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To this day, Japan's modern ascendancy challenges many assumptions about world history, particularly theories regarding the rise of the west and why the modern world looks the way it does. In this engaging new history, Brett L. Walker tackles key themes regarding Japan's relationships with its minorities, state and economic development, and the uses of science and medicine. The book begins by tracing the country's early history through archaeological remains, before proceeding to explore life in the imperial court, the rise of the samurai, civil conflict, encounters with Europe, and the advent of modernity and empire. Integrating the pageantry of a unique nation's history with today's environmental concerns, Walker's vibrant and accessible new narrative then follows Japan's ascension from the ashes of World War II into the thriving nation of today. It is a history for our times, posing important questions regarding how we should situate a nation's history in an age of environmental and climatological uncertainties.
Brett L. Walker (Author), Eric Michael Summerer (Narrator)
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A Concise History of Modern India
A Concise History of Modern India by Barbara D. Metcalf and Thomas R. Metcalf has become a classic in the field since it was first published in 2001. As a fresh interpretation of Indian history from the Mughals to the present, it has informed students across the world. The narrative focuses on the imaginative and institutional structures that have successfully sustained and transformed India, first under British colonial rule and then, after 1947, as an independent country. Woven into the larger political narrative is an account of India's social and economic development and its rich cultural life. The final chapter charts the dramatic developments of the last 20 years, from 1990 through the Congress electoral victory of 2009, to the rise of the Indian high-tech industry in a country still troubled by poverty and political unrest. **Contact Customer Service for Additional Content**
Barbara Metcalf, Thomas Metcalf (Author), Raj Ghatak (Narrator)
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“I came to realize the tragic truth that the Japanese woman – like the plum blossom, modest, gentle, and bearing unjust hardship without complaint – is often little else than a useless sacrifice; while the American woman – self-respecting, untrammelled, changing with quick adaptability to new conditions – carries inspiration to every heart.” In the late 19th century, after Japan was restored to imperial rule, the samurais were no longer the seat of power. As Western ideas and precepts were adopted across the world, the power and wealth the families of samurais had once known was no longer. The families who were impacted by this shift lost wealth and power. Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto was the daughter of one such samurai, and had begun her life on a track to become a Buddhist priestess. But as the family lost their position in society, her path changed, and she was eventually sent to the United States to be in an arranged marriage to an American man. A Daughter of the Samurai is her personal memoir of her life and perspective on the differences between Japanese and American lifestyles, the value of women in each society, and the influence that evolving cultures had on different classes of society. A Daughter of the Samurai is a fascinating read for those wanting to gain a first-hand perspective on the shifting power dynamics through the Meiji Restoration and Edo period in Japan, as well as the treatment of women in both Japan and America.
Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto (Author), Siho Ellsmore (Narrator)
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A Faithful Record of the 'Lisbon Maru' Incident: Translation from Chinese with additional material
In the 75th anniversary year of the sinking of the Lisbon Maru, A FAITHFUL RECORD OF THE LISBON MARU INCIDENT is a recent translation from an original Chinese publication covering an important chapter in Hong Kong’s wartime history. It gives details of the Lisbon Maru Incident of 1942, seen through the eyes of the Chinese fishermen who rescued hundreds of British prisoners of war from Hong Kong, whose ship had been torpedoed. The Japanese had tried to keep them in the holds as the ship sank so that they would drown, and then shot at them as they tried to escape. These courageous fishermen not only prevented hundreds more deaths, they also hid three prisoners under the noses of the Japanese until they could be sent secretly on a journey across more than 1,000 miles of China to reach Chongqing, from where they could tell the world what had happened. The book also recounts the visit to Zhoushan in 2005 of one of the survivors of the sinking and his emotional reunion with those who saved him; as well as a visit to Hong Kong in the same year of the last few remaining fishermen who had taken part in the rescue.
Brian Finch (Author), Brian Finch (Narrator)
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A Force So Swift: Mao, Truman, and the Birth of Modern China, 1949
A gripping narrative of the Truman Administration's response to the fall of Nationalist China and the triumph of Mao Zedong's Communist forces in 1949--an extraordinary political revolution that continues to shape East Asian politics to this day. In the opening months of 1949, U.S. President Harry S. Truman found himself faced with a looming diplomatic catastrophe--"perhaps the greatest that this country has ever suffered," as the journalist Walter Lippmann put it. Throughout the spring and summer, Mao Zedong's Communist armies fanned out across mainland China, annihilating the rival troops of America's one-time ally Chiang Kai-shek and taking control of Beijing, Shanghai, and other major cities. As Truman and his aides--including his shrewd, ruthless secretary of state, Dean Acheson--scrambled to formulate a response, they were forced to contend not only with Mao, but also with unrelenting political enemies at home. Over the course of this tumultuous year, Mao would fashion a new revolutionary government in Beijing, laying the foundation for the creation of modern China, while Chiang Kai-shek would flee to the island sanctuary of Taiwan. These events transformed American foreign policy--leading, ultimately, to decades of friction with Communist China, a long-standing U.S. commitment to Taiwan, and the subsequent wars in Korea and Vietnam. Drawing on Chinese and Russian sources, as well as recently declassified CIA documents, Kevin Peraino tells the story of this remarkable year through the eyes of the key players, including Mao Zedong, President Truman, Secretary of State Acheson, Minnesota congressman Walter Judd, and Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the influential first lady of the Republic of China. Today, the legacy of 1949 is more relevant than ever to the relationships between China, the United States, and the rest of the world, as Beijing asserts its claims in the South China Sea and tensions endure between Taiwan and the mainland.
Kevin Peraino (Author), Paul Michael (Narrator)
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A Great Place to Have a War: America in Laos and the Birth of a Military CIA
In 1960, President Eisenhower was focused on Laos, a tiny Southeast Asian nation few Americans had ever heard of. Washington feared the country would fall to communism, triggering a domino effect in the rest of Southeast Asia. So in January 1961, Eisenhower approved the CIA's Operation Momentum, a plan to create a proxy army of ethnic Hmong to fight communist forces in Laos. While remaining largely hidden from the American public and most of Congress, Momentum became the largest CIA paramilitary operation in the history of the United States. The brutal war, which continued under Presidents Kennedy and Nixon, lasted nearly two decades, killed one-tenth of Laos's total population, left thousands of unexploded bombs in the ground, and changed the nature of the CIA forever. Joshua Kurlantzick gives us the definitive account of the Laos war and its central characters, including the four key people who led the operation-the CIA operative who came up with the idea, the Hmong general who led the proxy army in the field, the paramilitary specialist who trained the Hmong, and the State Department careerist who took control over the war as it grew.
Joshua Kurlantzick (Author), Tim Campbell (Narrator)
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A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower
In a rare combination of comprehensive coverage and sustained critical focus, this book examines Japan's progress through its entire history to its current status as an economic, technological, and cultural superpower. A key factor is a pragmatic determination to succeed. Little-known facts are also brought to light, and the latest findings used.
Kenneth G. Henshall (Author), Stephen Bungay (Narrator)
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A History of Japan: Revised Edition
A classic of Japanese history, this book is the preeminent work on the history of Japan. Newly revised and updated, A History of Japan is a single-volume, complete history of the nation of Japan. Starting in ancient Japan during its early pre-history period A History of Japan covers every important aspect of history and culture through feudal Japan to the post-cold War period and collapse of the Bubble Economy in the early 1990s. Recent findings shed additional light on the origins of Japanese civilization and the birth of Japanese culture. Also included is an in-depth analysis of the Japanese religion, Japanese arts, Japanese culture and the Japanese people from the 6th century B.C.E. to the present. This contemporary classic, now updated and revised, continues to be an essential work in Japanese studies. A History of Japan, Revised Edition includes: Archaic Japan-including Yamato, the creation of a unified state, the Nana Period, and the Heian period. Medieval Japan-including rule by the military houses, the failure of Ashikaga Rule, Buddhism, and the Kamakura and Muroachi Periods. Early Modern Japan-including Japanese feudalism, administration under the Tokugawa, and society and culture in early modern Japan. Modern Japan-including the Meiji Era and policies for modernization, from consensus to crisis (1912-1937), and solutions through force. This contemporary classic continues to be a central book in Japanese studies and is a vital addition to the collection of any student or enthusiast of Japanese history, Japanese culture, or the Japanese language.
J. G. Caiger, R. H. P. Mason (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)
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This accessible and engaging new edition continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Fully revised throughout, the author takes a thematic and chronological approach to guide listeners from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience. Episodic accounts in each chapter are discussed in context with extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. By discussing recurring themes such as collective identity, external influence, social hierarchy, and family and gender, the author introduces the major historical events, patterns and debates that have shaped both North and South Korea over the past 1500 years. This textbook is essential for undergraduate and postgraduate students of history, and those studying Korean or Asian history in particular. The first half of the book covers the pre-twentieth century era, and the second half the modern era, reflecting the structure of most Korean history courses.
Kyung Moon Hwang (Author), Eric Jason Martin (Narrator)
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A History of Lost Knowledge in Sanskrit Literature: Ancient Enigmas of an Advanced Epoch Preserved i
Since the Renaissance, there has been no event of such worldwide significance in the history of culture as the discovery of Sanskrit literature in the latter part of the eighteenth century. The highly advanced knowledge preserved in these texts is, however, really only coming to light now. After Alexander's invasion, the Greeks became to some extent acquainted with the Indians; the Arabs, in the Middle Ages, took their knowledge of Indian science to the West; a few European missionaries from the sixteenth century onwards were not only aware of the existence of Sanskrit Knowledge but also gained some familiarity with, the ancient language of India; and Abraham Roger even translated the Sanskrit poet Bhartṛihari into Dutch as early as 1651.
Henry Romano (Author), Alex White (Narrator)
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A History of South Korea and North Korea: From Conflict to Cooperation
Are you curious about the fascinating history of the Korean Peninsula? This book takes you on a captivating journey through the ages, exploring the rich past of South and North Korea. Here are five key things you'll discover: - The ancient origins of Korea and the development of its unique culture. - The complex relationship between North and South Korea, and the impact of division on the region. - The role of Korea in various wars and conflicts throughout history. - The stories of key figures who shaped the history of Korea. - A deeper understanding of the current state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula. Don't miss out on this opportunity to discover the captivating history of Korea. Order now and explore the fascinating history of the Korean Peninsula.
Days Of History (Author), James Smith (Narrator)
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A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, a
Before becoming the world’s most notorious dictator, Kim Jong-Il ran North Korea’s Ministry for Propaganda and its film studios. Conceiving every movie made, he acted as producer and screenwriter. Despite this control, he was underwhelmed by the available talent and took drastic steps, ordering the kidnapping of Choi Eun-Hee (Madam Choi)—South Korea’s most famous actress—and her ex-husband Shin Sang-Ok, the country’s most famous filmmaker. Madam Choi vanished first. When Shin went to Hong Kong to investigate, he was attacked and woke up wrapped in plastic sheeting aboard a ship bound for North Korea. Madam Choi lived in isolated luxury, allowed only to attend the Dear Leader’s dinner parties. Shin, meanwhile, tried to escape, was sent to prison camp, and "re-educated." After four years he cracked, pledging loyalty. Reunited with Choi at the first party he attends, it is announced that the couple will remarry and act as the Dear Leader’s film advisors. Together they made seven films, in the process gaining Kim Jong-Il’s trust. While pretending to research a film in Vienna, they flee to the U.S. embassy and are swept to safety. A nonfiction thriller packed with tension, passion, and politics, A Kim Jong-Il Production offers a rare glimpse into a secretive world, illuminating a fascinating chapter of North Korea’s history that helps explain how it became the hermetically sealed, intensely stage-managed country it remains today.
Paul Fischer (Author), Stephen Park (Narrator)
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