Preloved Affordable Biographies & Memoirs Books Online | Based in Singapore – Page 3

Li Cunxin

Mao's Last Dancer

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Raised in a desperately poor village during the height of China's Cultural Revolution, Li Cunxin's childhood revolved around the commune, his family and Chairman Mao's Little Red Book. Until, that is, Madame Mao's cultural delegates came in search of young peasants to study ballet at the academy in Beijing and he was thrust into a completely unfamiliar world. When a trip to Texas as part of a rare cultural exchange opened his eyes to life and love beyond China's borders, he defected to the United States in an extraordinary and dramatic tale of Cold War intrigue. Told in his own distinctive voice, this is Li's inspirational story of how he came to be Mao's last dancer, and one of the world's greatest ballet dancers.

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Sam Taylor, Lan Yan

The House of Yan : A Family at the Heart of a Century in Chinese History

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Through the sweeping cultural and historical transformations of China, entrepreneur Lan Yan traces her family’s history through early 20th Century to present day.The history of the Yan family is inseparable from the history of China over the last century. One of the most influential businesswomen of China today, Lan Yan grew up in the company of the country's powerful elite, including Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and other top leaders. Her grandfather, Yan Baohang, originally a nationalist and close to Chiang Kai-shek and his wife, Soong May-ling, later joined the communists and worked as a secret agent for Zhou Enlai during World War II. Lan's parents were diplomats, and her father, Yan Mingfu, was Mao's personal Russian translator.Inspite of their elevated status, the Yan's family life was turned upside down by the Cultural Revolution. One night in 1967, in front of a terrified ten-year-old Lan, Red Guards burst into the family home and arrested her grandfather. Days later, her father was arrested, accused of spying for the Soviet Union. Her mother, Wu Keliang, was branded a counter-revolutionary and forced to go with her daughter to a re-education camp for more than seven years, where Lan came of age as a high school student.In recounting her family history, Lan Yan brings to life a century of Chinese history from the last emperor to present day, including the Cultural Revolution which tore her childhood apart. The little girl who was crushed by the Cultural Revolution has become one of the most active businesswomen in her country. In telling her and her family's story, she serves up an intimate account of the history of contemporary China.

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Paul Courtright

Witnessing Gwangju - A Memoir

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This book, Witnessing Gwangju, is an incredibly powerful and eye-opening memoir that captures the essence of the life-changing Gwangju Uprising. Through the vivid and gripping narration of Paul Courtright, you are transported back in time to witness the tragic events and the incredible bravery of the people involved. It is a story of courage, resilience, and the profound impact that one person's actions can have on the world. Prepare to be moved and inspired by this unforgettable firsthand account.

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Greg Mortenson

Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan

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In this dramatic story; Greg Mortenson picks up where "Three Cups of Tea" left off in 2003, recounting his ongoing efforts to establish schools for girls in Afghanistan; his extraordinary work in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan after a massive earthquake hit the region in 2005; and the unique ways he has built relationships with Islamic clerics, militia commanders and tribal leaders, even as he was dodging shoot-outs with feuding Afghan warlords and surviving an eight-day armed abduction by the Taliban.For the first time he shares his broader vision to promote peace through education and literacy - woven together with the many fascinating personal stories of the people who have been involved in this remarkable two-decade humanitarian effort.

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Peter Hessler

Country Driving : A Chinese Road Trip

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One of The Economist 's Best Books of the Year From the bestselling author of Oracle Bones and River Town comes the final book in his award-winning trilogy on the human side of the economic revolution in China. Peter Hessler, whom the Wall Street Journal calls "one of the Western world's most thoughtful writers on modern China," deftly illuminates the vast, shifting landscape of a traditionally rural nation that, having once built walls against foreigners, is now building roads and factory towns that look to the outside world.

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Michael Palin

North Korea Journal

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THE BOOK BEHIND THE HIT DOCUMENTARY A glimpse of life inside the world’s most secretive country, as told by Britain’s best-loved travel writer.In May 2018, former Monty Python stalwart and intrepid globetrotter Michael Palin spent two weeks in the notoriously secretive Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a cut-off land without internet or phone signal, where the countryside has barely moved beyond a centuries-old peasant economy but where the cities have gleaming skyscrapers and luxurious underground train stations. His resulting documentary for Channel 5 was widely acclaimed.Now he shares his day-by-day diary of his visit, in which he describes not only what he saw – and his fleeting views of what the authorities didn’t want him to see – but recounts the conversations he had with the country’s inhabitants, talks candidly about his encounters with officialdom, and records his musings about a land wholly unlike any other he has ever visited – one that inspires fascination and fear in equal measure.Written with Palin’s trademark warmth and wit, and illustrated with beautiful colour photographs throughout, the journal offers a rare insight into the North Korea behind the headlines.

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Tom Plate

Conversations With Lee Kuan Yew - Citizen Singapore: How To Build A Nation

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This book would be an excellent choice for someone interested in the history and development of Singapore. The author has conducted extensive interviews with Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, and provides candid insights into his leadership style and vision for the country. Readers will gain a better understanding of how Singapore became the thriving nation it is today and appreciate Lee Kuan Yew's contributions to its success.

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Lisa Ling, Laura Ling

Somewhere Inside : One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home

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Somewhere Inside is the electrifying, never-before-told story of Laura Ling’s capture by the North Koreans in March 2009, and the efforts of her sister, journalist Lisa Ling, to secure Laura’s release by former President Bill Clinton. This riveting true account of the first ever trial of an American citizen in North Korea’s highest court carries readers deep inside the world’s most secretive nation while it poignantly explores the powerful, inspiring bonds of sisterly love.

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Hugh Ambrose

The Pacific

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This book offers a vivid portrayal of the brave soldiers and pilots who fought in the Pacific theater during WWII. Through personal stories, readers gain a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made during this historic time. The intertwined odysseys of the characters make for a compelling read that will keep you engaged from start to finish.

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Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew: One Man’s View Of The World

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This fascinating book is a must-read for anyone interested in international politics and the future of the world. Lee Kuan Yew, with his vast experience and deep understanding of world events, offers a unique perspective that is both insightful and thought-provoking. His candid and sometimes surprising views on topics such as China's rise, America's pre-eminence, and Europe's challenges make this book a fresh and gripping read. With a Q&A section in each chapter, you get an inside look at the thoughts of one of the world's most influential leaders. Don't miss out on this eye-opening journey through the mind of Lee Kuan Yew.

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Isabel Sun Chao, Claire Chao

Remembering Shanghai : A Memoir of Socialites, Scholars and Scoundrels

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Winner of over 20 awards including Rubery Award BOOK OF THE YEAR and Writer’s Digest GRAND PRIZE ... An Extraordinary Multigenerational Saga.A high position bestowed by China's empress dowager grants power and wealth to the Sun family. For Isabel, growing up in glamorous 1930s and '40s Shanghai, it is a life of utmost privilege. But while her scholar father and fashionable mother shelter her from civil war and Japanese occupation, they cannot shield the family forever.When Mao comes to power, eighteen-year-old Isabel journeys to Hong Kong, not realizing that she will make it her home--and that she will never see her father again. Meanwhile, the family she has left behind struggles to survive, only to have their world shattered by the Cultural Revolution. Isabel returns to Shanghai fifty years later with her daughter, Claire, to confront their family's past--one they discover is filled with love and betrayal, kidnappers and concubines, glittering pleasure palaces and underworld crime bosses.Lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, Remembering Shanghai follows five generations from a hardscrabble village to vibrant Shanghai to the bright lights of Hong Kong. By turns harrowing and heartwarming, this vivid memoir explores identity, loss and the unpredictable nature of life against the epic backdrop of a nation and a people in turmoil.

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Lady Hyegyeong, JaHyun Kim Haboush

The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong : The Autobiographical Writings of a Crown Princess of Eighteenth-Century Korea

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The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyong offers a fascinating glimpse into Korean court life of the eighteenth-century. The book's unique feature is its depiction of a deeply intelligent and articulate woman amidst conflicting passions, political intrigue, and daily concerns. Readers interested in historical and cultural perspectives will find this autobiography a worthy read.

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Mohsin Hamid

Discontent and Its Civilizations : Dispatches from Lahore, New York and London

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'When I was younger, I thought of being a migrant and being foreign as things that made me different, an outsider. Now I think these experiences are increasingly universal…'Since the year 2000, novelist Mohsin Hamid has been writing about what it means to be an individual in an increasingly fragmented world. In the pieces gathered here, he gives us a portrait of a man coming to terms with not only his place in that world but also how its convulsions and changes shape so many of us—for good and ill. Whether writing of his home life, about being a migrant or of today's geopolitical fault lines, Hamid gives us his deeply personal take on life at the beginning of the twenty-first century.'As simple, immediate and moving as any of Hamid's fiction.' —Financial Times'Excellent. Lucid, informative and drily funny… Hamid is one of the most perceptive commentators on contemporary global politics.' —Sunday Times'Reasonable, intelligent, humble. Just the sort of commentator the world could do with right now.' —Independent''Accessible, wise and beautifully clear.' —Metro'As a Pakistani who spent his childhood in the United States and his adult life in London, Hamid has a unique perspective on the civilization clash which has defined this era. These elegantly crafted essays confront everything from the future of Pakistan and the death of Osama bin Laden to fatherhood and falling in love.' —Prospect

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Robert Kuok Hock Nien, Andrew Tanzer

Robert Kuok : A Memoir

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Robert Kuok's memoir could be a good read for anyone interested in learning from a successful businessman with 75 years of experience in conducting business. From management insights to strategies and lessons learned, Kuok shares his principles, philosophy, and moral code, and offers a unique perspective on nearly a century of Asian history.

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Kathryn Bonella

Hotel K : The Shocking Inside Story of Bali's Most Notorious Jail

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Recommendation: Hotel K provides a shocking, yet intriguing glimpse into the dark underworld of Bali's infamous jail. From the corrupt guards organizing 'sex nights' to an ecstasy factory, the book uncovers the squalor and corruption that lurk behind the jail's walls. It's a compelling read for true crime enthusiasts who are interested in the seedier side of paradise.

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Joshua Wong, Ai Weiwei, Jason Y. Ng

Unfree Speech : The Threat to Global Democracy and Why We Must Act, Now

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Unfree Speech is an inspiring call to action, chronicling the story of Joshua Wong- a young activist and his journey to fight for democracy. This book is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of democracy and wants to understand the importance of free speech in today's world. It is an urgent manifesto that highlights the need to defend our democracies, wherever we are in the world, and why we must act now. Joshua Wong's message is powerful- when we stay silent, no one is safe, but when we free our speech, our voice becomes one. This book is an inspiring guide to mobilizing for democracy, and it will leave readers motivated to take action and uphold democratic values.

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Karen Armstrong

Lives: Buddha

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Buddhism is a faith that commands over 100 million followers throughout the world. Buddha revolutionized the religious ideas of his time to advocate a new way of living. All that is known about him comes from a collection of ancient writings that fuse history, biography and myth. Karen Armstrong distils from these the key events of Buddha's life: his birth as Siddhartha Gotama in the 5th century BC and his abandonment of his wife and son; his attainment of enlightenment under the Banyan tree; his political influence; the divisions among his followers; and his serene death. Armstrong also introduces the key tenets of Buddhism. In our own age of secular anxiety, she shows that it has profound lessons to teach about selflessness and the simple life.

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Pankaj Mishra

From the Ruins of Empire : The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia

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"From the Ruins of Empire" is a well-researched and thoroughly engaging book that offers a powerful account of how Asian nations remade themselves after the British rule. It explores the vast intellectual effort that was required for Asia to recover, and the role played by journalists, poets, radicals and charismatics in creating the ideas that are behind the powerful Asian nations of the twenty-first century. If you're interested in the history of Asia, the role of the West in shaping it and the birth of Asian nationalism, then this book is definitely worth a read.

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Kathryn Bonella

Snowing in Bali : The Incredible Inside Account of Bali's Hidden Drug World

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This gripping book offers an unprecedented inside look into Bali's dark underbelly, exposing the shocking truth behind its notorious drug scene. Kathryn Bonella takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through the lives of Bali's drug kingpins, from their wild parties and extravagant lifestyles to their ruthless pursuit of power and money. With uncensored accounts and heart-stopping narratives, Snowing in Bali provides a captivating and eye-opening exploration of a hidden world few have ever seen. Prepare to be amazed and disturbed by this shocking true story.

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Albert Podell

Around the World in 50 Years : My Adventure to Every Country on Earth

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The New York Times BestsellerThis is the inspiring story of an ordinary guy who achieved two great goals that others had told him were impossible. First, he set a record for the longest automobile journey ever made around the world, during the course of which he blasted his way out of minefields, survived a serious accident atop the Peak of Death, came within seconds of being lynched in Pakistan, and lost three of the five men who started with him, two to disease, one to the Vietcong.After that-although it took him forty-seven more years-Albert Podell set another record by going to every country on Earth. He achieved this by surviving riots, revolutions, civil wars, trigger-happy child soldiers, voodoo priests, robbers, pickpockets, corrupt cops, and Cape buffalo. He went around, under, or through every kind of earthquake, cyclone, tsunami, volcanic eruption, snowstorm, and sandstorm that nature threw at him. He ate everything from old camel meat and rats to dung beetles and the brain of a live monkey. And he overcame attacks by crocodiles, hippos, anacondas, giant leeches, flying crabs-and several beautiful girlfriends who insisted that he stop this nonsense and marry them.Albert Podell's Around the World in 50 Years is a remarkable and meaningful tale of quiet courage, dogged persistence, undying determination, and an uncanny ability to escape from one perilous situation after another-and return with some of the most memorable, frightening, and hilarious adventure stories you have ever read.

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Jung Chang, Jon Halliday

Mao: The Unknown Story

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Jung Chang's "Wild Swans" was an extraordinary bestseller throughout the world, selling more than 10 million copies and reaching a wider readership than any other book about China. Now she and her husband Jon Halliday have written a groundbreaking biography of Mao Tse-tung. Based on a decade of research, and on interviews with many of Mao's close circle in China who have never talked before - and with virtually everyone outside China who had significant dealings with him - this is the most authoritative life of Mao ever written. It is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the Long March, and showing a completely unknown he was not driven by idealism or ideology; his intimate and intricate relationship with Stalin went back to the 1920s, ultimately bringing him to power; he welcomed Japanese occupation of much of China; and he schemed, poisoned and blackmailed to get his way. After Mao conquered China in 1949, his secret goal was to dominate the world. In chasing this dream he caused the deaths of 38 million people in the greatest famine in history. Combining meticulous history with the story-telling style of "Wild Swans", this biography makes immediate Mao's roller-coaster life, as he intrigued and fought every step of the way to force through his unpopular decisions. The reader enters the shadowy chambers of Mao's court, and eavesdrops on the drama in its hidden recesses. Mao's character and the enormity of his behaviour towards his wives, mistresses and children are unveiled for the first time. This is an entirely fresh look at Mao in both content and approach. It will astonish historians and the general reader alike.

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Paul Theroux

The Great Railway Bazaar : By Train Through Asia

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La crónica de un viaje por Turquía, Extremo Oriente y Siberia, con el tren como lugar de encuentro, que inauguró un nuevo género de literatura de viajes. Desde niño, Paul Theroux no es capaz de escuchar el silbido de un tren sin sentir un deseo imperioso de subirse a él. Ahora bien, al contrario que el viajero tradicional, que utiliza este medio de transporte de forma meramente utilitaria para llegar a su destino, lo que a Theroux le interesa son los ferrocarriles mismos. Quiere conocerlos todos, y para ello se propone ir desde la londinense estación de Victoria hasta Tokio saltando a todos los que encuentre a su paso. Reseñ«Una referencia indispensable en la literatura de viaje, [...] con un estilo narrativo que lo iba a hacer mundialmente famoso.»Ana Polo Alonso, El Independiente «En la mejor tradición del viaje sin otro propósito que la diversión y la aventura. Una lectura compulsiva.»Graham Greene «Divertido, sardónico, extremadamente sensible... y muy ameno.»The New York Times

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Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese Cinderella : The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter

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Jung-ling's family considers her bad luck because her mother died giving birth to her. They discriminate against her and make her feel unwanted yet she yearns and continuously strives for her parents' love. Her stepmother is vindictive and cruel and her father dismissive. Jung-ling grows up to be an academic child, with a natural ability for writing. Only her aunt and grandfather offer her any love and kindness. The story is of survival in the light of the mental and physical cruelty of her stepmother and the disloyalty of her siblings. Jung-ling blossoms in spite of everything and the story ends as her father agrees to let her study in England.

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Leslie T. Chang

Factory Girls : Voices from the Heart of Modern China

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This book is a poignant depiction of the plight of the millions of Chinese migrant workers who make clothes, toys, and designer handbags for very little remuneration. Through the stories of two young women, Leslie T. Chang brings to life the harsh realities of life in the city for these workers, who suffer the loss of loved ones, social isolation, and the constant grind of working long hours without rest. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the human cost of China's economic boom.

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Jung Chang

Empress Dowager Cixi : The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

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A woman, an Empress of immense wealth who was largely a prisoner within the compound walls of her palaces, a mother, a ruthless enemy, and a brilliant strategist: Chang makes a compelling case that Cixi was one of the most formidable and enlightened rulers of any nation. Cixi led an intense and singular life. Chosen at the age of 12 to be a concubine by the Emperor Xianfeng, she gave birth to his only male heir who at four was designated Emperor when his father died in 1861. In a brilliant move, the young woman enlisted the help of the Emperor's widow and the two women orchestrated a coup that ousted the regents and made Cixi sole Regent. Untrained and untaught, the two studied history and politics together, ruling the huge nation from behind a curtain. When her boy died, Cixi designated a young nephew as Emperor, continuing her reign till her death in 1908. Chang gives us a complex, riveting portrait of Cixi through a reign as long as that of her fellow Empress, Victoria, whom she longed to meet: her ruthlessness in fighting off rivals; her curiosity to learn; her reliance on Westerners who she placed in key positions; and her sensitivity and desire to preserve the distinctiveness of China's past while overturning traditions (she, as Chang reveals--not Mao, as he claimed--banned footbinding) and exposing its culture to western ideas and technology.

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Hyeonseo Lee, David John

The Girl with Seven Names : A North Korean Defector's Story

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This book is a gripping and harrowing account of one woman's journey to escape the oppressive regime of North Korea. It provides a rare and intimate insight into the hardships and brutality of life under a dictatorship, as well as the resilience and courage it takes to seek freedom. Hyeonseo Lee's story is not only a testament to the strength of the human spirit, but also a reminder of the power of hope and the determination to build a better life against all odds.

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Pierre Rigoulot, Kang Chol-Hwan

The Aquariums of Pyongyang

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The Aquariums of Pyongyang is a must-read for those interested in learning about the atrocities that occur in North Korean concentration camps. Kang Chol-Hwan's account of his personal suffering is a moving and eye-opening insight into the horrors faced by thousands of detained individuals in North Korea's gulags. This book serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship and provides an important historical and political perspective on the country's regime.

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Le Ly Hayslip, Jay Wurts

When Heaven and Earth Changed Places : A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace

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“One of the most important books of Vietnamese American and Vietnam War literature...Moving, powerful.” —Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The SympathizerIn these pages, Le Ly Hayslip—just twelve years old when U.S. helicopters landed in her tiny village of Ky La—shows us the Vietnam War as she lived it. Initially pressed into service by the Vietcong, Le Ly was captured and imprisoned by government forces. She found sanctuary at last with an American contractor and ultimately fled to the United States. Almost twenty years after her escape, Le Ly found herself inexorably drawn back to the devastated country and loved ones she’d left behind, and returned to Vietnam in 1986. Scenes of this joyous reunion are interwoven with the brutal war years, creating an extraordinary portrait of the nation, then and now—and of one courageous woman who held fast to her faith in humanity. First published in 1989, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places was hailed as an instant classic. Now, some two decades later, this indispensable memoir continues to be one of our most important accounts of a conflict we must never forget.

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Vinay Sitapati

Half-Lion: How Narasimha Rao Transformed India

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When P.V. Narasimha Rao became the unlikely prime minister of India in 1991, he inherited economic crisis, violent insurgencies and a nation adrift. Despite being unloved by his people, mistrusted by his party, a minority in Parliament and ruling under the shadow of 10 Janpath, Rao reinvented India, at home and abroad. Few world leaders have achieved so much with so little power.With exclusive access to Rao’s never-before-seen personal papers as well as over a hundred interviews, this definitive biography provides new revelations on the Indian economy, nuclear programme, foreign policy and the Babri Masjid. While tracing Rao’s life from a village in Telangana through his years in power and humiliation in retirement, the book never loses sight of the inner man, his difficult childhood, his corruptions and love affairs, his lingering loneliness.

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Alec Ash

Wish Lanterns : Young Lives in New China

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This is the generation that will change China. The youth, over 320 million of them in their teens and twenties, more than the population of the USA. Born after Mao, with no memory of Tiananmen, they are destined to transform both their nation and the world.These millennials, offspring of the one-child policy, face fierce competition to succeed. Pressure starts young, and their road isn't easy. Their stories are also like those of young people all over the world: moving out of home, starting a career, falling in love.Wish Lanterns follows the lives of six young Chinese. Dahai is a military child and netizen; 'Fred' is a daughter of the Party. Lucifer is an aspiring superstar; Snail a country migrant addicted to online games. Xiaoxiao is a hipster from the freezing north; Mia a rebel from Xinjiang in the far west.Alec Ash, a writer in Beijing of the same generation, has given us a vivid, gripping account of young China as it comes of age. Through individual stories, Wish Lanterns shows with empathy and insight the challenges and dreams that will define China's future global impact.

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Eric Lomax

The Railway Man

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The Railway Man is a powerful memoir of Eric Lomax's experience as a prisoner of war in WWII, and his journey decades later to confront one of his captors. The book is recommended for those interested in stories of resilience and forgiveness after trauma.

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Lomax Eric

The Railway Man (Vintage War) Exp

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Recommendation: "The Railway Man" is a gripping tale of wartime suffering and the courage to face and ultimately overcome torment. Lomax's story of intense physical and emotional pain offers an unflinching look at the brutality of war, but also a glimmer of hope in the form of redemption, forgiveness, and healing. This book is a must-read for those interested in the impact of war on individuals and society alike.

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Lisa See

On Gold Mountain : A Family Memoir of Love, Struggle and Survival

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On Gold Mountain could be a good read for those interested in exploring the experiences of Chinese-Americans in America. This book captures the struggles and triumphs of a Chinese family over five generations, as they navigate their way through a changing and often racist society. The unique feature of this book is its powerful social history that highlights the immigrant experience of Chinese families and the challenges they face in their attempts to succeed.

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Jung Chang

Empress Dowager Cixi : The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

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From the bestselling author of Wild Swans and Mao: The Unknown StoryIn this groundbreaking biography, Jung Chang vividly describes how Empress Dowager Cixi – the most important woman in Chinese history – brought a medieval empire into the modern age. Under her, the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state and it was she who abolished gruesome punishments like ‘death by a thousand cuts’ and put an end to foot-binding. Jung Chang comprehensively overturns the conventional view of Cixi as a diehard conservative and cruel despot andalso takes the reader into the depths of her splendid Summer Palace and the harem of Beijing’s Forbidden City, where she lived surrounded by eunuchs – with one of whom she fell in love, with tragic consequences.Packed with drama, fast-paced and gripping, it is both a panoramic depiction of the birth of modern China and an intimate portrait of a woman: as the concubine to a monarch, as the absolute ruler of a third of the world’s population, and as a unique stateswoman.‘Powerful’ Simon Sebag Montefiore‘Truly authoritative’ New York Times‘Wonderful’ Sunday TimesShortlisted for the James Tait Black Biography Prize

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Paul Theroux

Ghost Train to the Eastern Star - On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar

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An unmitigated treat for the hundreds of thousands of fans of the first Bazaar. In the new railway bazaar, Theroux recreates an epic journey he took thirty years ago, a giant loop by train (mostly) through Eastern Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, China, Japan, and Siberia. In short, he traverses all of Asia, top to bottom, and end to end. In the three decades since he first travelled this route, Asia has undergone phenomenal change. The Soviet Union has collapsed, China has risen, India booms, Burma slowly smothers, and Vietnam prospers despite the havoc unleashed upon it the last time Theroux passed through. He witnesses all this and more in a 25,000 mile journey, travelling as the locals do, by train, car, bus, and foot.His odyssey takes him from Eastern Europe, still hungover from Communism, through tense but thriving Turkey, into the Caucasus, where Georgia limps back toward feudalism while its neighbour Azerbaijan revels in oil-driven capitalism. As he penetrates deeper into Asia's heart, his encounters take on an otherworldly cast. The two chapters that follow show us Turkmenistan, a profoundly isolated society at the mercy of an almost comically egotistical dictator, and Uzbekistan, a ruthless authoritarian state. From there, he retraces his steps through India, Myanmar, China, and Japan, providing his penetrating observations on the changes these countries have undergone.Brilliant, caustic, and totally addictive, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star is Theroux at his very best.

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Paul Theroux

Ghost Train to the Eastern Star : On the tracks of 'The Great Railway Bazaar'

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Ghost Train to the Eastern Star is an engaging read for anyone interested in travel writing and Asia. Theroux revisits the route of his classic book, The Great Railway Bazaar, examining the changes that have taken place in the decades since. With his descriptive writing style, the author brings to life the locals and tourists he encounters on his journey, making for a fascinating and informative read. The book offers a unique perspective on how travel has changed over time and will leave readers with a deeper appreciation for the continent and its people.

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Frank McLynn

Genghis Khan : The Man Who Conquered the World

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This book is a fascinating account of the life and reign of Genghis Khan, one of the most powerful conquerors in history. McLynn provides a detailed and engaging portrayal of how a nomadic leader transformed the Mongol tribes into a formidable force that conquered much of Asia and Europe. Readers interested in learning about the tactics and innovations that allowed Genghis Khan to build his empire will appreciate the detailed accounts of key battles and political maneuverings. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of conquest and empire-building.

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Blaine Harden

The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot : Escaping Tyranny in North Korea

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A non-fiction thriller by international bestselling author Blaine Harden (Escape from Camp 14) that explores the world's most repressive state through the intertwined lives of two North Koreans, one infamous, one obscure: Kim Il Sung, the former North Korean leader and No Kum Sok, once the state's youngest jet fighter pilot. Shortly before the Korean War ended, No Kum Sok met Kim Il Sung, who congratulated him for his flying skill and his courage. A few months later, No Kum Sok stole a Soviet-made MiG-15 and flew it to a US airfield in South Korea. Beginning with the arbitrary division of Korea in 1945 and ending two months after the shaky armistice that halted combat in the Korean War, The Great Leader & the Fighter Pilot is an ambitious and gripping book which digs deeply into the character of the Kim family dictatorship. At once an irresistible adventure story and an authoritative guide to the notorious state, it explains why North Korea remains so isolated, why it created and maintains a vast gulag of concentration camps, and why it is still so angry at the western world.

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Peter Popham

The Lady And The Peacock : The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma

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Peter Popham's major new biography of Aung San Suu Kyi draws upon previously untapped testimony and fresh revelations to tell the story of a woman whose bravery and determination have captivated people around the globe. Celebrated today as one of the world's greatest exponents of non-violent political defiance since Mahatma Gandhi, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize only four years after her first experience of politics.In April 1988, Suu Kyi returned from Britain to Burma to nurse her sick mother but, within six months, found herself the unchallenged leader of the largest popular revolt in her country's history. When the party she co-founded won a landslide victory in Burma's first free elections for thirty years, she was already under house arrest and barred from taking office by the military junta.Since then, 'The Lady' has set about transforming her country ethically as well as politically, displaying dazzling courage in the process. Under house arrest for 15 of the previous 20 years, she has come close to being killed by her political enemies and her commitment to peaceful revolution has come at extreme personal cost.In November 2010, after fraudulent elections in which she played no part, Suu Kyi was again freed. She was greeted by ecstatic crowds but only time will tell what role this remarkable woman will have in the future of her country.

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Hannah Pakula

The Last Empress : Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and the Birth of Modern China

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With the beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-Shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China, starting with a revolution that swept away more than 2,000 years of monarchy, followed by World War II, and ending in eventual loss to the Communists and exile in Taipei. Praised by China scholar Jonathan Spence for "an impressive amount of telling material, drawn from a wide array of sources," Pakula presents an epic historical tapestry, a wonderfully wrought narrative that brings to life what Americans should know about China--the superpower we are inextricably linked with.

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Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping: The Governance of China

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Compiled by the State Council Information Office of China, the CCCPC Party Literature Research Office and China International Publishing Group, Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is published by Foreign Languages Press in Chinese, English, French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Japanese, distributed worldwide.This book is a compilation of Xi Jinping’s major works from November 15, 2012 to June 13, 2014; it comprises 79 speeches, talks, interviews, instructions and correspondence in 18 chapters. Each item is accompanied by relevant notes about China’s social system, history and culture for readers’ reference. It also includes 45 photos taken at different stages of Xi’s life, providing readers with more information about his work and life.The publication of this book in various languages is of great significance. It will contribute to interpreting the concepts and principles of governance of the CPC leadership, and help the international community to learn more about and better understand China’s ideas, path of development, domestic and foreign policies, and response to international concerns about China.

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Sterling Seagrave

The Soong Dynasty

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Who were the Soongs? They were descendants of a Chinese runaway who grew up in America under the protection of the Methodist Church in the latter part of the nineteenth century and took the name of Charlie Soong. When Soong returned to China, he made a fortune printing and selling Western Bibles, and secretly backed the republican revolution of Sun Yat-sen against the Manchu dynasty. Of his six children, one daughter, Ching-ling, married Sun Yat-sen and later supported the Chinese Communists against the nationalist until her death in 1981. But all the other Soongs cast their lot with Chiang Kai-shek. One, May-ling married H.H. Kung, a lineal descendant of Confucius and the principal banker of nationalist China, and the eldest son, Harvard-educated T.V. Soong, became the economic wizard of Chiang's rise to power and at various times served Chiang as economic minister, foreign minister and premier. All of them, except Madame Sun Yat-sen, amassed enormous wealth while millions of Chinese starved or were killed in the long fight against Japan and the equally bitter struggle with Mao. The Soongs dominated America's policies in Asia during the Roosevelt era and for a long time after by capitalizing on the powerful support of Henry Luce, the son of a U.S. missionary in China, whose influential Time and Life magazines created the myth that the Chiangs and their supporters were democratic leaders and heroes; on the backing of the U.S. China lobby; and on their own political and public relations skills. What The Soong Dynasty does in fascinating detail is reveal for the first time the truth about this family's rise to power and wealth. It describes the long, complex struggle for control within the republican movement ultimately won by Chiang, and it includes evidence of his strong ties to Shanghai's leading gangsters, the results of a secret FBI investigation ordered by President Truman into the Soong's financial dealings, and many other facts.

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Joe Studwell

Asian Godfathers : Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia

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"Asian Godfathers" is an insightful book that delves into the lives of the 50 wealthiest families in Southeast Asia, providing an intimate account of their rise to power. Author Joe Studwell's meticulous research sheds light on the historic, economic, and political influences that gave rise to these families. Recommended for those interested in understanding the complex power dynamics of Southeast Asia.

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Carter J. Eckert

Park Chung Hee and Modern Korea : The Roots of Militarism, 1866-1945

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"Park Chung Hee and Modern Korea" provides an in-depth look into the foundational period of modern Korean militarism, tracing the roots of South Korea's authoritarian state through Japanese occupation. This book is recommended for history enthusiasts who want a deeper understanding of South Korea's transformation and the impact of militarism on modern Korean society.

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Ryōtarō Shiba, Juliet Winters Carpenter

Last Shogun: The Life Of Tokugawa Yoshinobu

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In Ryotaro Shiba's account of the life of Japan's last shogun, Perry's arrival off the coast of Japan was merely the spark that ignited the cataclysm in store for the Japanese people and their governments. It came to its real climax with the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868, the event which forms the centerpiece of this book. The Meiji Restoration—as history calls it—toppled the shogunate, and brought a seventeen-year-old boy emperor back from the secluded Imperial Palace in Kyoto to preside over what amounted to a political and cultural revolution. With this, Japan's extraordinary self-modernization began in earnest. Coming to power just as the Tokugawa regime was suffering the worst military defeat in its history, Yoshinobu strongly suspected that the rule of the Tokugawas—the third and longest lived of Japan's three warrior governments - was swiftly becoming an anachronism. During a year of frenetic activity, he overhauled the military systems, reorganized the civil administration, promoted industrial development, and expanded foreign intercourse, with the farsighted aim of creating a unified Japan. Alarmed by these reforms, pro-imperial interests moved against him, precipitating the Boshin Civil War and the final defeat of the shogunal armies. To the surprise of his enemies, Yoshinobu capitulated. It was this surrender of authority at a crucial point that made the transfer of sovereignty relatively peaceful. He then retired to Mito and lived quietly for the rest of his life, studying the new art of photography. Ennobled a prince in the new European-style nobility of the Meiji era, he died in 1913.

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Jan Wong

Red China Blues: My Long March from Mao to Now : My Long March from Mao to Now

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Red China Blues gives readers a first-world perspective of China from the height of Maoism to Deng Xiaoping's capitalist reforms. Through the author's personal experiences, she provides insight on how communism affected individuals in China, and how the Chinese society struggled to cope with communist ideals. This book is suitable for readers interested in history and political science.

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Pierre Rigoulot, Kang Chol-Hwan

Aquariums of Pyongyang : Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag

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North Korea is today one of the last bastions of hard-line Communism. Its leaders have kept a tight grasp on their one-party regime, quashing any nascent opposition movements and sending all suspected dissidents to its brutal concentration camps for "re-education." Kang Chol-hwan is the first survivor of one of these camps to escape and tell his story to the world, documenting the extreme conditions in these gulags and providing a personal insight into life in North Korea. Part horror story, part historical document, part memoir, part political tract, this record of one man's suffering gives eyewitness proof to an ongoing sorrowful chapter of modern history.

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Han Suyin

Eldest Son : Zhou Enlai and the Making of Modern China, 1898-1976

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Recommended for those interested in Chinese history and politics. Provides a detailed and personal account of Zhou's life, including his involvement in key events of modern China such as the Long March and the Cultural Revolution. Han's unique perspective as a writer of Chinese and European heritage adds depth to the portrait of this influential figure.

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François Bizot

The Gate

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Selected as a Book of the Year in 2017 in the Scottish Herald 'The beauty of the prose is in contrast with the horror anticipated by this superbly subtle narrative' Kapka KassabovaIn 1971, on a routine outing through the Cambodian countryside, the young French ethnologist Fran-ois Bizot is captured by the Khmer Rouge. Accused of being an agent of 'American imperialism', he is chained and imprisoned. His captor, Douch - later responsible for tens of thousands of deaths - interrogates him at length; after three months of torturous deliberation, during which his every word was weighed and his life hung in the balance, he was released. Four years later, the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh. Fran-ois Bizot became the official intermediary between the ruthless conqueror and the terrified refugees behind the gate of the French a ringside seat to one of history's most appalling genocides. Written thirty years later, Fran-ois Bizot's memoir of his horrific experiences in the 'killing fields' of Cambodia is, in the words of John le Carr-, a 'contemporary classic'.

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Eric Hansen

Motoring With Mohammed - Journeys To Yemen And The Red Sea

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In 1978 Eric Hansen found himself shipwrecked on a desert island in the Red Sea. When goat smugglers offered him safe passage to Yemen, he buried seven years' worth of travel journals deep in the sand and took his place alongside the animals on a leaky boat bound for a country that he'd never planned to visit.As he tells of the turbulent seas that stranded him on the island and of his efforts to retrieve his buried journals when he returned to Yemen ten years later, Hansen enthralls us with a portrait -- uncannily sympathetic and wildly offbeat -- of this forgotten corner of the Middle East. With a host of extraordinary characters from his guide, Mohammed, ever on the lookout for one more sheep to squeeze into the back seat of his car, to madcap expatriates and Eritrean gun runners- and with landscapes that include cities of dreamlike architectural splendor, endless sand dunes, and terrifying mountain passes, Hansen reveals the indelible allure of a land steeped in custom, conflicts old and new, and uncommon beauty.

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