Bøger om Asien

Sibirien forbindes ofte med eksil, ekstrem kulde og lidelse. Men der er også en anden historie at fortælle. Overalt i denne afsondrede og smukke region står glemte klaverer fra 1800-tallets russiske klaverfeber, opildnet af blandt andre den ungarske ”klaverknuser” Franz Liszt, der turnerede land og rige rundt midt i en intens kulturudveksling mellem Rusland og resten af Europa. En tid, hvor alverdens klaverer blev sendt på de mest mærkværdige rejser gennem tundraen, over Bajkalsøens frosne overflade og ud blandt Kamtjatkas vulkaner. Sibiriens glemte klaverer er en original og fængende rejseberetning gennem to århundreders russisk kulturhistorie – fra Katarina den Stores tid og frem til i dag – om en jagt på et klaver til en talentfuld mongolsk pianist med rødder i det sydlige Sibirien. En jagt, der åbner for et hav af personlige skæbner og fortællinger om landflygtighed, isolation og tragedier, men også om musik, magiske landskaber og håb.

This is a love story, but maybe not the kind you expect. It started with an epiphany and a desire to live life more fully. One fateful day in 2017, Sonya Moore-up until that point, a responsible, hard-working, tax-paying American woman-decided to leave her home and career and set off to explore the other side of the world. That choice led to a three-year journey laced with serendipity and unexpected twists of fate that would show her more than she ever could have imagined. Joyful and uninhibited, this soul-nourishing tale of love and adventure intertwined with discovery explores the mystery of life and human nature across continents, from the cloud-fringed mountains of Myanmar to the pristine beaches of southern France. Sometimes hilarious, occasionally shocking, always honest, this deliciously told travel memoir entertains and captivates while examining synchronicity, choice and destiny, the roots of happiness, and multiple facets of love against a vivid backdrop of some of the world's most beautiful and little-known places.

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2024**From the Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of Ghost Wars, the inside story of America's long and ruinous relationship with Saddam HusseinThe Achilles Trap masterfully untangles the people, ploys of power and geopolitics that led to America's disastrous war with Iraq and, for the first time, details America's fundamental miscalculations during its ruinous, decades-long relationship with Saddam Hussein.Beginning with Saddam's rise to power in 1979 and the birth of Iraq's secret nuclear weapons programme, Steve Coll traces Saddam's motives through understanding his inner circle. He brings to life the diplomats, scientists, family members and generals who had no choice but to defer to their leader - a leader directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, as well as the torture or imprisonment of many more. This was a man whose reasoning was impossible to reduce to a simple explanation, and the CIA and successive presidential administrations failed to grasp critical nuances in his paranoia, resentments and inconsistencies - even when the stakes were incredibly high.Using unpublished and underreported sources, interviews with surviving participants, and Saddam's own transcripts and audio files, The Achilles Trap is a remarkable picture of a dictator who was convinced the world was out to get him and acted accordingly. A work of great historical significance, it is the definitive account of how corruptions of power, lies of diplomacy and vanity - on both sides - led to avoidable errors of statecraft: ones that would enact immeasurable human suffering and forever change our political landscape.

A thrilling crime classic, from the bestselling author of Tokyo ExpressTokyo, 1960. As the first rays of morning light hit the rails at Kamata Station, a man's body is found on the tracks. With only two leads - a distinctive accent and a single word, 'kameda' - senior inspector Imanishi Eitaro is called in to solve the puzzle. Setting aside his beloved bonsai and haikus, he must cross Japan in search of answers, from Osaka to Akita, accompanied by junior detective Yoshimura. At each new town, they encounter traces of the avant-garde Nouveau Group - young Tokyo artists who are bringing new ideas from the West. What to make of this modern collective? And how to stop another mysterious death occurring? Inspector Imanishi investigates...A fascinating glimpse into Japanese society at a time of great change, this is one of Seicho Matsumoto's best-loved novels - a riveting mystery from the master of Japanese crime.

A revelatory and richly varied collection of Korea's greatest short storiesA Penguin ClassicThis eclectic, moving, and wonderfully enjoyable collection is the essential introduction to Korean literature. Journeying through Korea's dramatic twentieth century, from the Japanese occupation and colonial era to the devastating war between North and South and the rapid, disorienting urbanization of later decades, The Penguin Book of Korean Short Stories captures a hundred years of Korea's vibrant short-story tradition. Here are peddlers and donkeys traveling across moonlit fields; artists drinking and debating in the tea-houses of 1920s Seoul; soldiers fighting for survival; exiles from the war who can never go home again; and lonely men and women searching for connection in the dizzying modern city. The collection features stories by some of Korea's greatest writers, including Pak Wanso, O Chonghui, and Cho Chongnae, as well as many brilliant contemporary voices, such as P'yon Hyeyong, Han Yujoo, and Kim Aeran. Curated by Bruce Fulton, this is a volume that will surprise, unsettle, and delight.

"A captivating journey spanning five thousand years of Chinese culinary heritage, exploring the essence of each era through seven extraordinary meals. China in Seven Banquets takes readers on a gastronomic adventure into the history of China's constantly evolving and astonishingly diverse cuisine. From the opulent Eight Treasures feast of ancient times to the Tang dynasty's legendary 'Tail-Burning' banquet, and the extravagant 'complete Manchu-Han feast' of the Qing court, these iconic repasts offer glimpses into China's rich food history. Delving further, the book invites us to partake of lavish banquets immortalized in literature and film, a New Year's buffet from 1920s Shanghai, a modern delivery menu reflecting the hyperglobal present, and it even offers a peek at the tables of the not-so-distant future. Drawing upon his extensive gastronomic adventures across China, acclaimed historian Thomas David DuBois unravels its ever-changing landscape of culinary trends, revealing why flavors and customs evolved over time. DuBois also recreates dozens of traditional recipes using modern kitchen techniques. Whether indulging in fermented elk or savoring absinthe cocktails, readers embark on an unparalleled odyssey that redefines their perception of Chinese cuisine"--

The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman was a hermit state until 1970, preserving in every detail the poverty, personality and picturesque reality of a medieval kingdom. For forty years, Sultan Said bin Taimur personally controlled everything that happened, deliberately cutting the nation off from the headlong development of the rest of the world. Fortunately for Oman this would change, and fortunately for us, we have a first-hand witness to this complex society before that watershed. Ian Skeet traveled across the vast sand deserts and arid highlands of Muscat and Oman in 1966-68, preparing the wary inhabitants for the coming of oil, visiting its isolated walled cities, fortified oasis communities and independent-minded Bedouin tribes. The sultan's motives may have been pure - to preserve his people from the sin of usury and the slavery of foreign debt - but Ian Skeet's portrait is a devastating study of the dead hand of autocracy.

A heartwarming and profound novel about the power of books and connection between generations, that is also a love letter to Japan and its literature.'Every book worm would love this.' Glamour'An emotionally engaging story ... there's something here for everyone.' The TimesFlo is sick of Tokyo.Suffering from a crisis in confidence, she is stuck in a rut, her translation work has dried up and she's in a relationship that's run its course.That's until she stumbles upon a mysterious book left by a fellow passenger on the Tokyo Subway.From the very first page, Flo is transformed and immediately feels compelled to translate this forgotten novel, a decision which sets her on a path that will change her life.As Flo follows the characters across a year in rural Japan, through the ups and downs of the pair's burgeoning relationship, she quickly realises that she needs to venture outside the pages of the book to track down its elusive author.And, as the two protagonists reveal themselves to have more in common with her life than first meets the eye, the lines between text and translator converge, and it soon becomes clear that Flo's journey is just beginning...-------------------------Praise for Four Seasons in Japan:'A gentle, tender and thoughtful book, exploring literature, love, human connection, Japanese culture and the disillusion of youth...crafted in such a way that you want to savour every chapter.' Culturefly'Four Seasons in Japan doubles as a love letter to Japanese culture, its landscape, and literature, exploring the comfort found in books and the (mis)understanding between generations.' Country & Town House'A poignant, quiet and affecting novel full of love as well as loss.' Observer

**Shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2024**A story of staggering scope and drama, Revolusi is the masterful and definitive account of the epic revolution that sparked the decolonisation of the modern world.'Astounding . . . history at its best' Yuval Noah Harari'Utterly compelling . . . masterful' Financial Times'Superb' GuardianOn a sunny Friday morning in August 1945, a handful of tired people raised a homemade cotton flag and on behalf of 68 million compatriots announced the birth of a new nation: Indonesia.Four million civilians had died during the Japanese wartime occupation that ousted its Dutch colonial regime. Another 200,000 people would lose their lives in the astonishingly brutal conflict that ensued - as the Dutch used savage violence to reassert their control, and as Britain and America became embroiled in pacifying Indonesia's guerrilla war of resistance: the 'Revolusi'. It was not until December 1949 that the newly created United Nations finally brought the conflict an end - and with it, 350 years of colonial rule - setting a precedent that would reshape the world.Drawing on hundreds of interviews and eye-witness testimonies, David Van Reybrouck turns this vast and complex story into an utterly gripping narrative that is alive with human detail at every turn. A landmark publication, Revolusi shows Indonesia's struggle for independence to be one of the defining dramas of the twentieth century.'A magnificent fusion of oral history, sparkling analysis, and historical wisdom. Revolusi has it all: a masterpiece' Sebastain Mallaby'A magisterial and gripping account of events of urgent importance to us now' Jason Burke'A wonderful book' Peter Frankopan'Masterly' J M Coetzee**Shortlisted for the Cundill Prize**

Terrorgruppen Skyggen har i sinde at dræbe USA’s præsident, når han kommer til Rebild den 4. juli for at annoncere, hvad USA vil gøre ved iranernes hemmelige atombombeprogram. Det er imidlertid usikkert, om besøget på nationaldagen overhovedet bliver til noget, for inden da må USA skaffe beviser for, at iranerne rent faktisk har brudt atomaftalen.Da den danske bombeinspektør Adam opdager et brudt segl på sit overvågningskamera og senere finder sin kollega myrdet i Iran, tyder det unægteligt på, at landet ikke har rent mel i posen, men snart er Adam spundet ind i et net af bedrag og løgne, der rækker langt ud over Irans landegrænser. Han har fået at vide, at han skal holde sine kort tæt på kroppen, for hvem kan han egentlig stole på som brik i et storpolitisk spil? Forfatteren Steffen Groth er tidligere leder af IAEA og professor i nuklearmedicin. Han bruger sin indgående viden til at skrive intense spændingsromaner med komplekse politiske plots og hans bøger er tidligere blevet sammenlignet med Dan Browns.

When Covid hit and Fadi was faced with closing his restaurant, he channeled his energy into a podcast interviewing the food artisans and farmers (often elderly women) in and around Bethlehem who were growing the grapes, milling the wheat, making the olive oil, and most importantly, passing down the generational food knowledge. Those podcasts inspired this book?a celebration of the legacy and enduring importance of Bethlehem, one of the most storied cities in the world.

En moderne kinesisk roman om kunst, ensomhed og håb fuld af musik og mystik – og svampe.Den unge klaverlærer Song Yan opgav sin karriere som koncertpianist, da hun blev gift. Nu vil hendes mand også slukke hendes drøm om at få et barn. I lejlighedens ekstra værelse må Song Yan i stedet huse sin svigermor, der er flyttet til Beijing fra provinsen, og som bringer glemte familiehemmeligheder og en vis portion skepsis med sig. En dag dukker der en mystisk pakke op indeholdende nogle delikate og sjældne svampe. Da Song Yan modtager flere pakker og efter nogen tid også et brev fra afsenderen af svampene, begynder hendes verden at blive mere og mere surrealistisk. Brevet leder hende på sporet af Bai Yu, en engang verdensberømt pianist, der forsvandt på gådefuld vis ti år tidligere. Efterklang er en fortryllet roman, der vækker et på én gang moderne og magisk Beijing til live i portrættet af en ung kvinde og hendes søgen efter en ny begyndelse. ”En stemningsfuld udforskning af, hvad det betyder at leve livet fuldt ud.” — The New York Times “Overjordisk … Smukt metaforisk og indsigtsfuld.” — Booklist

Over 100 recipes for authentic Japanese food, along with Tokyo food-lovers' hotspots in an irresistible pocket format.

THE BEST-SELLING STREET FOOD GUIDE FOR VIETNAMWith Fat Noodle Vietnamese Street Food Dictionary, you can order up food like a local. The best food In Vietnam is always local street food with traditional secret family recipes of sublime enticing tastes. More than 600 street food dishes translated from Vietnamese into English.The only comprehensive book of Vietnamese street food translated into English. A must have street food guide for any foodie traveling to Vietnam who plans to eat like a local sitting on blue (or red) plastic chairs while home cooks turn aromatic food over charcoal grills, or ladle steaming aromatic broth over homemade noodles. Discover the fresh and extraordinary tastes of the world-famous street food culture of Vietnam.Designed for the traveller on the go. A superb new guidebook that makes the art of travel so much better. Experience local foods and support the locals as they cook up their treasured family recipes as you embark on a culinary adventure you'll remember for a lifetime. The Street Foodies dictionary guide for Vietnamese street food includes over 180 famous local street food addresses.

As geographically diverse as it is culturally rich, Japan holds prime place on most travellers' bucket lists. This fully updated Rough Guide will see you learn your ryokan from your capsule hotels, samurai legends from fallen emperors, the art of sake-making from traditional tea ceremonies.

Emma rejser til Egypten på udveksling i jagten på en autentisk oplevelse i Mellemøsten. Hendes møde med Kairo udfordrer hendes verdens- og menneskesyn, og livet i storbyen er hektisk og uforudsigeligt. Emma bliver hurtigt venner med tre unge egyptiske mænd, der før var aktive under revolutionen, men nu kæmper sig igennem tilværelsen under et kontrollerende militærdiktatur. Det er en poetisk roman om kærlighed, frygt og privilegieblindhed.

|| THE NO.1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD ||'These days I'm reading a book called DallerGut Dream Department Store and when they talk about the dream department store I can see it in my head. I imagine I'm shopping there as I read.' WONWOO, member of the K-Pop group Seventeen'The writer of this novel must be brilliant, because this world was so creative. You need to read this too!' YUGYEOM, member of the K-Pop group Got7FOYLES TRANSLATED BOOK OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER 2023In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at the store is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including DallerGut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.READERS CAN'T GET ENOUGH:'What a ride! I DEVOURED this book in one sitting!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'There were so many more layers to this book. It's totally cute, but also clever [and] insightful!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I cannot wait to read the sequel, and I hope it is translated soon!' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'It was wholesome, gentle and made me smile the whole time' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'I absolutely adored this. It's the kind of book I could read over and over again' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

"Like butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian, jangs are the soul of Korean cuisine. These umami sauces are found in every meal, from soups and stews, to salads, marinades, and even desserts, adding depth and complexity to every dish. The foundation of the three main jangs- gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang-is simple. Soybeans, water, and salt are dried, aged, and fermented in earthenware pots, extracting flavor from their environment and slowly blossoming into intensely flavored jangs. Few understand these ingredients better than chef Mingoo Kang, who has dedicated his Seoul restaurant to the exploration of jangs. In his first cookbook, Kang expertly weaves jangs' history and methods into 60 accessible recipes to bring the sauces to life. Dishes like Fish Dumplings and Gang-Doenjang Bibimbap showcase the sauces' traditional Korean roots, while Western-inspired recipes like Doenjang Cráeme Brulee and Ssamjang Cacio e Pepe reinvent favorite meals. Through artisan profiles, sidebars, and step-by-step photographs, Jang uncovers one the culinary world's best-hidden secrets"--

Freedom Shall Prevail is the first graphic novel exploring the life and struggle of Abdullah Öcalan, affectionately known as “Apo.” Highly regarded around the world, Öcalan led the Kurdish freedom struggle as the head of the PKK from its foundation in 1978 until his abduction by the Turkish state in 1999. He has, so far, spent twenty-five years in captivity. In this graphic novel we learn, in his own words, what Öcalan’s childhood was like in the partially Kurdish areas of Eastern Turkey and how his political awareness and commitment grew as a student in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Through the personal struggle of Öcalan we also see the terrible devastation that Kurdish people have suffered and learn about the tumultuous and dramatic history of the relationship between the Kurds and the Turkish state.The book also dives into the theories developed by Öcalan that continue to influence the ongoing struggle today. Expanding on these, the second part of the book gives us a wider consideration of the issues and policies around women's freedom, democratic confederalism and paints an inspiring picture of one of the most impressive attempts to build a genuinely grassroots democratic system anywhere in the world. The struggle going on in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, is one that is directly combating gender and racial discrimination and the abuses of the capitalist economic system—in truly interconnected ways.This wonderfully illustrated graphic novel is a collaboration between award-winning Scottish writer Sean Michael Wilson and Kurdish artist Keko, with backing and research help from Peace in Kurdistan Campaign and the International Initiative “Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan—Peace in Kurdistan,” groups with long term and impassioned commitment to the cause of Öcalan and the Kurdish people’s freedom.

Mumin Mindset is a collection of quotes that embody the mindset of a man destined for greatness. A warrior feared by some and admired by others. A true believer whose only concern is pleasing the Almighty.

An authoritative classic on Hindu astrology, this book has been out of print for decades, and was originally published only in hardback. Now it will be published in paperback for the professional astrologer and for the general public alike. Analyzing various models for the origin, development, and functioning of yugas, manvantaras, karma, and Hindu astrology as a whole, this book raises questions also about the role of the supernatural and synchronicity. The epilogue includes the author's reflections on astrology as a whole, religion, and science.

Saudi Arabia travel guide. Expert advice and travel information covering where to stay and eat, museums, national parks, cultural etiquette, women and other diverse travellers, reforms, Riyadh, Jeddah, al Ula, Najd, Shammar, Hejaz, Asir, Sharqiyah, World Heritage Sites, Islamic and Nabatean cultures, pre-Islamic rock art, Mada'in Saleh/Hegra.

En dansk ambassadørdatter forsvinder sporløst i Bangkok. Den traumatiserede udenrigskorrespondent Cathrine Birklund rejser til den thailandske hovedstad efter en personlig deroute, der også har kostet hende jobbet. Hun har planer om at gemme sig, men siger modvilligt ja til at hjælpe sin gamle veninde Pim med at opklare sagen om den forsvundne pige.Hurtigt står det klart, at sagen rummer flere lag, og at Cathrine måske har fundet den historie, der kan få hendes karriere – og dermed også hendes liv – på ret køl igen.Mens hun arbejder på historien, kommer Cathrines egen sikkerhed i fare. Og samtidig truer de dæmoner, hun forsøger at flygte fra, hele tiden med at indhente hende.”Sort monsun” er første bind i en trilogi med journalisten Cathrine Birklund som hovedperson.Om forfatteren:Christina Lund (f. 1980) er uddannet journalist og har læst Sydøstasienstudier på Chulalongkorn University i Bangkok. Hun har beskæftiget sig journalistisk med Asien siden 2007. Hun har desuden boet og arbejdet som freelancekorrespondent i Bangkok for danske medier som DR, Jyllands-Posten og Kristeligt Dagblad.I 2012 udgav hun den dokumentariske bog ”Ashins forår – fortællinger fra Burma”, der blev nomineret til Kristian Dahls Mindelegat, også kaldet Den lille Cavlingpris. ”Sort monsun” er hendes skønlitterære debut.

"The wildly popular blogger and TikTok sensation @Tiffycooks shares 88 favorite easy everyday and family-style recipes from Asia and beyond"--

"This book argues that anti-piracy politics were the ideological glue that held Spain's Asian empire together and ensured its surprising resilience and longevity. Flannery reveals that Indigenous Filipinos and Chinese migrant settlers allied behind Spain's colonial officials and militant missionaries to wage wars against sea robbers, who had long terrorized them prior to Spanish arrival"--

"A cultural history of the herbs, foodways, and land-based medicines of Lebanon and Canaan that explores how they connect family and kin in diaspora"--