Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/806690 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Return to Sri Lanka

Author: Razeen Sally

Narrator: Razeen Sally

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 16 hours 15 minutes

Release date: January 2, 2025

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

A blend of travel writing, memoir, history and current affairs that tells the story of Sri Lanka. A perfect read for first-time visitors, Sri Lankans abroad or at home, or anyone looking to deepen their understanding of one of the world’s most fascinating and paradoxical countries. Razeen Sally was born to a Sri Lankan Muslim father and a Welsh mother. Just before his teens, a political conflict tore his family apart and he left Sri Lanka, barely going back for thirty years. When he finally returned ‘home’, he spent much of the next decade crisscrossing the island, trying to understand this paradoxical place. Blessed with nature’s bounty and an easy, pleasure-loving people, it was nevertheless scarred by ethnic conflict and the violence of civil war. As a native and a tourist, Sally makes an ideal guide to Sri Lanka’s past and present. He won’t tell you which restaurant has the best reviews or the price of a hotel room. Instead, he will accompany you like a learned friend, sharing his journeys, pointing out the unmissable gems beyond the obvious spots, and unpacking the nation’s culture and history. Insightful, intimate and moving, Return to Sri Lanka is an indispensable book, whether you're already familiar with this spectacular country, or planning your first visit.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/818424 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Apathy of Empire: Cambodia in American Geopolitics

Author: James A. Tyner

Narrator: Jonathan Yen

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 13 hours 54 minutes

Release date: December 24, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

The Apathy of Empire reveals just how significant Cambodia was to U.S. policy in Indochina during the Vietnam War, broadening the lens to include more than the often-cited incursion in 1970 or the illegal bombing after the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. This theoretically informed and thoroughly documented case study argues that U.S. military intervention in Cambodia revealed America's efforts to construct a hegemonic spatial world order. James Tyner documents the shift of America's post-1945 focus from national defense to national security. He demonstrates that America's expansionist policies abroad, often bolstered by military power, were not so much about occupying territory but instead constituted the construction of a new normal for the exercise of state power. And yet America's grand strategy was one of contradiction: to build a sovereign state (South Vietnam) based on democratic liberalism, it was necessary to protect its boundaries—in effect, to isolate it—through both covert and overt operations in violation of Cambodia's sovereignty. Questioning reductionist geopolitical understandings of states as central or peripheral, Tyner explores this paradox to rethink the formulation of the Cambodian war as sideshow, revealing it instead as a crucial site for the formation of this new normal.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/772038 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Beyond the Call of Duty: The Life of Colonel Robert Howard, America's Most Decorated Green Beret

Series: Part of American War Heroes

Author: Stephen L. Moore

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 7 hours 9 minutes

Release date: December 3, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

As a child, Robert Howard was taught by his Granny Callie to always face his threats head-on. Some thirty years later, he emerged from the Vietnam War as America’s most decorated Green Beret. For the first time, Robert Howard’s story is being told in full. Respected military historian Stephen L. Moore takes readers into the heart of the Vietnam War's covert Special Ops jungle warfare in this immersive, suspenseful read. Through family sources, National Archives documents, and dozens of testimonials from the Green Berets who fought alongside him, this “one-man army” will finally be given the recognition he deserves. Robert Howard grew up in poverty in a small town in Alabama, with a strong sense of faith and determination. When he enlisted in the army at age seventeen, his Granny Callie’s words echoed in his head, and he pledged to follow them to the bitter end. In the most dire of combat experiences, Howard ran directly toward his opponents, sacrificing his body to protect others and to complete the mission above all else. Time and time again, he survived battles that should have claimed his life, suffering countless bullets, a spinal injury, and shrapnel and blast wounds. Recon commanders who ran missions with him declared him to be the bravest man they had ever met. In return, Howard received a staggering number of awards and ribbons for valor and distinctive service in combat—over fifty in all, including the Medal of Honor, eight Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and four Bronze Stars. He holds the distinction of being the only soldier nominated for the Medal of Honor three times in only a thirteen-month period. In total, Howard spent a grueling, treacherous forty months in combat duty in Vietnam, including over two years with MACV-SOG’s elite covert group.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/812622 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Mission to Mao: US Intelligence and the Chinese Communists in World War II

Author: Sara B. Castro

Narrator: Eric Jason Martin

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 9 hours 26 minutes

Release date: November 26, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

From 1941 to 1947, the United States planted a liaison mission in the headquarters of Chinese Communist forces behind the lines. Nicknamed the 'Dixie Mission,' for its location in 'rebel' territory, it was an interagency delegation that included intelligence officers from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Mission to Mao is a social history of the OSS officers in the field that reveals the weakness of United States intelligence diplomacy in the 1940s. Drawing on over 14,000 unpublished records from five archives as well as white papers and memoirs from the participants, Sara B. Castro demonstrates how the OSS officers clashed with political appointees and Washington over the direction of the United States relationship with the Chinese Communists. Initially, the OSS officers were sent to gather intelligence that would help the war effort against Japan, but interagency and political conflicts erupted over whether the mission would later involve operations with the Communists. Castro shows how potential benefits for the war effort were thwarted by politicization and the OSS officers' own biases and blind spots. Mission to Mao is a fresh look at United States intelligence in World War II China and takes listeners beyond the history of 'China hands' versus American anticommunists, introducing more nuance.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/751776 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Taiwan Story: How a Small Island Will Dictate the Global Future

Author: Kerry Brown

Narrator: Kerry Brown

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 7 hours 48 minutes

Release date: November 7, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

Brought to you by Penguin. An urgent, indispensable guide to why Taiwan matters – for China, the West and everyone’s future When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao’s Communists won and took China’s mainland; Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities. Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world’s economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China’s assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US – escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg. The Taiwan Story helps us understand how and why we’ve arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan’s political leaders and a deep understanding of the island’s history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. This is the essential book delving into Taiwan’s unique story, buried beneath the headlines, told in an accessible, expert and urgent way. ‘Kerry Brown is one of our most perceptive and accurate foreign observers of China’ JOHN SIMPSON ‘Thorough and nuanced’ MICHAEL BOOTH ‘Compelling’ ELLIOT ACKERMAN ‘Factual, thoughtful and very well-written’ SIR MALCOLM RIFKIND © Kerry Brown 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/793497 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: The Great Transformation: China’s Road from Revolution to Reform

Author: Odd Arne Westad, Chen Jian

Narrator: Feodor Chin

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 14 hours 0 minutes

Release date: October 29, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

THE FIRST THOROUGH ACCOUNT OF A FORMATIVE AND LITTLE UNDERSTOOD CHAPTER IN CHINESE HISTORYOdd Arne Westad and Chen Jian chronicle how an impoverished and terrorized China experienced radical political changes in the long 1970s and how ordinary people broke free from the beliefs that had shaped their lives during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. These changes, and the unprecedented and sustained economic growth that followed, transformed China and the world.In this rigorous account, Westad and Chen construct a panorama of catastrophe and progress in China. They chronicle China’s gradual opening to the world—the interplay of power in an era of aged and ailing leadership, the people’s rebellion against the earlier government system, and the roles of unlikely characters: overseas Chinese capitalists, American engineers, Japanese professors, and German designers. This is a story of revolutionary change that neither foreigners nor the Chinese themselves could have predicted.“Westad and Chen have written a masterful account of China’s modernization that illuminates the path it took to emerge as America’s only true peer competitor.”—Graham Allison, author of Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/827313 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: History of India: Learn about the Mughal Empire and the Taj Mahal (2 in 1)

Author: Kelly Mass

Narrator: Kelly Fraser

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 2 hours 32 minutes

Release date: October 17, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

This book consists of two titles: Mughal Empire - The Mughal Empire, also referred to as the Mogul or Moghul Empire, was one of the most powerful and influential early modern Islamic empires in South Asia. Established in the 16th century, it controlled vast regions for over two centuries, encompassing territories from the peripheries of the Indus basin in the west, extending to northern Afghanistan, Kashmir in the north, present-day Bangladesh in the east, and stretching as far south as the Deccan Plateau's uplands. Taj Mahal - The Taj Mahal stands as a breathtaking testament to Indo-Islamic architecture, celebrated as one of the most exquisite examples of this style in the world. Its origins are steeped in the emotional backdrop of its commission, reflecting the rich culture and history of the Mughal Empire, which wielded power over vast regions of India during the 16th and 17th centuries. The monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth in 1631. Her passing left an indelible mark on the emperor, inspiring him to create a monument that would embody his love and devotion.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/827314 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Taj Mahal: Its History, Its Construction, and Its Purpose

Author: Kelly Mass

Narrator: Kelly Fraser

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 1 hour 9 minutes

Release date: October 17, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

The Taj Mahal stands as a breathtaking testament to Indo-Islamic architecture, celebrated as one of the most exquisite examples of this style in the world. Its origins are steeped in the emotional backdrop of its commission, reflecting the rich culture and history of the Mughal Empire, which wielded power over vast regions of India during the 16th and 17th centuries. The monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during childbirth in 1631. Her passing left an indelible mark on the emperor, inspiring him to create a monument that would embody his love and devotion. While the majestic, domed marble mausoleum is the most iconic aspect of the Taj Mahal, the complex itself encompasses an extensive area of 22.44 hectares (55.5 acres) and comprises a variety of architectural features and landscaped gardens. Surrounding the central tomb are subsidiary tombs, a sophisticated system of waterworks, and the small town of Taj Ganji to the south. Additionally, a 'moonlight garden' lies to the north of the River Yamuna, designed to enhance the ethereal quality of the monument.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/824439 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Mughal Empire: The Early Modern Islamic Empire in South Asia

Author: Kelly Mass

Narrator: Kelly Fraser

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 1 hour 22 minutes

Release date: October 11, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

The Mughal Empire, also referred to as the Mogul or Moghul Empire, was one of the most powerful and influential early modern Islamic empires in South Asia. Established in the 16th century, it controlled vast regions for over two centuries, encompassing territories from the peripheries of the Indus basin in the west, extending to northern Afghanistan, Kashmir in the north, present-day Bangladesh in the east, and stretching as far south as the Deccan Plateau's uplands. The origins of the Mughal Empire trace back to 1526 when Babur, a warrior chieftain from what is now Uzbekistan, founded the empire. Babur's military strategy combined traditional cavalry tactics with the latest artillery techniques, using matchlock guns and cast cannons acquired with Ottoman assistance. These advancements, alongside his strategic acumen, led him to a decisive victory against the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodhi, at the First Battle of Panipat. This battle marked a turning point, allowing Babur to establish his dominance over northern India and subdue rival Rajput and Afghan forces. While Babur laid the foundation of the empire, the true structure of the Mughal state is often attributed to his grandson, Akbar the Great. By the late 16th century, under Akbar's rule, the empire expanded its reach and established a well-organized imperial administration that laid the groundwork for political stability, cultural integration, and economic prosperity. Akbar's reign is particularly noted for promoting a policy of religious tolerance, encouraging a synthesis of Hindu and Muslim cultures, and setting up an efficient centralized bureaucracy.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/824461 to listen full audiobooks.

Title: Dao De Jing: The Classic Victorian-Era Translation

Author: James Legge

Narrator: Chirag Patel

Format: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 1 hour 54 minutes

Release date: October 10, 2024

Genres: Asia

Publisher's Summary:

James Legge was one of the first great popularisers of Eastern ideas and religion in the West. In this foundational work, he provides a translation of the Dao De Jing/ Tao Te Ching that stands up well today, over a hundred years later.