Asia (PDF)

From one of the world's leading historians?a comprehensive
narrative of the 3,000 years that have formed Asia's people,
culture, and global destiny

Tracing its origins in Mesopotamia to its modern role on the
global geopolitical stage, historian Arthur Cotterell offers a
compelling, lively, and readable account of one of the most
culturally diverse, and often misunderstood, parts of the world.
Beginning with the emergence of the world's earliest civilization
in 3000 BC, Asia: A Concise History provides a fascinating look at
the global convulsions?like the rise and fall of Assyria and
Persia, the medieval states that flourished after the advent of
Islam, and the modern transformations triggered by the lightning
conquests of imperial Japan?that have shaped the continent.

* Covers the great events and figures of Asian history, along
with a look at the monumental remains that bear witness to those
times: the ziggurats of Iraq, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of
China, the temple of Angkor Wat

* Includes fascinating slices of history, including funeral
arrangements for Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 BC; an extract from Lord
Macartney's journal of his 1793 diplomatic mission to the Qing
emperor Qian Long; and Toyotomi Hideyoshi's edict of 1587 banning
firearms in Japan

* Features boxed inserts of special interest?like a Babylonian
recipe for lamb stew circa 1500 BC

* Contains over 100 illustrations, maps, and photos

* Other books by Cotterell: The Minoan World, The First
Emperor of China, The Encyclopedia of Mythology, and
Chariot

Destined to become a reference staple for history buffs and
students of Asian history, Asia: A Concise History offers readers a
breathtaking narrative and wealth of detail that make the formative
periods, key events, and personalities from this once remote part
of the world come alive.