjoy their time together, laughing and exploring. They stumble upon a cabin in the woods and decide to stay there for a few nights, deepening their connections and sharing intimate stories. Jing becomes more connected to the new woman he met and feels a sense of excitement for their future. As their trip comes to an end, Jing feels a mix of sadness and gratitude for the memories they created. He realizes that they have become his family and he looks forward to what the future holds for him and his new love.Jing and his group of tantric sex lovers take a break from their intense adventures and go on lighthearted outings like visiting an amusement park, attending a laughter yoga class, and sharing stories around a bonfire. They form deep bonds and find acceptance within the group. Jing and Maya's relationship deepens, but they face challenges and insecurities along the way."

Hash Blink, Thomas Sheriff (Author), Ian Gabriel (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Contest for the Indian Ocean: And the Making of a New World Order

"A major new examination of the Indian Ocean, revealing how the region has become a hotly contested geopolitical flashpoint Throughout history, the Indian Ocean has been an essential space for trade, commerce, and culture. Every European power has sought to dominate it. Now, after a lull in the postwar period, control of major shipping routes has once again become a critical aspect of every rising state's ambition to be a global power. Darshana M. Baruah shows how governments from Washington, DC, to Nairobi and Canberra are expanding their interests in the region. The Indian Ocean is resource rich, strategically placed, and home to over two billion people. Island nations have become more important than ever, with Madagascar forming ties with Russia and the Comoros with Saudi Arabia. It is also through the region that China engages with Africa and the Middle East. This is a compelling account of the geopolitical significance of the Indian Ocean—showing how the region has taken center stage in a new global contest."

Darshana M. Baruah (Author), Lorna Bennett (Narrator)

Audiobook

Red Pockets: An Offering

"Brought to you by Penguin. 'Part of me knew what the hungry ghosts wanted all along, what they still want. It is not vengeance. No, they want something else, but we refuse to listen. They want us to face up to our broken obligations.' Every spring during the Qingming Festival, people return to their home villages in China to sweep the tombs of their ancestors, making offerings of food and incense to prevent them from becoming hungry ghosts that could cause misfortune. Yet for the past century, a time ruptured by war and revolution, many tombs have been left unattended. Following a record year of wildfires, Alice Mah returns to her family’s rice village in South China, and discovers that her ancestors are almost forgotten, and there are no tombs left to sweep. Instead, there are incalculable clan debts to be paid. Here Mah chronicles her journey from the rice villages of South China to her home in post-industrial England, through the Chinatowns of Western Canada where she grew up, to the isles and industry of Scotland where she now lives. As years pass and fires rage on, she becomes increasingly troubled by her ancestors’ neglected graves. Her research on pollution gives way to growing eco-anxiety, culminating in a crisis of spiritual belief. A haunting blend of memoir, cultural history and environmental exploration, Red Pockets confronts the hungry ghosts of our neglected ancestors, while searching for an acceptable offering. What do we owe to past and future generations? What do we owe to the places that we inhabit? © Alice Mah 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Alice Mah (Author), Sabrina Wu (Narrator)

Audiobook

Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes

""A must read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world" (San Francisco Chronicle) In Destiny Disrupted, Tamim Ansary tells the rich story of world history as it looks from a new perspective: with the evolution of the Muslim community at the center. His story moves from the lifetime of Mohammed through a succession of far-flung empires, to the tangle of modern conflicts that culminated in the events of 9/11. He introduces the key people, events, ideas, legends, religious disputes, and turning points of world history, imparting not only what happened but how it is understood from the Muslim perspective. He clarifies why two great civilizations-Western and Muslim-grew up oblivious to each other, what happened when they intersected, and how the Islamic world was affected by its slow recognition that Europe-a place it long perceived as primitive-had somehow hijacked destiny. With storytelling brio, humor, and evenhanded sympathy to all sides of the story, Ansary illuminates a fascinating parallel to the world narrative usually heard in the West. Destiny Disrupted offers a vital perspective on world conflicts many now find so puzzling."

Tamim Ansary (Author), Tamim Ansary (Narrator)

Audiobook

Tipu Sultan

"Over two centuries have passed since his death on 4 May 1799, yet Tipu Sultan’s contested legacy continues to perplex India and her contemporary politics. A fascinating and enigmatic figure in India’s military past, he remains a modern historian’s biggest puzzle as he simultaneously means different things to different people, depending on how one chooses to look at his life and its events.Tipu’s ascent to power was accidental. His father Haidar Ali was a beneficiary of the benevolence of the Maharaja of Mysore. But in a series of fascinating events, the Machiavellian Haidar ran with the hare and hunted with the hounds; he ended up overthrowing his own benefactor and usurping the throne of Mysore from the Wodeyars in 1761. In a war-scarred life, father and son led Mysore through four momentous battles against the British, termed the Anglo-Mysore Wars. The first two, led by Haidar, brought the English East India Company to its knees. Chasing the enemy to the very gates of Madras, Haidar made the British sign such humiliating terms of treaties that sent shockwaves back in London.In the hubris of this success, Tipu obtained the kingdom on a platter, unlike his father, who worked up the ranks to achieve glory. In a diabolical war thirst, Tipu launched lethal attacks on Malabar, Mangalore, Travancore, Coorg, and left behind a trail of death, destruction and worse, mass-conversions and the desecration of religious places of worship. While he was an astute administrator and a brave soldier, the strategic tact with opponents and the diplomatic balance that Haidar had sought to maintain with the Hindu majority were both dangerously upset by Tipu’s foolhardiness on matters of faith. The social report card of this eighteenth-century ruler was anything but clean. And yet, one simply cannot deny his position as a renowned military warrior and one of the most powerful rulers of Southern India.Meticulously researched, authoritative and unputdownable, Tipu Sultan: The Saga of Mysore's Interregnum (1760–1799) opens a window to the life and times of one of the most debated figures from India’s history."

Vikram Sampath (Author), ERROL RODRIGUES, Meher Acharia Dar (Narrator)

Audiobook

[German] - Geschichte Indiens - Damals bis heute. Ereignisse, Personen, Zusammenhänge - Basiswissen

"Geschichte Indiens - Indus-Kultur, Mogulreich, Britischer Kolonialismus und Stimme der aufstrebenden Entwicklungsländer Der Autor und Herausgeber Bert Alexander Petzold beginnt mit uns eine faktenreiche Zeitreise und erläutert strukturiert und verständlich Basiswissen zur Geschichte Indiens. Die facettenreiche Geschichte Indiens ist geprägt von jahrtausendealten Zivilisationen, kulturellen Blütezeiten und tiefgreifenden politischen Umbrüchen. Bereits um 2500 v. Chr. entwickelte sich in der Bronzezeit die bedeutende Indus-Kultur. Um 1500 v. Chr. drangen indoarische Stämme aus Zentralasien ein, leiteten das vedische Zeitalter ein und etablierten das Kastensystem. Im 6. Jahrhundert v. Chr. entstanden der Buddhismus und der Jainismus als Reformbewegungen des Hinduismus. Ab dem 4. Jahrhundert v. Chr. vereinigte das Maurya-Reich unter Kaiser Ashoka große Teile des Subkontinents. In den folgenden Jahrhunderten blühten Kunst, Wissenschaft und Handel, insbesondere unter der Herrschaft der Gupta-Dynastie. Ab dem 12. Jahrhundert breitete sich der Islam aus, und das Delhi-Sultanat wurde gegründet. Im 16. Jahrhundert entstand das mächtige Mogulreich, das unter Herrschern wie Akbar und Shah Jahan, dem Erbauer des Taj Mahal, eine kulturelle Hochblüte erreichte. Im 18. Jahrhundert begann die ausbeuterische Kolonialherrschaft der Briten, die 1858 in die direkte Kontrolle durch die britische Krone überging. Die gewaltfreie Unabhängigkeitsbewegung unter Mahatma Gandhi führte 1947 zur Unabhängigkeit Indiens und zur Teilung in Indien und Pakistan - eine Entscheidung, die bis heute zu Konflikten, insbesondere in der umstrittenen Region Kaschmir, führt. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg schuf Premierminister Jawaharlal Nehru eine demokratische Republik. Ihm folgte seine Tochter Indira Gandhi, die bis zu ihrer Ermordung 1984 das Amt der Premierministerin innehatte. In den 1990er-Jahren leitete Premierminister P. V. Narasimha Rao tiefgreifende Wirtschaftsreformen ein, die ein bemerkenswertes Wachstum ermöglichten und Indien als Hightech-Standort etablierten. Indien ist die größte Demokratie der Welt und eine der führenden Stimmen der Entwicklungsländer. Als Ursprungsland bedeutender Religionen wie des Hinduismus und des Buddhismus vereint es eine religiöse und kulturelle Vielfalt - bis hin zu Bollywood, der größten Filmindustrie der Welt. Als Raumfahrtnation gehört Indien zu den am schnellsten wachsenden G20-Staaten und ist ein führender Exporteur von IT-Dienstleistungen sowie ein global bedeutender Produzent von Lebensmitteln und Textilien. Die junge, gut ausgebildete Mittelschicht verfügt über immense Kaufkraft und treibt das Land weiter voran - mit dem Ziel, Indien nicht nur als wirtschaftliche Großmacht zu etablieren, sondern die Lebensqualität aller Bürger nachhaltig zu verbessern. Das Gesundheitssystem sowie die Bildungsangebote für Kinder und die soziale Versorgung von Frauen und Familien wurden spürbar modernisiert. Weiterhin besteht eine erhebliche Kluft zwischen der armen Landbevölkerung und den wohlhabenderen Bewohnern der Metropolen, die gegen massive Luft- und Wasserverschmutzung kämpfen. Mit einer Fläche von 3,3 Millionen Quadratkilometern ist Indien das siebtgrößte Land der Erde und mit knapp 1,5 Milliarden Einwohnern die bevölkerungsreichste Nation. Geopolitisch spielt Indien eine zunehmend wichtige Schlüsselrolle, nicht nur im asiatisch-pazifischen Raum."

Bert Alexander Petzold (Author), Ida Gilmwald, Synthesized Voice - Female (Narrator)

Audiobook

Genghis Khan by Hitori-Nakamoto: His Life, His Success, and a Fascinating Story About Him

"Genghis Khan by Hitori-Nakamoto In the expansive landscape of human history, few figures loom as large as Genghis Khan. His name conjures up deeply polarized images - brutal warrior, visionary leader, ruthless conqueror, and inspired empire-builder. By charting his early life and improbable rise to power, this book aims to provide insight into the experiences that forged this polarizing, larger-than-life figure. Rising from obscurity on the harsh Mongolian steppe, Genghis Khan would establish the largest contiguous land empire the world had ever seen. At its peak, this empire stretched from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan, encompassing illustrious cities like Beijing, Kabul and Baghdad within its realm. His vision of empire, his mastery of cavalry warfare, and his skill at uniting fractious nomads under his banner transformed medieval Eurasia forever. To comprehend the genesis of this world-changing figure, we must explore his early life and the tribulations that steeled his unyielding ambition. Born as Temüjin around 1162 CE into an atmosphere of tribal warfare, betrayal and blood feuds, his childhood was dramatically reshaped by the poisoning death of his father, leaving his family abandoned and destitute. As explored in Chapter 1, these experiences of loss and humiliation fostered in Temüjin a dream of uniting the perpetually warring Mongols into a single people. Grab a copy of this book now!"

Hitori-Nakamoto (Author), Hitori-Nakamoto (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History