Asia Audiobooks | History

[Malayalam] - Ganikayum Gandhiyum Italiyan Bhramananum

"ഒരു പിടി ചരിത്ര പുസ്തകങ്ങള്‍ കൊണ്ട് വായനക്കാരെ അത്ഭുതപ്പെടുത്തുകയും അവരില്‍ ചിലരെയെങ്കിലും ചരിത്രത്തിന്റെ നിഗൂഢതകളുടെ പിന്നാമ്പുറം തിരഞ്ഞുപോകാന്‍ പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തയാളാണ് മനു എസ് പിള്ളയുടെ പുസ്തകമാണ് ഗണികയും ഗാന്ധിയും ഇറ്റാലിയന്‍ ബ്രാഹ്മണനും. ഇന്ത്യ ചരിത്രത്തിലെ കേള്‍ക്കാത്ത കഥകളെ വെളിച്ചത്തുകൊണ്ടുവരികയാണ് മനു ഇതില്‍ ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നത്. ഗാന്ധിയോളം വിപുലമായ രീതിയില്‍ അല്ലെങ്കിലും മറ്റു രണ്ടുപേര്‍ ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ അവരുടേതായ അടയാളപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഭൂതകാലത്തില്‍ നിന്നും സ്വായത്തമാക്കേണ്ടത് വിവേകമാണ്,ക്രോധാവേശമല്ല എന്ന് ചിലര്‍ നമ്മളെ ഓര്‍മിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ മുഖവുരയില്‍ ഗ്രന്ഥകാരന്‍ പറയുന്നുണ്ട്.ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ നിന്നും നാം പഠിക്കേണ്ടതെന്താണെന്ന് വളരെ കൃത്യമായി അതില്‍ പറഞ്ഞു വെയ്ക്കുന്നു.മൂന്നു ഭാഗങ്ങളിലായാണ് പുസ്തകം തയാറാക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് രാജിന് മുന്‍പുള്ള ആദ്യഭാഗവും, ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് രാജിന് ശേഷമുള്ള രണ്ടാം ഭാഗവും പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ സിംഹഭാഗവും കയ്യടക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നു.അവസാന ഭാഗം ഒരദ്ധ്യായം മാത്രമുള്ള ഒരു ചെറു വിവരണമായി ചുരുങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു. അനവധി കൗതുകരമായ കഥകള്‍, മുഴുവന്‍ മായാതെയും വീണ്ടും എഴുതിച്ചേര്‍ത്തും കിടക്കുന്ന ഒരു എഴുത്തു പലകയാണ് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ചരിത്രം എന്ന് മനു തുടങ്ങി വെയ്ക്കുന്നു."

Manu S. Pillai (Author), Rajeev Nair (Narrator)

Audiobook

Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke

"Code of the Samurai is a four-hundred-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido, the Japanese Way of the Warrior. Bushido has played a significant role in shaping the behavior of modern Japanese government, corporations, society, and individuals, as well as in developing modern Japanese martial arts within Japan and internationally. The Japanese original of this book, Bushido Shoshinshu, (Bushido for Beginners), has been one of the primary sources on the tenets of Bushido, a way of thought that remains fascinating and relevant to the modern world, East and West. This handbook, written after five hundred years of military rule in Japan, was composed to provide practical and moral instruction for warriors, correcting wayward tendencies and outlining the personal, social, and professional standards of conduct characteristic of Bushido, the Japanese chivalric tradition. With a bright, conversational narrative by Thomas Cleary, this book is indispensable to corporate executives, students of Asian Culture, martial artists, or anyone sincerely interested in Japan and its people."

Thomas Cleary (Author), Eric Michael Summerer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Bhutto Dynasty: The Struggle for Power in Pakistan

"A major new investigation into the Bhutto family, examining their influence in Pakistan from the colonial era to the present day. The Bhutto family has long been one of the most ambitious and powerful in Pakistan. But politics has cost the Bhuttos dear. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, widely regarded as the most talented politician in the country's history, was removed from power in 1977 and executed two years later, at the age of fifty-one. Of his four children, three met unnatural deaths: Shahnawaz was poisoned in 1985 at the age of twenty-seven; Murtaza was shot by the police outside his home in 1996, aged forty-two; and Benazir Bhutto, who led the Pakistan Peoples Party and became Prime Minister twice, was killed by a suicide bomber in Rawalpindi in 2007, aged fifty-four. Drawing on original research and unpublished documents gathered over twenty years, Owen Bennett-Jones explores the turbulent existence of this extraordinary family, including their volatile relationship with British colonialists, the Pakistani armed forces, and the United States."

Owen Bennett-Jones (Author), Michael Page (Narrator)

Audiobook

When the Red Gates Opened: A Memoir of China's Reawakening

"A Riveting Memoir of Cross-Cultural Romance at a Pivotal Moment in History When China opened its doors in the 1980s, it shocked the world by allowing private enterprise and free markets. As a foreign correspondent for BusinessWeek, Dori Jones Yang was among the first American journalists to cover China under Deng Xiaoping, who dared to defy Maoist doctrine as he rushed to catch up with richer nations. Fluent in Mandarin, she got to know ordinary Chinese people―who were embracing opportunities that had once been unimaginable in China. This deeply personal story follows her rise from rookie reporter to experienced journalist. Her cross-cultural romance gave her deeper insights into how Deng’s reforms led to hopes for better lives. This euphoria―shared by American businesses and Chinese citizens alike―reached its peak in 1989, when peaceful protestors filled Tiananmen Square, demanding democracy. On the ground in Beijing, Dori lived that hope, as well as the despair that followed. You’ll be inspired by this book of empowerment about a young woman from Ohio who pushed aside barriers to become a foreign correspondent and then persevered despite setbacks. Written in a time when China’s rapid rise is setting off fears in Washington, this book offers insight into the daring policies that started it all."

Dori Jones Yang (Author), Dori Jones Yang (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Malayalam] - Kochikkar

"മലയാളം കൂടാതെ 16 വ്യത്യസ്ത ഭാഷകൾ സംസാരിക്കുന്ന 30 ൽ പരം കുടിയേറ്റസമൂഹങ്ങൾ പാർക്കുന്ന ഫോട്കൊച്ചി-മട്ടാഞ്ചേരി പ്രദേശത്തിന്റെ സാംസ്കാരികതയിലേക്കുള്ള പ്രവേശികയാണ് ഈ പുസ്തകം. സ്പര്ശിക്കാനും ദർശിക്കാനുമാവാത്ത അനേകം പൈത്രികചിഹ്നങ്ങളുടെ മലകൾക്കും, പുഴയ്ക്കും കടലുകൾക്കും അപ്പുറത്തുനിന്ന് കുടിയേറി പാർക്കുന്ന സമൂഹങ്ങളുടെ പതിറ്റാണ്ട്-നൂറ്റാണ്ട് കാലത്തെ വായ്മൊഴികഥകളുടെ സമാഹാരം. This book explores the cultural history of Fort Kochi - Mattanchery, the boiling pot of over 30 immigrant communities that speak atleast 16 different languages other than Malayalam. This is a collection of essays that sets out to find the symbols of legacy from the oral history which is ordinarily lost to touch and vision."

Bony Thomas (Author), Manoj Mathew (Narrator)

Audiobook

Nixon and Mao 'International Edition': The Week That Changed the World

"With the publication of her landmark bestseller Paris 1919, Margaret MacMillan was praised as 'a superb writer who can bring history to life' (The Philadelphia Inquirer). Now she brings her extraordinary gifts to one of the most important subjects today-the relationship between the United States and China-and one of the most significant moments in modern history. In February 1972, Richard Nixon, the first American president ever to visit China, and Mao Tse-tung, the enigmatic Communist dictator, met for an hour in Beijing. Their meeting changed the course of history and ultimately laid the groundwork for the complex relationship between China and the United States that we see today. That monumental meeting in 1972-during what Nixon called 'the week that changed the world'-could have been brought about only by powerful leaders: Nixon himself, a great strategist and a flawed human being, and Mao, willful and ruthless. They were assisted by two brilliant and complex statesmen, Henry Kissinger and Chou En-lai. Surrounding them were fascinating people with unusual roles to play, including the enormously disciplined and unhappy Pat Nixon and a small-time Shanghai actress turned monstrous empress, Jiang Qing. And behind all of them lay the complex history of two countries, two great and equally confident civilizations: China, ancient and contemptuous yet fearful of barbarians beyond the Middle Kingdom, and the United States, forward-looking and confident, seeing itself as the beacon for the world. Nixon thought China could help him get out of Vietnam. Mao needed American technology and expertise to repair the damage of the Cultural Revolution. Both men wanted an ally against an aggressive Soviet Union. Did they get what they wanted? Did Mao betray his own revolutionary ideals? How did the people of China react to this apparent change in attitude toward the imperialist Americans? Did Nixon make a mistake in coming to China as a supplicant? And what has been the impact of the visit on the United States ever since? Weaving together fascinating anecdotes and insights, an understanding of Chinese and American history, and the momentous events of an extraordinary time, this brilliantly written book looks at one of the transformative moments of the twentieth century and casts new light on a key relationship for the world of the twenty-first century."

Margaret MacMillan (Author), Barbara Caruso (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Spanish] - HISTORIA MÍNIMA DE JAPÓN

"Este libro presenta, a grandes rasgos, el extraordindario desarrollo político, económico, social y cultural de Japón desde sus orígenes hasta nuestros días. Se trata, también, de una caracterización de los cambios y las permanencias durante el proceso de conformación de lo japonés, en contraste e interacción constante con as experiencias de otro pueblos."

Michiko Tanaka (Author), Cristina Tenorio (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ghost Flames: Life and Death in a Hidden War, Korea 1950-1953

"A powerful, character-driven narrative of the Korean War from the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who helped uncover some of its longest-held and darkest secrets. The war that broke out in Korea on a Sunday morning seventy years ago has come to be recognized as a critical turning point in modern history -- as the first great clash of arms of the Cold War, the last conflict between superpowers, the root of a nuclear crisis that grips the world to this day. In this vivid, emotionally compelling, and highly original account, Charles J. Hanley tells the story of the Korean War through the eyes of twenty individuals who lived through it--from a North Korean refugee girl to an American nun, a Chinese general to a black American prisoner of war, a British journalist to a U.S. Marine hero. This is an intimate, deeper kind of history, whose meticulous research and rich detail, drawing on recently unearthed materials and eyewitness accounts, bring the true face of the Korean War, and the vastness of its human tragedy, into a sharper focus than ever before. The 'forgotten war' becomes unforgettable."

Charles J. Hanley (Author), Dan Woren (Narrator)

Audiobook

Haunted Japan: Exploring the World of Japanese Yokai, Ghosts and the Paranormal

"Japanese folklore is abundant with tales of ghostly creatures and the supernatural. In Haunted Japan, author Catrien Ross reveals the legends that have been passed down for generations and continue to terrify us today. To research this book on the country's ghosts, demons and paranormal phenomena, Ross collected accounts from across Japan including: ● Sacred Mount Osore, a Japanese gateway to the land of the dead, where people gather to contact those who have passed on ● The Tokyo grave of the samurai Taira no Masakado, where passersby regularly witnessed his ghost until prayers finally laid him to rest ● The mummified remains of the monk Tetsumonkai at the Churenji Temple on Mount Yudono—a place where bizarre happenings are common ● The ruins of Hachioji Castle in Tokyo, which was abandoned for many years because of its many hauntings The result is an unparalleled insight into the dark corners of the Japanese psyche—a world filled with horrifying creatures including Oni (demons with fierce and ghastly appearances), Yurei (Japanese ghosts who inhabit the world of the living), and Yokai (supernatural monsters)."

Catrien Ross (Author), Ruth Urquhart (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Battle of Midway: The Naval Institute Guide to the U.S. Navy's Greatest Victory

"The best way for today's sailors to learn about a battle is from those who fought it. The Battle of Midway, commemorated annually in the US Navy, warrants close attention. This Naval Institute guide includes some of the most vibrant and informed accounts by individuals who fought on both sides of the June 1942 battle. The anthology pulls together memoirs, articles, excerpts from other Naval Institute books, and relevant government documents to help listeners understand what happened and explain why the battle was so significant to the naval service. When the US Navy stopped the Japanese steamroller off Midway Island, it not only turned the progress of the war but set the Navy's foundation for future counter offensives. The Navy's comeback spread led to the Solomon Islands and on to the other key strategic areas in the Pacific. While many know that Midway was a crucial American victory, they often do not know the details of the battle. This book tells how, for example, the American PT boats contributed to the victory, how the carrier planes formed up for their attacks, and what role radar played in the battle. From the enlisted man's perspective all the way to the admiral's, for both Americans and Japanese, listeners hear about the US Navy's greatest victory as the participants saw it."

Thomas C. Hone (editor) (Author), Paul Boehmer (Narrator)

Audiobook

Unconditional: The Japanese Surrender in World War II

"Signed on September 2, 1945 by Japanese and Allied leaders, the instrument of surrender that formally ended the war in the Pacific brought to a close one of the most cataclysmic engagements in history. The surrender fulfilled the commitment that Franklin Roosevelt had made in 1943 at the Casablanca conference that it be 'unconditional.' Though readily accepted as policy at the time, after Roosevelt's death in April 1945 support for unconditional surrender wavered, particularly among Republicans in Congress, when the bloody campaigns on Iwo Jima and Okinawa made clear the cost of military victory against Japan. Though this was the last time American forces would impose surrender unconditionally, questions surrounding it continued through the 1950s and 1960s—with the Korean and Vietnam Wars—when liberal and conservative views reversed, including over the definition of 'peace with honor.' The subject was revived during the ceremonies surrounding the fiftieth anniversary in 1995, and the Gulf and Iraq Wars, when the subjects of exit strategies and 'accomplished missions' were debated. Marc Gallicchio reveals how and why the surrender in Tokyo Bay unfolded as it did and the principle figures behind it. Most importantly, Gallicchio reveals how the policy of unconditional surrender has shaped our memory and our understanding of World War II."

Marc Gallicchio (Author), Eric Michael Summerer (Narrator)

Audiobook

To Hell And Back: The Last Train From Hiroshima

"To Hell and Back offers listeners a stunning, 'you are there' time capsule, wrapped in elegant prose. Charles Pellegrino's scientific authority and close relationship with the A-bomb survivors make his account the most gripping and authoritative ever written. At the narrative's core are eyewitness accounts of those who experienced the atomic explosions firsthand—the Japanese civilians on the ground. As the first city targeted, Hiroshima is the focus of most histories. Pellegrino gives equal weight to the bombing of Nagasaki, symbolized by the thirty people who are known to have fled Hiroshima for Nagasaki—where they arrived just in time to survive the second bomb. One of them, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, is the only person who experienced the full effects of both cataclysms within Ground Zero. The second time, the blast effects were diverted around the stairwell behind which Yamaguchi's office conference was convened—placing him and few others in a shock cocoon that offered protection while the entire building disappeared around them. Pellegrino weaves spellbinding stories together within an illustrated narrative that challenges the 'official report,' showing exactly what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki—and why."

Charles Pellegrino (Author), David Colacci (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History