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Afghanistan's Endless War: State Failure, Regional Politics and the Rise of the Taliban

Afghanistan's Endless War: State Failure, Regional Politics and the Rise of the Taliban


by Larry Goodson

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 264 PAGES

A scholarly analysis of Afghanistan's devastating recent history. (CAS73, $22.50)

The Afghans, Peoples of Asia

The Afghans, Peoples of Asia


by Willem Vogelsang

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2001
  • HARD COVER
  • 384 PAGES

A wide-ranging history of the people and culture of Afghanistan. (CAS70, $94.95)

Among the Mountains, Travels through Asia

Among the Mountains, Travels through Asia


by Wilfred Thesiger

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 174 PAGES

A classic account of intrepid British explorer Wilfred Thesiger's travels through the mountain ranges of Iraqi Kurdistan, the Karakorams, the Hindu Kush, and Ladakh. (ASA28, $17.99)

Between Mecca and Beijing, Modernization and Consumption Among Urban Chinese Muslims


by Maris Boyd Gillette

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 296 PAGES

An academic study of the minority Muslim population of Xi'an. (CHN180, $24.95)

Buddhist Art and Architecture

Buddhist Art and Architecture


by Robert Fisher

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 216 PAGES

A wide-ranging, illustrated survey of Buddhist art, architecture and iconography in the excellent World of Art series. It includes examples from throughout Asia. (ASA30, $19.95)

The Cambridge Illustrated History of China

The Cambridge Illustrated History of China


by Patricia Buckley Ebrey

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 352 PAGES

A concise, handsomely illustrated survey of Chinese history. Organized chronologically, this book marches confidently through 8,000 years of Chinese civilization, balancing social issues with politics and culture. (CHN79, $46.99)

Cave Temples of Mogao, Art and History on the Silk Road


by Roderick Whitfield | Susan Whitfield | Neville Agnew

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 138 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A magnificently illustrated survey of the history and art of the ancient Buddhist monastery along the Silk Road. (CAS60, $29.95)

The Caves of Dunhuang

The Caves of Dunhuang


by Fan Jinshi

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

This richly illustrated survey presents the ancient murals, silks, manuscripts and other treasures within the 50 extraordinary cave temples of Mogao, used as a monastery for a millennium. With 350 color photographs. (CHN534, $70.00)

Central Asia Map

Central Asia Map


by Nelles

  • 2011
  • MAP

An up-to-date, double-sided shaded relief map at a scale of 1:1,750,000. (CAS37, $13.95)

Central Asia: 130 years of Russian Dominance

Central Asia: 130 years of Russian Dominance


by Edward Allworth

  • HISTORY
  • 1994
  • PAPER
  • 650 PAGES

A scholarly overview of foreign influence in the region. (CAS26, $27.95)

The Central Asian States, Discovering Independence

The Central Asian States, Discovering Independence


by Gregory Gleason

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A timely analysis of the emergent independent republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. With maps and illustrations. (CAS27, $42.00)

Chasing the Sea

Chasing the Sea


by Tom Bissell

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 388 PAGES

Self-confessed adventure junkie, Bissell skillfully interweaves anecdote, history and grim reports on ecological disasters in this smart, funny and informative account of travels through Uzbekistan and Central Asia in 2001. (CAS103, $14.95)

The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature


by Jo Lau | Howard Goldblatt

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 737 PAGES

The first comprehensive anthology of modern Chinese literature, this tome, with many newly commissioned translations, introduces important authors and literary trends of modern China. (CHN524, $37.50)

Dragon Hunter, Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions

Dragon Hunter, Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expeditions


by Charles Gallenkamp | Michael Novacek

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 344 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

A crowd-pleasing biography of explorer, mammalogist and American Museum of Natural History director Roy Chapman Andrews (1884-1960), a flamboyant character said to be the inspiration for Indiana Jones. (CAS63, $15.00)

The Dust of Empire, The Race for Mastery in the Asian Heartland

The Dust of Empire, The Race for Mastery in the Asian Heartland


by Karl Meyer

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

An engaging report on politics and struggles in 20th-century Central Asia, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Russia. (CAS96, $15.00)

Eagle Dreams, Searching for Legends in Wild Mongolia

Eagle Dreams, Searching for Legends in Wild Mongolia


by Stephen Bodio

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 212 PAGES

Tales of travel among the Kazakh nomads of westernmost Mongolia. His account of living among the nomads and joining them on the hunt with Golden Eagles is marvelous. (MGL52, $22.95)

Eastward to Tartary

Eastward to Tartary


by Robert D. Kaplan

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 364 PAGES

A glimpse into the people and history that color the countries of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Caucasus and finally Central Asia, in a loosely organized travelogue by the author of the acclaimed Balkan Ghosts. (CAS45, $15.95)

The Empire of the Steppes, A History of Central Asia

The Empire of the Steppes, A History of Central Asia


by Rene Grousset

  • HISTORY
  • 1989
  • PAPER
  • 687 PAGES

The classic history of the region, originally published in 1939 and translated from the French. (CAS43, $32.50)

Eric Shipton, The Six Mountain Travel Books

Eric Shipton, The Six Mountain Travel Books


by Eric Shipton

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 800 PAGES

Shipton's extraordinary adventures in the mountains of the Himalayas, East Africa, Central Asia and Patagonia, now in paper. (EXP12, $34.95)

Feathered Dragons


by Philip J. Currie

  • SCIENCE
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 361 PAGES

A collection of 15 scholarly articles on the transition from dinosaurs to birds. (SCI87, $49.95)

Search for Ancient China

Search for Ancient China


by Corinne Debaine-Francfort

  • ARCHAEOLOGY
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

With information on everything from jewelry to emperors' tombs, the Great Wall and the dazzling 400-year Han empire, this shirt-pocket survey of discovery features 150 illustrations. (CHN69, $15.95)

Flashman in the Great Game

Flashman in the Great Game


by George MacDonald Fraser

  • LITERATURE
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

What caused the Sepoy Mutiny, a pivotal moment in the Raj? How about Harry Flashman, the reluctant, much-decorated coward, cad and womanizer at the center of George MacDonald Fraser's wildly entertaining, irreverent series of historical novels. (CAS120, $15.00)

Fodor's Exploring China

Fodor's Exploring China


by Christopher Knowles

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES
  • CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE
    • >

This excellent guidebook, featuring maps and color photos, brings old and new China to life, with sections on places to visit, a useful language guide and practical information. (CHN25, $22.00)

The Forbidden City, Center of Imperial China

The Forbidden City, Center of Imperial China


by Gilles Beguin | Dominique Morel

  • HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 144 PAGES

This slim volume is packed with maps, archival photographs and illustrations. With a useful chronology and a carefully chosen selection of writings over the ages, it's an indispensable guide to the Forbidden City and the history of Imperial China. (CHN32, $15.95)

Forbidden Journey

Forbidden Journey


by Ella Maillart

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 312 PAGES

Maillart's classic account of her 3,500-mile journey with Peter Fleming in 1935. (CAS101, $22.95)

Frontiers of Heaven, A Journey to the End of China

Frontiers of Heaven, A Journey to the End of China


by Stanley Stewart

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 232 PAGES

A British journalist with wanderlust and a way with the pen, Stewart recounts his rough journey halfway across Asia from Shanghai to Xinjiang along the Great Wall. A Thomas Cook Travel Book of the Year. (CHN237, $14.95)

Genghis Khan, His Life and Legacy


by Paul Ratchnevsky | Thomas Nivison Haining

  • HISTORY
  • 1993
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

This scholarly biography of the 12th-century conqueror, ably translated from the German, offers great insight into life on the steppes of Central Asia and expansion of the Mongol empire. With illustrations, maps, chronology and dynastic tables and a new introduction. (MGL24, $34.95)

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand, A Study of T'ang Exotics


by Edward Schafer

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1985
  • PAPER
  • 399 PAGES

A marvelous study of the court of T'ang Dynasty China, and the many splendid works of art that were given in tribute. (CAS53, $34.95)

Heritage of Central Asia, From Antiquity to the Turkish Expansion

Heritage of Central Asia, From Antiquity to the Turkish Expansion


by Richard N. Frye | Bernard Lewis

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 265 PAGES

Frye writes with authority and style in this clear, well-written survey of the people, history and culture of the region. (CAS91, $22.95)

A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia: Volume I: Inner Eurasia from Prehistory to the Mongol Empire


by David Christian

  • HISTORY
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 472 PAGES

A comprehensive history of the region from the Stone Age to the 13th-century Mongol Empire. This book will appeal to the traveler with a serious interest in the cultural origins of the region. (CAS35, $62.95)

The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds, A Tale of Espionage, the Silk Road, and the Rise of Modern China

The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds, A Tale of Espionage, the Silk Road, and the Rise of Modern China


by Eric Enno Tamm

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 512 PAGES

Tamm follows in the path of Baron Carl Gustav Mannerheim, last of the Tsarist spies in the Great Game, from St. Petersburg across the Silk road in this tale of great adventure, riveting history and the troubling roots of modern China. (CHN664, $30.00)

Hundred Thousand Fools of God

Hundred Thousand Fools of God


by Theodore Levin

  • MUSIC
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 346 PAGES

An engaging account of adventures in ethnomusicology in contemporary Central Asia, Levin is a wonderful guide to musical traditions in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. With an accompanying CD featuring the traditional music of Central Asia. (CAS59, $29.95)

Inside China

Inside China


by Jonathan Spence

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 272 PAGES

The editors at National Geographic pair a breathtaking selection of historic and contemporary photographs with essays by six experts for this visually striking portrait of China. (CHN444, $50.00)

Islamic Art and Architecture

Islamic Art and Architecture


by Robert Hillenbrand

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 1999
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

Covering one thousand years and the geographic scope of Islam, this book is a wide-ranging guide to the arts of Islam, including architecture, calligraphy, ceramics and textiles. (CAS17, $21.95)

Jihad, The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia

Jihad, The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia


by Ahmed Rashid

  • HISTORY
  • 2003
  • PAPER
  • 281 PAGES

A history and political analysis of the five Central Asian republics -- Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Rashid sees these volatile, resource-rich nations as keys to understanding the future of the region. (CAS84, $16.00)

Kazakhstan Map

Kazakhstan Map


by Gizi Map

  • 2002
  • MAP

This excellently detailed map of Kazakhstan extends well beyond the borders to include Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as part of western China. (CAS107, $15.95)

The Light Garden of the Angel King, Journeys in Afghanistan

The Light Garden of the Angel King, Journeys in Afghanistan


by Peter Levi

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 231 PAGES

An engaging account of travels in Afghanistan in the company of Bruce Chatwin. (CAS72, $18.95)

Lonely Planet Central Asia

Lonely Planet Central Asia


by Lonely Planet

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 528 PAGES

A comprehensive, detailed guide to travel in the region, including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. (CAS42, $32.99)

Lonely Planet Central Asia Phrasebook

Lonely Planet Central Asia Phrasebook


by Justin Jon Rudelson

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 239 PAGES

A handy pocket phrasebook, which focuses on pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler on the Silk Road. (CAS38, $8.99)

Lost Cosmonaut, Observations of an Anti-tourist

Lost Cosmonaut, Observations of an Anti-tourist


by Daniel Kalder

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

Kalder's offball, offbeat and rather strange report from forgotten corners of the republics of Tatarstan, Kalmykia, Mari El and Udmurtia in what was once the Soviet Union. Kalder revels in being no-place. (EUR199, $19.95)

The Lost Heart of Asia

The Lost Heart of Asia


by Colin Thubron

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 374 PAGES

In this classic account, Thubron recounts his travels to Samarkand, Bukhara and throughout Central Asia in the wake of the breakup of the Soviet Union. A fine writer, intrepid traveler and insightful observer, he's an outstanding guide to the history, people and culture of the region. (CAS07, $15.99)

Marco Polo and the Discovery of the World

Marco Polo and the Discovery of the World


by John Larner

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

A scholarly, insightful study of the impact of the venetian merchant-explorer's impact on European ideas and knowledge of the world. (EXP22, $21.00)

The Mongol Empire and Its Legacy


by David Morgan | Reuven Amitai-Preiss

  • HISTORY
  • 2000
  • PAPER
  • 361 PAGES

A fresh analysis of the Mongol empire by a team of 18 scholars in the field. (CAS94, $92.00)

The Mongols (Peoples of Europe)

The Mongols (Peoples of Europe)


by David Morgan

  • HISTORY
  • 1990
  • PAPER
  • 256 PAGES

A short, readable treatment of the medieval Mongols, their administration, military, religion and economy. Includes chapters on the predecessors of the Mongols in Central Asia, Chinghiz Khan's rise to power, and the Mongols in China, Russia and Persia. (MGL15, $34.95)

National Geographic Atlas of China

National Geographic Atlas of China


by National Geographic Society

  • REFERENCE
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES

A portrait of China as seen in 300 maps, including traditional cartography, ten detailed city plans, satellite imagery and scores of thematic maps and charts. (CHN445, $21.95)

The New Great Game, Blood and Oil in Central Asia

The New Great Game, Blood and Oil in Central Asia


by Lutz Kleveman

  • HISTORY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 291 PAGES

An eyewitness account of current policies and conflicts in Caucasus and Central Asia, full of interviews, anecdote, history and polemic. (CAS112, $15.00)

Odyssey Guide Kyrgyz Republic

Odyssey Guide Kyrgyz Republic


by Rowan Stewart | Susie Weldon

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 318 PAGES

A comprehensive, stunningly illustrated guide to Kyrgyzstan, its cities, traditional cultures, alpine meadows, lush valleys and rugged mountains. (CAS47, $24.95)

Odyssey Guide Uzbekistan

Odyssey Guide Uzbekistan


by Calum MacLeod | Bradley Mayhew

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 331 PAGES

A concise introduction to Uzbekistan, its history, culture and attractions, featuring full-color maps and excellent photography. It covers in detail Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. (CAS23, $27.95)

A Ride to Khiva

A Ride to Khiva


by Peter Hopkirk | Frederick Burnaby

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 390 PAGES

The rousing real-life adventure of a Brit snooping in Russian Central Asia in 1875. The imposing Captain Burnaby rode a thousand miles across steppe and desert, through blizzards and snowdrifts, to forbidden Khiva. (CAS16, $30.00)

Rough Guide Moscow

Rough Guide Moscow


by Rough Guide

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 524 PAGES

A comprehensive, no-nonsense guide to the culture, history and attractions of Moscow. (RUS129, $18.99)

Samarkand, A Novel

Samarkand, A Novel


by Amin Maalouf | Russell Harris

  • LITERATURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

A fictional history of Persia featuring Omar Khayyam, the 11th-century poet and author of the "Rubaiyat." Written by Lebanese novelist Amin Maalouf. (CAS69, $14.95)

Setting the East Ablaze, Lenin's Dream of an Empire in Asia

Setting the East Ablaze, Lenin's Dream of an Empire in Asia


by Peter Hopkirk

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 268 PAGES

Another volume in the grand Hopkirk tradition of intrigue, treachery, executions and skullduggery. (CAS25, $15.95)

The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War & Faith


by Susan Whitfield

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 400 PAGES

An exhibition catalog, featuring 300 color photographs of manuscripts, paintings and artifacts from the Aurel Stein collection. (CAS108, $155.00)

Sons of the Conquerors, The Rise of the Turkic World

Sons of the Conquerors, The Rise of the Turkic World


by Hugh Pope

  • HISTORY
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

A lively, illuminating report on the Turkic speaking lands across Inner Asia from westernmost China to the Black Sea. (TKY104, $19.95)

Spectrum Guide to Pakistan

Spectrum Guide to Pakistan


by Camerapix

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 358 PAGES

An excellent overview of the history, nature and attractions of Pakistan. (PKN07, $22.95)

Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia

Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia


by Ahmed Rashid

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 319 PAGES

This revised edition of Rashid's prescient account of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Central Asia in the 1990s includes a new chapter covering the period from 2000-2009. (CAS49, $17.95)

This is Not Civilization


by Robert Rosenberg

  • LITERATURE
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 304 PAGES

Opening in an Apache town in Arizona and closing in the midst of the devestating 1999 earthquake in Istanbul (with a detour to Kyrgyzstan en route), Rosenberg's debut novel follws the fate of an antic, globe-trotting young man trying to make sense out of the world. (TKY117, $17.95)

Traditional Textiles of Central Asia

Traditional Textiles of Central Asia


by Janet Harvey

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES

Harvey surveys the embroidery, silks, velvets, felts and other rich textile traditions of the Silk Road in this spectacularly illustrated guide. (CAS19, $24.95)

The Wandering Lake, Into the Heart of Asia

The Wandering Lake, Into the Heart of Asia


by Sven Hedin

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 312 PAGES

Third in the trilogy of the remarkable Hedin's adventures in Xinjiang and Central Asia, this a commission by the governor of Nanjing to find the legendary Lop Nor ("wandering lake") in China's Taklimakan Desert (CHN596, $19.00)

War at the Top of the World, The Struggle for Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Tibet

War at the Top of the World, The Struggle for Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Tibet


by Eric Margolis

  • HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

An overview of geography, religion and politics of the High Himalayas, and its strategic value to Pakistan, India and China. Updated throughout in this second edition, with a new chapter on the Taliban. (PKN09, $30.95)

A Woman's Asia

A Woman's Asia


by Marybeth Bond

  • ANTHOLOGY
  • 2005
  • PAPER
  • 310 PAGES

These thirty-five personal, often hilarious accounts of women's adventures from China to Sri Lanka to Turkey to Bhutan, not only illuminating the everyday, oft-overlooked cultural practices of Asia, but also giving a glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of the female traveller. (ASA49, $17.95)

Wonderful Xinjiang, A Photographic Journey of China's Largest Province

Wonderful Xinjiang, A Photographic Journey of China's Largest Province


by Wang Meng

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2004
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

In this photographic overview of the province, featuring 300 color photographs, Wang Meng shows the people, cultures, landscapes, monuments and cities of northwestern China. (CHN249, $30.00)

Younghusband, The Last Great Imperial Adventurer

Younghusband, The Last Great Imperial Adventurer


by Patrick French

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES
  • OUT OF PRINT

The riveting biography of Sir Francis Younghusband, a key player in Britain's scramble for power in Central Asia, thrown out of the Pamirs by the Russia in 1891, who among his many imperial adventures discovered the source of the Indus. (TBT75, $)

 

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