Asia Audiobooks | History

Empire of Silver: A New Monetary History of China

"This revelatory account of the ways silver shaped Chinese history shows how an obsession with “white metal” held China back from financial modernization. First used as currency during the Song dynasty in around 900 CE, silver gradually became central to China’s economic framework and was officially monetized in the middle of the Ming dynasty during the sixteenth century. However, due to the early adoption of paper money in China, silver was not formed into coins but became a cumbersome “weighing currency,” for which ingots had to be constantly examined for weight and purity—an unwieldy practice that lasted for centuries. While China’s interest in silver spurred new avenues of trade and helped increase the country’s global economic footprint, Jin Xu argues that, in the long run, silver played a key role in the struggles and entanglements that led to the decline of the Chinese empire."

Jin Xu (Author), Nancy Wu (Narrator)

Audiobook

An Undelivered Speech: Annihilation of Caste: Annihilation of Caste, and Castes in India: Their Mech

"The most famous speech that was never delivered - ANNIHILATION OF CASTE - by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Along with his paper, Castes in India: their mechanism, genesis and development! Combined to form one cohesive audiobook, the way Babasaheb envisioned it. For an abridged video version of it by the narrator, please see: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn1Yg_BoyU6Y_O3YrYqM1fpqaR3DFX63W Acknowledgements: Rahul Borde for his rendition of Sanskrit Verses that can be heard towards the end of Annihilation of Caste Audio Engineer: Kevin Cleland Studio: LA Digital Recording Finally, this project would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of the Ambedkarite Community here in America. Jai Bhim! Jai Bharat!"

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Author), Siddhartha Valicharla (Narrator)

Audiobook

Gunpowder: The History and Legacy of the Explosive that Modernized Warfare

"The crucial importance of education in China, a prized virtue instilled in the population among all classes by beloved teacher and philosopher Confucius in the 6th century BCE, generated an unprecedented and long-lived golden age of literature and art. It also gave rise to a cornucopia of transformative innovations and groundbreaking technology, particularly following the dawn of the Common Era. In addition to the wheelbarrow, the seismograph, the waterwheel, deep drilling, suspension bridges, and ship rudders, among countless other life-changing contraptions, the Chinese developed what were later dubbed the “Four Great Inventions of China.” One of those was none other than gunpowder, which was developed no later than the 9th century and was being used for military purposes by the 11th century. Its use slowly spread through South Asia and the Middle East before making it to Europe in the late 13th century. For a time it was a mere curiosity, but its destructive power and military potential would be realized quickly. The first record of a cannon in Europe comes from a manuscript written in 1326, which has an illustration showing an armored man with what looks like a slow match lighting a vase-shaped object. This crude cannon was called a pot de fer in French and vasi in Italian. "

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Origins and Creation Mythology of the Far East: As Told by the Mountain Peoples of the Philippines

"Beliefs about the origin of the Earth and the men, animals, plants, and various topographical features seem to survive with greater persistence than any other trait of primitive culture. These beliefs lie at the base of nearly all religions, and the myths in which the beliefs are preserved are the foundation of literature. Therefore, the preservation and study of origin myths are of much importance in the reconstruction of the history of humanity, which is the chief aim of anthropology. The peoples of the Philippines have rich and varied mythology, yet little has been explored, but which will one day command much attention. Among the Christianized peoples of the plains, the myths are preserved chiefly as folk tales, but in the mountains, their recitation and preservation are a real and living part of the people's daily religious life. Very few of these myths are written; the great majority are preserved by oral tradition. Bizarrely, this region's Mythology seems connected to various other world mythologies, in some cases almost identical. Until recent years, it has been believed that all ancient records written in the syllabic alphabets which the Filipinos possessed at the time of the Spanish conquest had been lost. However, it is now known that two of these alphabets are still in use, to a limited extent, by the wild peoples of Palawan and Mindoro; and ancient manuscripts written in the old Bisaya alphabet have been lately discovered in a cave on the Island of Star lords. Many of these Star-lord manuscripts are written myths, and translations are so interesting they had to be published. The Bisaya peoples, in general, have preserved their old pagan beliefs, which in many cases mimics Sumerian mythology, to a greater extent than have the other Christian Filipinos, and it is to be hoped that the discovery of these manuscripts will stimulate further investigations into the Mesopotamian connection."

Norah Romney (Author), Bill Shanks (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Vietnam War: Digitally narrated using a synthesized voice

"This recording has been digitally produced, by DeepZen Limited, using a synthesized version of an audiobook narrator’s voice under license. DeepZen uses Emotive Speech Technology to create digital narrations that offer a similar listening experience to human narration. Written by an award-winning author and including eye-witness accounts. The struggle for Vietnam in the 1960s, in which the United States attempted to bolster the South against Viet Cong guerrillas backed by the Communist regime in the north, was to shock the world and divide a nation. In the defence of a theory – that if the South fell the whole region would fall to Communism – the United States spent $145,000 million at 1974 prices, her aircraft dropped eight million tons of bombs, and her armed forces suffered 46,370 fatalities (900,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong were also killed). The Vietnam War is a timely account of the 6,000-day conflict in Southeast Asia. Written by an award-winning author and including eye-witness accounts of the battles and incidents of America’s undeclared war, The Vietnam War provides a graphic and compelling account of one of the most brutal conflicts of modern history.counts of the battles and incidents of America’s undeclared war, The Vietnam War provides a graphic and compelling account of one of the most brutal conflicts of modern history."

Andrew Weist (Author), Edward Herrmann (male Synthesized Voice) (Narrator)

Audiobook

Return to Victory: MacArthur's Epic Liberation of the Philippines

"General Douglas MacArthur's bloody campaign to defeat die-hard Japanese forces and liberate the Philippines "I shall return," General Douglas MacArthur promised the Filipino people following the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Philippines in spring 1942. The people there believed MacArthur's vow-and even Americans were stirred by his dramatic pledge. Now, two and half years later, MacArthur was ready to fulfill his promise--the liberation of the Philippines was about to begin. It would not be an easy campaign. The more than 7,000 islands of the Philippine archipelago were the key to taking down the Japanese Empire-and the Imperial forces were prepared to sacrifice every man and every ship to prevent MacArthur from regaining control of them. Covering both the strategic and tactical aspects of the campaign through the participation of its soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as its commanders, James P. Duffy leads readers through a vivid account of the nearly year-long, bloody campaign to defeat over a quarter million die-hard Japanese defenders in the Pacific theater. Return to Victory is a wide-ranging, dramatic and stirring account of MacArthur's epic liberation of the Philippines."

James P. Duffy (Author), Aaron Abano (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Opium War

"1839. Trade is the stalwart of the British Empire. China threatens Britain's Opium trade. Britain and China go to war. When Britain sent troops to compel the Chinese to accept imports of opium, they opened what is argued to be one of the most disgraceful chapters in the history of the Empire. How did the situation arise? How did opium exports become so crucial to the British economy? How did the British come to be as addicted to opium revenue as the Chinese were to the drug itself? Brian Inglis gives the answers to these and other questions in this meticulously researched study of The Opium War. Shocking, shaming, but fascinating throughout."

Brian Inglis (Author), Nigel Patterson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Stronger: Adapting America's China Strategy in an Age of Competitive Interdependence

"An examination of the US–China relationship that charts a new path for America focusing on its existing advantages. Ryan Hass charts a path forward in America's relationship and rivalry with China rooted in the relative advantages America already possesses. Hass argues that while competition will remain the defining trait of the relationship, both countries will continue to be impacted—for good or ill—by their capacity to coordinate on common challenges that neither can solve on its own, such as pandemic disease, global economic recession, climate change, and nuclear nonproliferation. Hass makes the case that the United States will have greater success in outpacing China economically and outshining it in questions of governance if it focuses more on improving its own condition at home than on trying to impede Chinese initiatives. He argues that the task at hand is not to stand in China's way and turn a rising power into an enemy in the process but to renew America's advantages in its competition with China."

Ryan Hass (Author), David Colacci (Narrator)

Audiobook

Faith, Gender, and Activism in the Punjab Conflict: The Wheat Fields Still Whisper

"Punjab was the arena of one of the first major armed conflicts of postcolonial India. During its deadliest decade, as many as 250,000 people were killed. This audiobook makes an urgent intervention in the history of the conflict, which to date has been characterized by a fixation on sensational violence—or ignored altogether. Mallika Kaur unearths the stories of three people who found themselves at the center of Punjab’s human rights movement: Baljit Kaur, who armed herself with a video camera to record essential evidence of the conflict; Justice Ajit Singh Bains, who became a beloved “people’s judge”; and Inderjit Singh Jaijee, who returned to Punjab to document abuses even as other elites were fleeing. Together, they are credited with saving countless lives. Braiding oral histories, personal snapshots, and primary documents recovered from at-risk archives, Kaur shows that when entire conflicts are marginalized, we miss essential stories: stories of faith, feminist action, and the power of citizen-activists."

Mallika Kaur (Author), Soneela Nankani (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Ni-Go Project: The History and Legacy of Imperial Japan’s Nuclear Weapons Program during World W

"The Manhattan Project would ultimately yield the “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” bombs that released more than 100 Terajoules of energy at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but as it turned out, the Axis were not far behind with their own nuclear weapons program. When the Nazis’ quest for a nuclear weapon began in earnest in 1939, no one really had a handle on how important nuclear weapons would prove to war and geopolitics. The attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, along with the Cold War-era tests and their accompanying mushroom clouds, would demonstrate the true power and terror of nuclear weapons, but in the late 1930s these bombs were only vaguely being thought through, particularly after the successful first experiment to split the atom by a German scientist. The nuclear age itself was in its infancy, barely 35 years old, but within a few short years the advent of nuclear war loomed over the world and the prospect of the enemy winning the nuclear race kept Allied leaders awake at night. In November 1921, roughly a year after the Treaty of Versailles came into effect, Japan, Britain, and the United States gathered to sign another treaty of disarmament at the Washington Naval Conference. However, Japan opted against renewing the pact in the mid-1930s, and around the same time, Germany openly breached the terms of the former treaty and began to restock their weapons. This gave rise to the birth of a new and unprecedented arms race, one that had catastrophically disastrous consequences about a decade later. Although their project is typically overlooked given the American use of the bombs and then the Soviets following suit early on in the Cold War, the Japanese avidly pursued nuclear weapons as well. The Ni-Go Project: The History and Legacy of Imperial Japan’s Nuclear Weapons Program during World War II examines Japan’s race to reach the ultimate goal during the war, how they went about their objectives, and why they failed. "

Charles River Editors (Author), Daniel Houle (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Ninja: The History and Legacy of Feudal Japan’s Secret Agents

"To most people in the West, particularly the youth, the mere mention of Japan immediately evokes various images. A delectable rainbow of sushi, hand-rolled temaki, and platters of crispy, golden-brown tempura. An idyllic, crystal-clear lake flanked by trees covered with delicate, cotton-candy-pink sakura blossoms. A montage of unique, hand-drawn cartoons that are a masterful mix of delightfully exaggerated proportions, features, and colors, and elements of arresting realism, collectively known as “anime.” Then, of course, there's the ninja, a willowy, graceful figure decked out in black from head to toe, his glinting eyes peering out from the window of his balaclava. He flits from rooftop to rooftop in stunning somersaults and slinks into the shadows, watching his unsuspecting marks from afar and calculating their every move. Then, as quickly as he came, he strikes, hurling throwing stars, twirling his nunchucks, and hacking away with his trusty sword, exterminating his targets with dizzying, lightning-quick speed and superhuman precision. At least, this is how those unfamiliar with the ancient art of ninjutsu, or shinobi-jutsu, see them. Ninjas are, without a doubt, one of the most timeless and far-reaching cultural staples ever to emerge from Japan. They have become a global phenomenon, and there are countless depictions of ninjas in comic books, films, TV shows, video games, toys, and other forms of popular culture around the world, not to mention their continued relevance as a “conventional” go-to Halloween costume. Kids across the world are intimately familiar with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Snake Eyes from the G.I. Joe franchise, Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, and Black Noir from The Boys. Ninjas have also been featured in a slew of other international movies and TV shows."

Charles River Editors (Author), Colin Fluxman (Narrator)

Audiobook

Vedic Cosmology: Decoding the Ancient Lost Knowledge of the Yuga Cycles

"We are situated in the fifty-first Brahma year of the existence of our Brahma.Inside that Brahma year, we are in the primary Brahma day, called the Varaha Kalpa.Inside that Brahma day, we are in the seventh manvantara and in the 28th maha yuga of that manvantara. This would put us at about the 454th maha yuga of the 1,000 maha yugas that include this day of Brahma.Inside this maha yuga, we are in Kali Yuga. The 5100th year of Kali Yuga will relate to the year 2,000 A.D. That implies that we are genuinely right off the bat in Kali Yuga, and this age will proceed with more than 426,000 additional years.Variation Interpretations of Hindu ChronologyThe 'Customary Puranic Model' portrayed above is settled upon by most creators on Hinduism and Yoga. Six distinct creators, recorded toward the finish of this paper, represent this model indistinguishably.A few different creators, some of the notable Hindu instructors, have distributed portrayals of the pattern of ages that vary from the conventional Puranic model. These variation hypotheses are depicted beneath."

Henry Romano (Author), Robbie Smith, Tom Kingsley (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History