Welcome to Asia Bookroom

Welcome to Asia Bookroom: the Internet's specialists in books on all parts of Asia. Our stock extends from new books hot off the press to rare antiquarian volumes, and includes a great range of books on China, Japan, India, Korea, all parts of Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as books on Central Asia, the Himalayas, the Pacific and the Middle East. We also stock a wide range of books on Asian Art, Religion & Philosophy, Language Learning, Film & Theatre, Cooking, Travel, Martial Arts, as well as DVD movies, World Music, and Software.

New books are arriving all the time. Here are a just few of the latest.

Moon Princess. Memories of the Shan States.
SAO, SANDA.
AU$49.95
Maps, black and white photographic illustrations, 309pp, appendix, notes, index, paperback. Narrated by the eldest daughter of Sao Shwe Thaike, the Prince of Yawnghwe, this book recounts both the story of her early life and at the same time provides a fascinating memoir of her father who, in 1948, became first President of the Union of Burma after the country gained its independence. She describes growing up in the Shan States and records the changes that occurred during the periods of British co9lonial rule, war and Japanese occupation, the return of the British administration, the troubled years after Burma's Independence and, finally the military takeover in 1962. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 118043) ... more
Stock ID: 118043

India. The Rise of an Asian Giant.
ROTHERMUND, DIETMAR.
AU$64.95
Maps, black and white photographic plates, xiii + 273pp, notes, bibliography, index, dustjacket. With growing economic might, new political influence, and changing social dynamics, India has emerged as a major world power in the twenty-first century. This book charts the important features of India's development since its independence in 1947, assessing those forces that have contributed to the nation's growth as well as those that have impeded it. Through the lens of India's past, Dietmar Rothermund offers a new perspective on India today and a fascinating look into the nation's future."India: The Rise of an Asian Giant" explores the diverse roots of India's economic robustness, from agriculture to the export boom. He looks closely at the country's democratic system, nuclear decisions, and alliance with the U.S. against terror. In his review of social changes, Rothermund discusses the institution of caste, the rise of a new middle class, the persistence of poverty, the media and Bollywood, and the significance of the global diaspora of twenty million Indians. In sum, he offers an impressive profile of India, an Asian giant whose role in the world's future will surely be unique and important. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 123038) ... more
Stock ID: 123038

Beijing Coma.
JIAN, MA.
AU$32.95
586pp, paperback. May 1989. tens of thousands of students are camped out in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. What started as a united protest at the slow pace of political reform has begun to lose direction: people from all over china are joining the demonstration and the students at its heat are confused by the influence the suddenly wield. One of them, Dai Wei, argues with his friends about everything from democracy to the distribution of food to protesters, little knowing that, on June 4, a soldier will shoot a bullet into his head, sending him into a deep coma. Beijing Coma is ma Jian's masterpiece. Spiked with dark wit, poetic beauty and deep rage, it takes the life (and near death) of one young student to create a dazzling and excoriating novel of China's recent painful past and uneasy future. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 123140) ... more
Stock ID: 123140

A Historical Geography of China.
TUAN, YI-FU.
AU$49.95
Maps, black and white photographic illustrations, xi + 225pp, bibliography, index, paperback. The Chinese earth is pervasively humanized through long occupation. Signs of man's presence vary from the obvious to the extremely subtle. The building of roads, bridges, dams, and factories, and the consolidation of farm holdings alter the Chinese landscape and these alterations seem all the more conspicuous because they introduce features that are not distinctively Chinese. In contrast, traditional forms and architectural relics escape our attention because they are so identified with the Chinese scene that they appear to be almost outgrowths of nature. Describing the natural order of human beings in the context of the Chinese earth and civilization, "A Historical Geography of China" narrates the evolution of the Chinese landscape from prehistoric times to the present. Tuan views landscape as a visible expression of man's efforts to gain a living and achieve a measure of stability in the constant flux of nature. The book ranges the period of time from Peking man to the epoch of Mao Tse-tung., It moves through the ancient and modern dynasties, the warlords and conquests, earthquakes, devastating floods, climatic reversals, and staggering civil wars to the impact of Western civilization and industrialization. The emphasis throughout is on the effect of a changing environment on succeeding cultures. This classic study attempts to analyze and describe traditional Chinese settlement patterns and architecture. The result is a clear and succinct examination of the development of the Chinese landscape over thousands of years. It describes the ways the Communist regime worked to alter the face of the nation. This work will quickly prove to be crucial reading for all who are interested in this pivotal nation. It goes far beyond the usual political spectrum, into the physical and social roots of Chinese history. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 122843) ... more
Stock ID: 122843

Tarim Mummies. Ancient China and the Mystery of the Earliest Peoples from the West
MALLORY, J.P. AND VICTOR H. MAIR.
AU$49.95
Maps, colour and black and white illustrations, 352pp, bibliography, index, paperback. The best preserved mummies in the world are not found in Egypt or Peru but in the museums of Xinjiang, the westernmost province of modern China. For thousands of years the occupants of what would later become the Silk Road buried their dead in the sands of the Taklimakan desert. This arid environment, preserving body and clothing, allows an unparalleled glimpse into the lives and appearance of the prehistoric peoples who settled in the Tarim basin on the western rim of ancient China some four millennia ago. This intriguing study describes the discovery of these ancient peoples and reveals the latest attempts to explain their origins and determine their ethnic identity. It examines the clues left by physical remains; their economy, technology and textiles (some of the mummies even wore tartan); and the later traces of the languages of the Tarim region. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 122994) ... more
Stock ID: 122994

The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif.
MAZARI, NAJAF AND ROBERT HILLMAN.
AU$24.95
Map, black and white photographic plates, 262pp, glossary and notes. The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif traces the extraordinary story of an Afghani refugee's amazing journey from shepherd boy in the mountains of northern Afghanistan, his flight from torture and certain death by the Taliban, to owner of a successful traditional rug shop in Melbourne. His story begins with him in the infamous Woomera Detention Centre in the remote desert country of central Australia. This is the first book-length account of an asylum seeker in Australia to be exquisitely captured in his own voice. From the compelling opening sentence to the beautiful final chapter, Najaf's integrity, his extraordinary optimism and his generosity of spirit will win the hearts and minds of all readers. (When referring to this item please quote stockid 119603) ... more
Stock ID: 119603