Asia Audiobooks | History

Morning Star, Midnight Sun: The Early Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign of World War II August–October 1

"Following the disastrous Java Sea campaign, the Allies went on the offensive in the Pacific in a desperate attempt to halt the Japanese forces that were rampaging across the region. With the conquest of Australia a very real possibility, the stakes were high. Their target: the Japanese-held Soloman Islands, in particular the southern island of Guadalcanal. Hamstrung by arcane pre-war thinking and a bureaucratic mind-set, the U.S. Navy had to adapt on the fly in order to compete with the mighty Imperial Japanese Navy, whose ingenuity and creativity thus far had fostered the creation of its Pacific empire. Starting with the amphibious assault on Savo Island, the campaign turned into an attritional struggle where the evenly matched foes sought to grind out a victory. Following on from his hugely successful book Rising Sun, Falling Skies, Jeffrey R. Cox tells the gripping story of the first Allied offensive of the Pacific War, as they sought to prevent Japan from cutting off Australia and regaining dominance in the Pacific."

Jeffrey R. Cox (Author), Joe Barrett (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bully of Asia: Why China's Dream is the New Threat to World Order

"The signs are everywhere. China unilaterally claims the entire South China Sea as sovereign territory, then builds artificial islands to bolster its claim. It suddenly activates an air-defense identification zone over the East China Sea, and it threatens to down any aircraft that does not report its position. It builds roads into Indian territory, then redraws the maps to show that it is actually Chinese territory. The People's Republic under President Xi Jinping is quickly becoming The Bully of Asia."

Steven W. Mosher (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

Audiobook

Love Poured Out for Viet Nam

"Chester and Mary Travis were Christian & Missionary Alliance missionaries to French Indo-China (today known as Viet Nam) between 1925-1975. They experienced an abundant measure of Christ’s indwelling and overflowing life. One of the aims of this book is to share the unusual experiences and their unshakable faith in their Lord and Saviour. If this book does nothing else but generate and stimulate a continuing prayer vigil for those encountering severe trials behind the “Bamboo Curtain,” it will have served well. That is all that Chester and Mary might ask of us."

Trena Chellino (Author), Chester Travis And Maggie Malone, Drake Travis, Serena Travis, True Travis (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dragons in the Forest: Alex Faure's own story of living through WWII in Japan

"Born in Japan of a French father and White Russian mother, Alex Faure greeted news of war in the Pacific with schoolboy enthusiasm. That is until the hardships of being a gaijin and neutral foreigner in Japan during World War II became a stark reality for the Faure family. Award winning author and screenwriter, Peter Yeldham masterfully tells Alex Faure’s own true story against the backdrop of real events in wartime Japan. Laced with excerpts from Alex’s diary, Dragons in the Forest is a riveting tale of life as a foreigner in a strange land at a very dangerous time. ALEX'S DIARY - December 7th, 1941 Today the war began! I’ve just heard the news on the radio. I was trying to finish my homework in English, and at the same time listen to a talk to improve my Japanese. I often use the radio for this purpose. The Marianist Brothers at St Joseph’s teach us in English and French, but speaking Japanese at school is forbidden. Which is a pretty stupid rule, since this is where I was born and where my family lives, and on leaving school I want to get a job here …"

Peter Yeldham (Author), Jennifer Mcdonald (Narrator)

Audiobook

China: A History of China and East Asia (3rd Edition): Ancient China, Imperial Dynasties, Communism,

"Have you ever wondered how China became the most populous and one of the most industrially active nations today? This is a historical rollercoaster that will take you from Ancient China and Imperial Dynasties to Communism and Capitalism. Discover the rich history of this superpower. Here is a Sneak Peek of What you will Learn: - Ancient Chinese Dynasties and Their Impact on Chinese History - Communism, Capitalism and Its Role in Shaping China & East Asia - Ancient Chinese Culture - A History of Martial Arts in Ancient China - A Comprehensive Look at Old World Medicine in Ancient China - Analysis of the Military in Ancient China - And much, much, more Dynasties covered: Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing and various others. Take action and get this book now!"

Adam Brown (Author), Sarah Moore (Narrator)

Audiobook

Korean War: A Captivating Guide to Korean War History

"Explore how the Korean War started, the aftermath, and the events in between! The narrative of the Korean War in the West, and particularly in the United States, tells the tale of a conflict between two global superpowers and competing ideologies in a far-flung corner of the globe. The reality is that the wheels of motion that drove the country to war in 1950 began turning long before American boots set foot on Korean soil. The heart of the conflict was a civil war between a population arbitrarily divided by colonization and the global geopolitics at the end of the Second World War. Challenging the widely perpetuated Western narrative and getting to the core of the Korean conflict is no easy feat. From assumptions that the outbreak of war was a deliberate act of communist aggression, to the notion that Eisenhower and Truman's constant threats of atomic annihilation broke the Chinese and North Korean spirit and led to the signing of the armistice, everything needs to be dissected and reviewed on its own factual merit to fully understand the nature of the war. This guide seeks to pull this narrative curtain and peek behind at the truth of the matter, tracing the history of the war back to the Japanese occupation and uncovering the root of Korean nationalism that stirred the nation into the frenzy of civil war in 1950. Some of the topics covered in this audiobook include: - The Japanese Ascendency: 1910-1945 - A Korea Divided: The US Occupation of the South - The Forging of the North Korean State - First Blood: The Outbreak of War - Strike Hard and Strike Fast: The US Retreat - Bittersweet Victories: American Revival and China's Decision to Cross the Yalu - How Do You Solve a Problem Like China? - The Bloody Ceasefire and Looming Bomb - The Legacy of the Korean War - And more Listen now to learn more about the Korean War."

Captivating History (Author), Duke Holm (Narrator)

Audiobook

[German] - Abenteuer Fernhandel (Ungekürzt): Die Ostindienkompanien

"Die Ursprünge der Globalisierung liegen in der europäischen Expansion der Frühen Neuzeit. Wesentliche Akteure dieser Expansion nach Asien waren die Ostindienkompanien. Sie besaßen lange Zeit quasi Monopole und brachten Waren nach Asien, transportierten aber auch Wertvorstellungen, Mentalitäten, Religion, Techniken etc. Umgekehrt aber kamen sie auch in Kontakt mit Werten und Waren Asiens, mit denen sie Europa bekannt machten. Jürgen G. Nagel berichtet in diesem Hörbuch - der einzigen deutschsprachigen Gesamtdarstellung - von den ersten Handelskontakten mit Asien, vom Gewürz-, Tee- und Baumwollhandel, von Piraten, Moguln und von Großkapitalisten. Denn nicht zuletzt stellen die Ostindienkompanien ein spannendes Kapitel der Wirtschaftsgeschichte dar, waren sie doch die ersten, die mit modernsten Mitteln und einer innovativen Gesellschaftsform Handel im großen Stil trieben. Die Kenntnis beider Kontinente voneinander entspringt dem Warenaustausch und dem Wagemut der Händler und Kaufleute."

Jürgen G. Nagel (Author), Michael Hametner (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hannibal's Oath: The Life and Wars of Rome's Greatest Enemy

"According to the ancient sources, Hannibal was nine years old when his father led him to the temple at Carthage and dipped the young boy's hands in the blood of the sacrificial victim. Before those gods, Hannibal swore an oath of eternal hatred toward Rome. Few images in history have managed to capture and hold the popular imagination quite like that of Hannibal, the fearless North African, perched on a monstrous elephant, leading his mercenaries over the Alps, and then, against all odds, descending the ice-covered peaks to challenge Rome in her own backyard for mastery of the ancient world. It was a bold move, and it established Hannibal as one of history's greatest commanders. But this same brilliant tactician is also one of history's most tragic figures; fate condemned him to win his battles but not his war against Rome. An internationally recognized expert on Hannibal for nearly thirty years, historian John Prevas has visited every Hannibal-related site and mountain pass, from Tunisia to Italy, Spain to Turkey, seeking evidence to dispel the myths surrounding Hannibal's character and his wars. Hannibal's Oath is an easily readable yet comprehensive biography of this iconic military leader--an epic account of a monumental and tragic life."

John Prevas (Author), Brad Raymond (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mining Nickel at Yakabindie - the furious debate

"We hear about the furious debate of mining nickel at a place called Yakabindie in the Western Desert of Australia and the protection of sacred sites by Indigenous Australians. Dominion mining company wanted to mine nickel in Jones creek at Yakabindie and a part of the Indigenous community wanted to protect Jones creek. There was a furious debate which involved a heated meeting between 2 groups of Indigenous Australians at Yakabindie. One group was saying that there were no sacred sites in Jones creek and the other group were saying that there were sacred sites in Jones creek which involved the Tjikuna Dreaming story. The Tjinkuna Dreaming story of how Jones creek was formed goes like this. A dragon fly was chasing 2 serpents through the desert landscape and jones creek was formed in the Dreamtime by the dragon fly chasing these 2 serpents. One of the serpents got away and the other serpent was caught by the dragon fly and eaten. We confront anthropologist, Rory O'Connor at Yakabindie about his report for Dominion mining company, as he states that the sacred sites were in the ranges west of Jones creek and that there were no sacred sites in Jones creek as part of the Tjinkuna story. He reads from his report that Indigenous people state that there are no sacred sites in Jones creek. We hear from an elderly lady, Dolly Walker from the Nghalia heritage council that there are sacred sites in Jones creek which involve the Tjikuna Dreaming story. She states that those Indigenous people who want the nickel mine to go ahead are just interested in money and are selling their souls by giving their culture away. She says that Christian people don't want to give their Church away so why should they give their Culture away by mining Jones creek. Anthropologist Phillip Moore says his report about Jones Creek having sacred sites in it, was never considered by the state government. A young man called Zar says he will now not go through Traditional Indigenous Law to become a man if Jones creek is mined, as part of the Tjikuna story will be gone forever. Traditional Law Man, Dusty Stevens says no to mining and people don't understand the Sacred Laws of Jones creek. We go to a press where the Minister for Indigenous affairs, Judith Watson and the Managing Director of Dominion mining, Peter Walker state that the nickel mine at Yakabindie has been given approval after considering the reports from both anthropologists. In the press conference both Judith Watson and Peter Walker make mistakes in their statements after questions are asked about the protection of sacred sites. Peter Walker admits that there are 2 sacred sites in Jones creek but are of little significance to Indigenous people. The Yakabindie nickel mine went ahead and Jones creek was dug up, but several years later Dominion mining went broke, as it collapsed and was delisted in Western Australia."

Dreamtime Audio Books (Author), Mysterious Dreamtime Man (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rottnest Island Mass Grave - ground probing radar

"Rottnest Island became a part of history how Europeans settled Australia through imprisoning Indigenous Australians in the last 200 years. Rottnest Island is a tourist island off the coast of the state of Western Australia where Australians go to relax at the beach, go swimming and scuba diving but it's only recently been discovered as a prison where Indigenous Australians' were locked up and also many lost their lives and were buried in a mass grave. In the 1970's while laying pipes for a sewerage system, George Pergament talks of how skeletons were falling in on his workmen. But the discovery of these human bones were covered up and never talked about again. In the 1990's there was a push by certain people to get the mass grave confirmed and protected under the heritage act of Western Australian state law. Thus researcher Paul Alladyce investigated and confirmed the mass grave by a number of methods. He also spoke to an old man in his early 90's, Jack O'Donahue who saw bodies being thrown into a mass grave as a young boy, as his father was one of the Wardens of the Rottnest Island Prison. The state government of Western Australia approved of a Ground Probing Radar to confirm that the soil deep down had been disturbed confirming that the ground had been dug up many years ago. The ground probing radar had confirmed that there was a mass grave of over 300 bodies of Indigenous Australian's. The Premier of the State of Western Australia made a speech how the Rottnest island grave needed to be protected. It was fenced off, with a road and holiday houses removed. The Mass Grave was also on a place called 'Tent Land' where thousands of tourists had slept in tents on top of the mass grave for many years without people knowing. Tent land was also fenced off. The Quadrangle (the old prison) was known as the quad, was a place where over 3000 men were imprisoned and hundreds had died. The wardens were quite brutal where Indigenous men were hung in the middle of the quad in front of other men. Many died of over cramped damp conditions of many diseases and buried in the mass grave. People called for the Quad to be turned into a museum of history but sadly the quad was turned into a hotel against people's wishes cause there was too much money involved in tourism. So now you have tourists who now sleep in rooms which used to be prison cells where many men died."

Dreamtime Audio Books (Author), Mysterious Dreamtime Man (Narrator)

Audiobook

MacArthur's Spies: The Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War I

"'MacArthur's Spies reads like Casablanca set in the Pacific, filled with brave and daring characters caught up in the intrigue of war-and the best part is that it's all true!' -Tom Maier, author of Masters of Sex A thrilling story of espionage, daring and deception set in the exotic landscape of occupied Manila during World War II. On January 2, 1942, Japanese troops marched into Manila unopposed by U.S. forces. Manila was a strategic port, a romantic American outpost and a jewel of a city. Tokyo saw its conquest of the Philippines as the key in its plan to control all of Asia, including Australia. Thousands of soldiers surrendered and were sent on the notorious eighty-mile Bataan Death March. But thousands of other Filipinos and Americans refused to surrender and hid in the Luzon hills above Bataan and Manila. MacArthur's Spies is the story of three of them, and how they successfully foiled the Japanese for more than two years, sabotaging Japanese efforts and preparing the way for MacArthur's return. From a jungle hideout, Colonel John Boone, an enlisted American soldier, led an insurgent force of Filipino fighters who infiltrated Manila as workers and servants to stage demolitions and attacks. "Chick" Parsons, an American businessman, polo player, and expatriate in Manila, was also a U.S. Navy intelligence officer. He escaped in the guise of a Panamanian diplomat, and returned as MacArthur's spymaster, coordinating the guerrilla efforts with the planned Allied invasion. And, finally, there was Claire Phillips, an itinerant American torch singer with many names and almost as many husbands. Her nightclub in Manila served as a cover for supplying food to Americans in the hills and to thousands of prisoners of war. She and the men and women who worked with her gathered information from the collaborating Filipino businessmen; the homesick, English-speaking Japanese officers; and the spies who mingled in the crowd. Readers of Alan Furst and Ben Macintyre-and anyone who loves Casablanca-will relish this true tale of heroism when it counted the most."

Peter Eisner (Author), Peter Eisner (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Souls China: The Return of Religion After Mao

"From the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, a revelatory portrait of religion in China today—its history, the spiritual traditions of its Eastern and Western faiths, and the ways in which it is influencing China’s future. The Souls of China tells the story of one of the world’s great spiritual revivals. Following a century of violent anti-religious campaigns, China is now filled with new temples, churches, and mosques—as well as cults, sects, and politicians trying to harness religion for their own ends. Driving this explosion of faith is uncertainty—over what it means to be Chinese and how to live an ethical life in a country that discarded traditional morality a century ago and is searching for new guideposts. Ian Johnson first visited China in 1984; in the 1990s he helped run a charity to rebuild Daoist temples, and in 2001 he won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the suppression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement. While researching this book, he lived for extended periods with underground church members, rural Daoists, and Buddhist pilgrims. Along the way, he learned esoteric meditation techniques, visited a nonagenarian Confucian sage, and befriended government propagandists as they fashioned a remarkable embrace of traditional values. He has distilled these experiences into a cycle of festivals, births, deaths, detentions, and struggle—a great awakening of faith that is shaping the soul of the world’s newest superpower."

Ian Johnson (Author), Ian Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History