South China

The South China Sea is well known as a hotspot of geopolitical tensions. But it is more than just that. It has been a critical node and nexus of trade, strategic rivalries, and the exchange of cultures and ideas for at least a millennium.

KILL THE CHICKEN TO SCARE THE MONKEY The Chinese proverb shā jī jǐng hóu—kill the chicken to scare the monkey—captures something essential about power and punishment. You don't need to destroy everyone. You need only make an example of one to terrify the rest into submission. On a sweltering evening in August 2023, Chen Dawei appeared on Chinese state television. His face was pale, his voice hollow. Flanked by stern officials, he confessed to crimes that had destroyed thousands of lives. But Chen was not the architect of these crimes—he was merely a cog in a vast machine, a ...

She was sold into sexual slavery at age seven. By thirty-five, she commanded 80,000 pirates and negotiated with empires as an equal. In 1801, Shi Yang was property—a flower boat prostitute in Canton with no future and no hope. By 1810, she was Zheng Yi Sao, the Pirate Queen, commander of the largest criminal fleet in history. This is the true story of how one woman transformed herself from victim to victor, building an empire on the South China Sea that neither the Chinese government nor European powers could destroy. Starting with nothing but intelligence and ruthless pragmatism, Shi ...

“I don’t know if it was the shouts, the gunfire, the dogs barking or a combination of all three which woke me, but the shock was such that I almost fell out of bed in my haste to rejoin the conscious. I was naked, save for the pair of shorts I always wore in bed, and had no time to dress. I didn’t bother with the light. As I awkwardly pushed my feet into the pair of flip-flops, I grabbed for the pistol belt. I heard my father shout something while I was fumbling to fasten the belt around my waist. My bedroom door suddenly opened. My god! The terrs are in the house?! I was reaching, ...

Over the last decade, the center of world power has been quietly shifting from Europe to Asia. With oil reserves of several billion barrels, an estimated 900 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and several centuries' worth of competing territorial claims, the South China Sea in particular is a simmering pot of potential conflict. The underreported military buildup in the area where the Western Pacific meets the Indian Ocean means that it will likely be a hinge point for global war and peace for the foreseeable future.

Frances FitzGerald's landmark history of Vietnam and the Vietnam War, "A compassionate and penetrating account of the collision of two societies that remain untranslatable to one another." (New York Times Book Review) This magisterial work, based on Frances FitzGerald's many years of research...

"Bangladesh: A Political History" offers a captivating story of Bangladesh's past, present, and future. From its ancient origins along the fertile river valleys to its modern-day challenges and aspirations, this concise yet comprehensive exploration provides insights into the diverse cultures, socio-economic dynamics, and geopolitical significance of this vibrant nation. Through meticulous research and engaging narrative, the book sheds light on key historical milestones, cultural contributions, and contemporary issues, offering readers a deeper understanding of Bangladesh's enduring spirit...

Modern Pirate Series A collection of stories about Alex the Pirate and his savvy crew of rogues and thieves. They are modern pirates who love fast boats and the freedom of the sea. These are the stories of their early days as smugglers and pirates working to make a living in the tough and dangerous sea going trades. From their home base in Malaysia during the treacherous 1990s, they smuggle high tech goods into Vietnam and Cambodia while carrying freedom seeking exiles from those lands to safer shores. Later, Alex and Diego, his second in command, scout the South China Sea and Caribbean for...

A groundbreaking, haunting, and profoundly moving history of modernity's greatest tragedy: concentration camps. For over 100 years, at least one concentration camp has existed somewhere on Earth. First used as battlefield strategy, camps have evolved with each passing decade, in the scope of...

Please note: This is a revised addition. with extra material for ebook and audiobook formats. The Rhodesian SAS was a highly secretive and specialised unit which carried out some of the most spectacular Special Forces missions of the 1970s. Their reputation was second to none and their abilities the envy of similar units the world over. Now, Andy Ryan, author of ‘Bravo Ten’ and ‘The Rhodesian SAS: Their Most Daring Missions’ lifts the lid on the operational techniques of these elite troops. Sections include personal preparation, insertion & extraction, evasion, survival and much ...

An award-winning political scientist shows that a society’s path to prosperity, sustainability, and equality depends on who owns the land For millennia, land has been a symbol of wealth and privilege. But the true power of land ownership is even greater than we might think. In Land Power...

“THE BOOK CHINA DOESN’T WANT YOU TO READ.” —CNN​ SELECTED AS A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by THE ECONOMIST and FINANCIAL TIMES This “powerful and disturbing” (Bill Browder, author of Red Notice) New York Times bestseller is narrated by a man who, with his wife, Whitney Duan, rose to the...

From the former New York Times Asia correspondent and author of China's Second Continent, an incisive investigation of China's ideological development as it becomes an ever more aggressive player in regional and global diplomacy. For many years after its reform and opening in 1978, China...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NUMA crew leaders Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala must beat the clock to stop the world’s most dazzling new technological advance from becoming mankind’s last in this action-packed thriller from the #1 New York Times–bestselling grand master of adventure. When the...

Did you know that at its peak, Angkor was the largest city in the world, almost the size of a modern metropolis, maybe even comparable to Los Angeles? When we think of the great civilizations in the world, the first ones that come to mind are Egyptian, Inca, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Not many people think of the Khmer Empire or are aware of how great it was. The Khmer Empire was the greatest player in the political and cultural world of medieval Southeast Asia.

This is the inspiring short story, about a 20 minute read, of Annie Armstrong, 1850-1938 of Baltimore, Maryland. Opportunities for women were not in abundance during Annie's lifetime, but that did stop her! She worked tirelessly to encourage churches in the Southern Baptist Convention to give and to pray for missionaries. Annie started a school for Native Americans, helped Chinese immigrants and fledgling African American churches, mostly composed of freed slaves. She also helped at the Ladies Bayview Mission and the Friendless Orphanage. She did all of this without ever taking a salary. ...

As you look at this cover and the women featured, you might say to yourself, "I have never heard of any of these women." Exactly! That is why you need to buy it! These are amazing women that were well known at one time, but over time, have slipped between the cracks and have been largely forgotten. Mildred Cable and the French Sisters risked everything, including their lives, in China. They traversed the vast and foreboding Gobi Desert, numerous times to bring the Gospel to those who had never heard. Annie Armstrong never left the soil of the United States. Her prayer mobilization and her ...

TIME Magazine's Most Anticipated Books of the Year From the author of the Carnegie Medal in Fiction winner The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu comes a tantalizing, American West saga about a Chinese American family trying to survive on their Dakota farm as a powerful, mysterious, and morally dubious...

Prowling Tiger A Long Short Story Alex the Pirate and his business partner, Diego, set about pirating ships at sea using their new fast gunboat, the Tiger. Stopping a ship at sea and stealing its cargo are not as easy as it sounds. There is a steep learning curve, especially if you try not to kill anyone on board. Mr. Luong says they should stick to what they do best—smuggling contraband across the Gulf of Thailand and into Vietnam where they can make a profit on the black market. There are anxious refugees they must rescue and transport to safety in Malaysia. All in a day’s work. But ...

"His forefathers and Mick", traces the riveting saga of the Kramer family across three tumultuous generations. Friedrich Kramer, an intrepid German engineer, revolutionises railway and communication technologies in early 20th century China and Namibia, unknowingly setting the stage for international espionage and warfare. His son, grappling with the shadows of World War Two, seeks redemption and a new start in Australia, only for his son, Michael to confront his own battlefield in Vietnam. Each generation wrestles with the legacies of the past, forging their paths in a world that refuses to...