Chinese society and culture are evolving with a booming economy, expansion, production of consumer and industrial goods, and a growing influence upon the world. The History of China enables readers to delve into the rich history of this powerful nation.China is both the world's oldest continuing civilization and an emerging global super power. Over the last two millennia, this rich and complex nation has often been the wea...

The story behind the mythic brutality of Genghis Kahn, one of the most successful leaders in human history.A new title in the series created for the modern reader, introducing the heroes, cultures, myths and religions of the world. The tale of the legendary Mongol General Genghis Khan is as phenomenal as the man himself. Probably the greatest conqueror in history, he ruled vast swathes of land in the early 1200s, vanquishing people across Asia and Europe, so that b...

For more than twenty years after the Communist Revolution in 1949, China and most of the western world had no diplomats in each others' capitals and no direct way to communicate. Then, in July 1971, Henry Kissinger arrived secretly in Beijing on a mission which quickly led to the reopening of relations between China and the West and changed the course of post-war history.For the past forty years, Kissinger has maintained close relations with successive generations of Chinese leader...

The Mongols erupted out of Central Asia in 1206 and soon controlled an empire stretching from Poland to Korea; although remembered as a destructive force, they united a great part of the world under one rule, and their combined arms and mobile tactics have had considerable influence on subsequent military thinkers.Jeremia Curtin, born 1835, was an American translator and folklorist. He died in 1906.

The turbulent and chequered past of the world's most populous country is one of the most fascinating in world history, and relatively little known in the West. From the beginnings of Chinese prehistory right through to internet censorship with the 'Great Firewall of China', Gordon Kerr offers a comprehensive introduction to the sprawling history of this enormous country. A Short History of China provides an absorbing introduction to more than 4,000 years of Chinese history, telling the sto...

Embark on an exhilarating adventure with Sir Richard Francis Burton in "First Footsteps in East Africa." This groundbreaking travelogue takes you through uncharted territories, offering a firsthand account of a land rich in culture, wildlife, and mystery.What secrets lie hidden in the heart of East Africa?Burton’s vivid descriptions and meticulous observations provide an unparalleled glimpse into the landscapes and people he encountered dur...

The need to understand this global giant has never been more pressing: China is constantly in the news, yet conflicting impressions abound. Within one generation, China has transformed from an impoverished, repressive state into an economic and political powerhouse. In China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, Jeffrey Wasserstrom provides cogent answers to the most urgent questions regarding the newest superpower and offers a framework for understanding its meteoric rise.Focusin...

Saladin, one of the most prominent figure of the time of the Crusades, was a great muslim leader, respected and praised even by his Crusader foes.

The beginning of the nineteenth century was a time of audacious enterprises and strange vicissitudes of fortune. Whilst Western Europe in turn submitted and struggled against a sub-lieutenant who made himself an emperor, who at his pleasure made kings and destroyed kingdoms, the ancient eastern part of the Continent; like mummies which preserve but the semblance of life, was gradually tumbling to pieces, and getting parcelled out amongst bold adventurers who skirmished over its ruins. With...

Here is a fascinating compact history of Chinese political, economic, and cultural life, ranging from the origins of civilization in China to the beginning of the 21st century. Historian Paul Ropp combines vivid story-telling with astute analysis to shed light on some of the larger questions of Chinese history. What is distinctive about China in comparison with other civilizations? What have been the major changes and continuities in Chinese life over the past four millennia? Offering a gl...

According to Wikipedia: "Jacob Abbott (November 14, 1803 October 31, 1879) was an American writer of children's books. Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820; studied at Andover Theological Seminary in 1821, 1822, and 1824; was tutor in 1824-1825, and from 1825 to 1829 was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College; was licensed to preach by the Hampshire Association in 1826; founded the Mount Vernon...

At the age of only twenty six, Alexander Burnes proved himself to be one of the most effective intelligence agents of his time. Making two dangerous journeys beyond the frontiers of the Indian Empire, he reported back via the East India Company to Downing Street on the geography and politics of the kingdoms that lay to the northwest as far as fabled Bokhara. He travelled simply, disguised as a local, but with his rapier-like mind, an ear for languages and an infectious charm and curiosity,...