Asia Audiobooks | History

Everything Under the Heavens: How the Past Helps Shape China's Push for Global Power

"From the former New York Times Asia correspondent and author of China's Second Continent, an incisive investigation of China's ideological development as it becomes an ever more aggressive player in regional and global diplomacy. For many years after its reform and opening in 1978, China maintained an attitude of false modesty about its ambitions. That role, reports Howard French, has been set aside. China has asserted its place among the global heavyweights, revealing its plans for pan-Asian dominance by building its navy, increasing territorial claims to areas like the South China Sea, and diplomatically bullying smaller players. Underlying this attitude is a strain of thinking that casts China's present-day actions in decidedly historical terms, as the path to restoring the dynastic glory of the past. If we understand how that historical identity relates to current actions, in ways ideological, philosophical, and even legal, we can learn to forecast just what kind of global power China stands to become--and to interact wisely with a future peer. Steeped in deeply researched history as well as on-the-ground reporting, this is French at his revelatory best."

Howard W. French (Author), Nicholas Hormann (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dereliction of Duty

"''The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York Times or the college campuses. It was lost in Washington, D.C.'' —H. R. McMaster (from the Conclusion) Dereliction Of Duty is a stunning analysis of how and why the United States became involved in an all-out and disastrous war in Southeast Asia. Fully and convincingly researched, based on transcripts and personal accounts of crucial meetings, confrontations and decisions, it is the only book that fully re-creates what happened and why. McMaster pinpoints the policies and decisions that got the United States into the morass and reveals who made these decisions and the motives behind them, disproving the published theories of other historians and excuses of the participants. Dereliction Of Duty focuses on a fascinating cast of characters: President Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, General Maxwell Taylor, McGeorge Bundy and other top aides who deliberately deceived the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. Congress and the American public. McMaster’s only book, Dereliction of Duty is an explosive and authoritative new look at the controversy concerning the United States involvement in Vietnam."

H.R. Mcmaster (Author), H.R. Mcmaster (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dictators Without Borders: Power and Money in Central Asia

"Weak, corrupt, and politically unstable, the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are dismissed as isolated and irrelevant to the outside world. But are they? This hard-hitting book argues that Central Asia is in reality a globalization leader with more extensive involvement in economics, politics, and security dynamics beyond its borders than any other world region. Yet Central Asia's international activities are mostly hidden from view, with disturbing implications for world security. Based on years of research and involvement in the region, Alexander Cooley and John Heathershaw reveal how business networks, elite bank accounts, overseas courts, third-party brokers, and Western lawyers connect Central Asia's supposedly isolated leaders with global power centers. The authors also uncover widespread Western participation in money laundering, bribery, foreign lobbying by autocratic governments, and the exploiting of legal loopholes within Central Asia. Riveting and important, this book exposes the global connections of a troubled region that must no longer be ignored."

Alexander A. Cooley PhD, John Heathershaw (Author), Jonathan Yen (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Treaty with China

""A good candidate for 'the most under-appreciated work by Mark Twain' would be 'The Treaty With China,' which he published in the New York Tribune in 1868. This piece, which is an early statement of Twain's opposition to imperialism and which conveys his vision of how the U.S. ought to behave on the global stage, has not been reprinted since its original publication until now." (the online, open-access "Journal of Transnational American Studies" published it in the spring, 2010). (Introduction by Shelley Fisher Fishkin, Twain scholar and Director of American Studies at Stanford University, used by permission) (Transcription by Martin Zehr for the Journal of Transnational American Studies, American Cultures and Global Contexts Center, UC Santa Barbara"

Mark Twain (Author), John Greenman (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Upanishads: Stories of the Self with Graham Burns

"In this 5 lecture series Graham Burns gives a broad overview of the Upanishads, explaining the history and culture in which they arose. He takes you through several themes that are explored in some of the more prominent Upanishads. He illuminates important concepts that begin to form the foundation of much of Indian thought. Graham presents this lecture series in a clear, intelligent way that is sure to make the wisdom of the Upanishads accessible for anyone interested in learning more about the foundations of Indian philosophy. - Session 1: Introduction to the Upanishads & their historical background - Session 2: Key ideas found throughout the Upanishads - Session 3: Exploring the narratives found throughout the texts - Session 4: Stories of Atman or the Self - Session 5: Philosophical interpretations Graham Burns is a former City lawyer turned yoga teacher and academic. He has a Master’s degree (with distinction) in Religions from SOAS, University of London, where he focused on ancient Indian religion and philosophy and the historical roots of the yoga traditions. He is a faculty member for the Yogacampus Yoga Teacher Training Diploma programmes, as well as a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS (The School of Oriental and African Studies of London University) where he teaches Hinduism and philosophy and is a member of the Centre of Yoga Studies. As well as a law degree from Durham University many years ago, Dr. Graham Burns has more recently completed a PhD. in ancient Indian religious philosophy at SOAS. As well as regular yoga classes and trainings in London and internationally, Graham teaches yoga history, philosophy and Sanskrit on the Yogacampus Yoga Teacher Training Diploma course."

Graham Burns (Author), Graham Burns (Narrator)

Audiobook

Aim High in Creation!: A One-of-a-Kind Journey Inside North Korea's Propaganda Machine

"When Anna Broinowski learned that fracking had invaded downtown Sydney, she had a brilliant idea: she would seek guidance for a kryptonite-powerful anti-fracking movie from the world's greatest propaganda factory, apart from Hollywood. After two years of trying, she was allowed to make her case in Pyongyang and was granted full permission to film. She worked closely with the leading lights of North Korean cinema, even playing an American in a military thriller. Interviewing loyalists and defectors alike, Anna explored the society she encountered. She offers vivid, sometimes hilarious descriptions of bizarre disconnects and warm friendships in a world without advertisements or commercial culture. Her book, like the prize-winning documentary that resulted from her visit, is a thoughtful plea for better understanding."

Anna Broinowski (Author), Emma Fenney (Narrator)

Audiobook

North Korea's Hidden Revolution: How the Information Underground is Transforming a Closed Society

"One of the least understood countries in the world, North Korea has long been known for its repressive regime. Yet it is far from being an impenetrable black box. Media flows covertly into the country, and fault lines are appearing in the government's sealed informational borders. Drawing on deeply personal interviews with North Korean defectors from all walks of life, ranging from propaganda artists to diplomats, Jieun Baek tells the story of North Korea's information underground—the network of citizens who take extraordinary risks by circulating illicit content such as foreign films, television shows, soap operas, books, and encyclopedias. By fostering an awareness of life outside North Korea and enhancing cultural knowledge, the materials these citizens disseminate are affecting the social and political consciousness of a people, as well as their everyday lives."

Jieun Baek (Author), Caroline McLaughlin (Narrator)

Audiobook

China's Disruptors: How Alibaba, Xiaomi, Tencent, and Other Companies are Changing the Rules of Busi

"Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of China's Disruptors by Edward Tse, read by Arthur Morey. In China's Disruptors, Edward Tse takes an unprecedented inside look at rapidly emerging Chinese entrepreneurs and their game-changing impact on both China and the world. In September 2014, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba raised $25 billion in the world's biggest ever initial public offering. Since then, millions of investors and managers worldwide have pondered a fundamental question: what's really going on with the new wave of China's disruptors? Over the past two decades, an unprecedented burst of entrepreneurialism has transformed China's economy from a closed, impoverished, state-run system into a major power in global business. Alibaba is one of a rising tide of thriving Chinese businesses, and its success has been quickly followed by other previously little-known companies, such as Baidu, Tencent and Xiaomi. Edward Tse is a leading global strategy consultant who has spent more than twenty years working with senior Chinese executives. In China's Disruptors, he draws on exclusive interviews and case studies to reveal how China got to this point and explore what the country's rise means for the rest of the world. 'No one can explain what is happening in China better than Edward Tse' Sam Su, vice chairman of the board and chairman and CEO of China Division of YUM! Brands, Inc. 'A detailed and fascinating study of the changing landscape in China and the entrepreneurs who are driving that change forward. This is a book that will only become increasingly important in the years to come' Chen Dongsheng, chairman and CEO, Taikang Life Insurance Co. Ltd., and president, China Entrepreneurs Forum"

Edward Tse (Author), Arthur Morey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Legends of the Samurai

"Over the decades the reputation of the samurai has grown to mythical proportions, owing to such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Yojimbo as well as works such as James Clavell's epic Shogun. In Legends of the Samurai, Hiroaki Sato confronts both the history and the legend of the samurai, untangling the two to present an authentic picture of these legendary warriors. Through his masterful translations of original samurai tales, laws, dicta, reports, and arguments accompanied by insightful commentary, Sato chronicles the changing ethos of the Japanese warrior from the samurai's historical origins to his rise to political power. A fascinating look at Japanese history as seen through the evolution of the samurai, Legends of the Samurai stands as the ultimate authority on its subject."

Hiroaki Sato (Author), Walter Dixon (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Rape of Nanking: The History and Legacy of the Notorious Massacre during the Second Sino-Japanes

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

Audiobook

Marching Orders: The Untold Story of How the American Breaking of the Japanese Secret Codes Led to t

"A stunning account of how the American military's breaking of the Japanese diplomatic Purple codes led to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Bruce Lee, having had access to more than one million pages of US Army documents and thousands of pages of daily top-secret messages dispatched to Tokyo from the Japanese embassy in Berlin, assembles fascinating revelations about pivotal moments in the war, including the reason Eisenhower stopped his army at the Elbe and let the Russians capture Berlin, the invasion of Europe, and the battles on the African and Eastern fronts. This groundbreaking book clearly demonstrates how the success of the American code breakers led to so many favorable military and strategic outcomes for the Allies and hastened the end of this devastating war."

Bruce Lee (Author), Jeff Harding (Narrator)

Audiobook

[German] - Das Projekt Welteroberung: China will die berühmteste Handelsroute auferstehen lassen: di

"Die Regierung von China baut von Zentralasien bis Europa Eisenbahnen, Pipelines und Autobahnen. Sie will die berühmteste Handelsroute auferstehen lassen: die Seidenstraße. Dies ist die Vertonung eines Artikels aus der SPIEGEL-Ausgabe 35/2016. Sie entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit der Deutschen Blindenstudienanstalt e.V."

Der Spiegel (Author), Deutsche Blindenstudienanstalt E.V. (Narrator)

Audiobook

Asia Audiobooks in History