Best of
Asia

1979

Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon & the Destruction of Cambodia


William Shawcross - 1979
    William Shawcross interviewed hundreds of people of all nationalities, including cabinet ministers, military men, and civil servants, and extensively researched U.S. Government documents. This full-scale investigation with material new to this edition exposes how Kissinger and Nixon treated Cambodia as a sideshow. Although the president and his assistant claimed that a secret bombing campaign in Cambodia was necessary to eliminate North Vietnamese soldiers who were attacking American troops across the border, Shawcross maintains that the bombings only spread the conflict, but led to the rise of the Khmer Rouge and the subsequent massacre of a third of Cambodia's population."

Aruni and Uttanka: Tales of Devotion and Reward


Kamala Chandrakant - 1979
    Young or old, their devotion and obedience were almost superhuman. Luckily, as described in the Mahabharata, the gods looked kindly on them. After all, these young men had earned the right to happiness.

The Sense of Unity: The Sufi Tradition in Persian Architecture


Nader Ardalan - 1979
    In the Sense of Unity, a handsomely illustrated volume and the first extended work of its kind, Nader Ardalan and Laleh Bakhtiar examine the architecture of Persia as a manifestation of Islamic tradition and demonstrate the synthesis of traditional Persian thought and form. The most fundamental principle of Sufism, the inner, esoteric dimension of Islam, is that of unity in multiplicity. This view sees in every aspect of reality a reflection of a transcendent source which is given symbolic expression through all of man's activities, most directly and importantly through his works of art. The authors of The Sense of Unity show how all the elements of the Islamic architecture of Persiafrom the simplest architectural unit to a complex urban environmentare woven around this central doctrine and thus are best understood as multiple manifestations of unity. The Sense of Unity is illustrated with photographs, drawing, charts, and tables which are an integral part of its argument and which exemplify, in abundant and striking detail, the principles discussed in the text. Presenting to the Western reader for the first time the insights of the Iranian cultural tradition, the book also offers a stimulating new way of thinking about man and his relationship to his milieu.

Kampung Boy


Lat - 1979
    With masterful economy worthy of Charles Schultz, Lat recounts the life of Mat, a Muslim boy growing up in rural Malaysia in the 1950s: his adventures and mischief-making, fishing trips, religious study, and work on his family's rubber plantation. Meanwhile, the traditional way of life in his village (or kampung) is steadily disappearing, with tin mines and factory jobs gradually replacing family farms and rubber small-holders. When Mat himself leaves for boarding school, he can only hope that his familiar kampung will still be there when he returns. Kampung Boy is hilarious and affectionate, with brilliant, super-expressive artwork that opens a window into a world that has now nearly vanished.

The Gilgit Game: The Explorers of the Western Himalayas 1865-95


John Keay - 1979
    Indeed, authors from Kipling to Masters have treated this struggle as the epitome of this competition between nations. But as John Keay shows in this fascinating and readable account of an exciting period in colonial India, the real characters in this drama were more than a match for their fictional counterparts. With humor, sympathy, and admiration of this small group of intelligence agents, Keay describes the activities that had such far-reaching repercussions in the region. Through extensive research and his own intimate knowledge of the terrain, Keay sheds new light on the once top secret geographical discoveries made by these men, discoveries they were prevented from publishing during their lifetimes. A fresh look at a little-known aspect of political intrigue, this is the first narrative account of Himalayan exploration set against the backdrop of espionage and military brinkmanship.

China: The Reluctant Exodus


Phyllis Thompson - 1979
    They saw the door close on nearly one quarter of the world's population as China, the world's largest mission field, came under communist domination. Now the largest mission in the world, the China Inland Mission, realized that open Christian witness in China had become impossible. But did the decision come too late? This book tells the inspiring story of their exodus from China.

Return to Babylon: Travelers, Archaeologists, and Monuments in Mesopotamia


Brian M. Fagan - 1979
    This title chronicles the development of scientific archaeology in Mesopotamia, and the growing Iraqi involvement in archaeology.

Japanese Film Directors


Audie Bock - 1979
    Taking ten filmmakers, such as Oshima and Kurosawa, and following their careers chronologically has resulted in a history of Japanese film as well as a study of each master.

The Fugu Plan: The Untold Story of The Japanese And The Jews During World War II


Mary Swartz - 1979
    Having such a person indebted to you is a great insurance policy. There was one nation that did treat the Jews as if they were powerful and rich. The Japanese never had much exposure to Jews, and knew very little about them. In 1919 Japan fought alongside the anti-Semitic White Russians against the Communists. At that time the White Russians introduced the Japanese to the book, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The Japanese studied the book and, according to all accounts, naively believed its propaganda. Their reaction was immediate and forceful they formulated a plan to encourage Jewish settlement and investment into Manchuria. People with such wealth and power as the Jews possess, the Japanese determined, are exactly the type of people with whom we want to do business!"

The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam


Bạch Ngô - 1979
    "The best book on the subject I've seen." -- Jay Jacobs, Gourment Magazine With Technique Drawings and a Glossary of Ingredients Colorful, distinctive, exhilarating, Vietnamese food will delight everyone in search of new tastes and textures. Craig Claiborne places it among the four finest cuisines in the world. And for years, the French have flocked to Vietnamese restaurants in Paris, where this strinkingly different cuisine surpasses Chinese in popularity. With its reliance on uncooked vegetables, fresh salads, and delicate seafood dishers, combined in a dazzling aromatic balance of sparkling flavors, no wonder Vietnamese cooking won the title of "The Nouvelle Cuisine of the Orient." This superb collection of 150 recipes reflects all three of Vietnam's gastronomic regions: The Red River Delta in the north with its emphasis on light, airy stir-fried foods; the central Highlands, ancestral home of kings, with its spicy dishes decoratively arranged to please royal tastes; and the Mekong River Delta in the south with its abundant variety of vegetables and fruits, deliciously influenced by traditional French cooking. Now Western cooks can discover the secrets of Vietnamese cruisine, an exciting variety of tastes that form unforgettable meals. Surprisingly easy to prepare, these dishes require no special equipment or skill, and most use ingredients that are readily available. The results are spectacular.

Man's Conquest of the Pacific: The Prehistory of Southeast Asia and Oceania


Peter Bellwood - 1979
    Particular attention is given in the book of the history of human settlement and development of the islands of Oceania.The monograph is interdisciplinary in nature. In his study, the author draws on the latest data of archeology, anthropology, ethnography, linguistics.

The Devil's Horsemen: The Mongol Invasion of Europe


James Chambers - 1979
    A fascinating examination of their tactics and training--good enough to invent strategies that Rommel and Patton would later use to such devastating effect--proves the Mongols were more than mere barbarians: they were martial masterminds of the highest order.

More Than Meat Joy: Performance Works and Selected Writings


Carolee Schneemann - 1979
    As performance art books go, this one is especially unusual for its integration of large numbers of photographs with performance scores as well as descriptive texts. Schneemann -- one of the original creators of performance art -- began making events and "happenings" in 1960. Over thirty works are documented here (this book was originally published in 1979). The range of her work has been substantial and broadly influential: from solo improvisations to large group ensemble pieces, from starkly bare stagings to multi-media and multi-sensory extravaganzas. Schneemann's performance works -- direct extensions of her equally important work as a painter and filmmaker -- have been performed throughout Europe and the United States. This book includes sections of her selected writings gathered from art and literary magazines, diaries, and journals; and it completed by a festschrift of tributes from notable artists, poets, and critics. More Than Meat Joy is vital to an understanding of the origins and intentions of performance art, as well as being the expression of an enormously important artist.

Chado: The Japanese Way of Tea


Sōshitsu Sen XV - 1979
    

The Fall of Shanghai


Noel Barber - 1979
    But the crushing strictness that followed was jolting. 'On May 24,' wrote one diarist, 'you could bribe everyone in Shanghai. On May 26 you could bribe no one - for perhaps the first time in a hundred years.