East Asia

On the Eight Sho-Dan of the Second Infestation Era at Kyosian Gunshiho in Dong ShiHo, ShinJi Dobashi, sole male heir to his father's myojie, struggles with the expectations he's met with. Trapped in an unwanted marriage with someone who is abhorrent to him and his own nature, ShinJi wiles his days away writing poetry, composing music and painting, as he dreams of freedom and a chance of leaving his father's Gunshiho so he can return to the Temple and live a scholarly life. One day, after a confrontation with his wife, he watches a crane fly - envying the bird its carefree existence, wishing...

Constructed over a span of about 20 years in the mid-17th century as a mausoleum for the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal is aptly described by UNESCO, which designated it a World Heritage site, as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage".

Greater Than a Tourist-Kerman Iran by Sanaz Honarmand Ebrahimi offers the inside scoop on the place of natural contrasts. Most travel books tell you how to travel like a tourist. Although there is nothing wrong with that, as part of the Greater Than a Tourist series, this book will give you travel tips from someone who has lived at your next travel destination.

'In a Nutshell', the new audiobook series from Naxos AudioBooks, continues with a fascinating history of Afghanistan. For centuries it has been the playground of big powers, from Alexander the Great to the British Empire and the Soviet Union. It has been torn by internal strife and ideological differences, yet Afghans, tribal though they may be, remain a proud nation. Here is a short history, setting the background to the current situation.

There was someone standing further along the beach, facing out to sea. An old man dressed in...I blinked...battle fatigues? Second World War US by the looks of the helmet. I looked on for a moment, squinting into the sun-streaked coconut smoke. "You won’t like Bonga’s Guest House, I can tell you now. Maximo Bonga," said the fisherman’s wife. She was lost for words, shaking her head. "Maximum Bongo?" I asked. "Bonga," she said. "It means flamboyant." Based on a true story.

In Jazz-Age Shanghai, Jingwen dances at the cabaret by day and runs errands for a powerful gang by night. But when a mysterious attacker steals faces from her fellow dancers, Jingwen is plunged into a world of powerful businessmen, silver-limbed gangs and vengeful gods as she tries to uncover the culprit.

The reign of the Sharakhani kings has been broken. Queen Meryam now rules the city. Çeda, meanwhile, has succeeded in lifting the asirim's curse, though it came at a terrible cost. Nalamae was slain in battle against her sister goddess. All is not lost, however. Çeda knows Nalamae will be reborn and so begins a quest to find her. The scheming King Ihsan has been busy as well, mining the legendary Blue Journals for a way to save the city and the desert beyond from certain destruction.

In the summer of 2006 Med student Darren Huang meets Taishini refugee Timur Gan. A series of devastating events conspire to bring them together in what is a passionate, whirlwind romance - doomed to end come September. Its echoes, though, and the consequences, will have long lasting effects in the lives of the two young men. Ten years later, an unexpected encounter on a crowded square offers them a second chance, but are they brave enough to take it? And will the choices they now make change the outcome of their fate?

Leroy Potter is a rich, playboy billionaire, who doesn’t take no for an answer. He lives by the motto that nothing is priceless, and applies that thought to his extravagant lifestyle, including the women he sleeps with. Unlike most men, Leroy doesn’t like seducing gorgeous models or famous actresses, instead he goes after something considered forbidden fruit, married housewives! In his next impossible sexual conquest, Leroy meets with the Chinese Diplomat, Bai Liu and the Indian Diplomat, Anika Patel. Both diplomats are bidding for a factory to be built in their home countries. While ...

The emergence of China as a major player on the international stage is one of the most significant developments in contemporary geopolitics - the study of the effects of geography (both human and physical) on international relations. Kang's call for understanding of and engagement with China, rather than containment and confrontation, makes China Rising a "must-listen" for anyone interested in international politics.