The thirteenth-century Italian merchant and explorer recounts his adventures in China and tells how he served as an emissary for Kublai Khan.

In the three centuries after the explorer Vasco de Gama first landed in India in 1492, meetings, trade and exchanges of all kinds flourished between the peoples of Europe and Asia. These encounters and the hybrid cultures that developed have left an extraordinary legacy of exquisite works of art and compelling human stories. Produced alongside the V&A's landmark 2004 exhibition, Encounters explores both the western fascination for the exotic materials...

Fifteen authors of Asian descent reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia, in short stories ranging from fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge.

The elevator door opens. A cow stands inside, angled diagonally to fit. It doesn't look uncomfortable, merely impatient. "It is for the housewarming ceremony on the third floor," explains the woman who stands behind the cow, holding it loosely with a rope. She has the sheepish look of a person caught in a strange situation who is trying to act as normal as possible. She introduces herself as Sarala and smiles reassuringly. The door closes. I shake...

Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital and modern–day center of tourism and traditional culture, is one of the world's most beautiful and historic cities. Founded nearly 1, 300 years ago and undamaged by the war, Kyoto today is the home of over 1, 600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shinto shrines, countless national treasures and 17 World Heritage sites, including the famed Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle and Kiyomizu Temple. This book presents 29 easy–to–follow...

For two thousand years the disparate groups that now reside in Zomia (a mountainous region the size of Europe that consists of portions of seven Asian countries) have fled the projects of the organized state societies that surround them - slavery, conscription, taxes, corvée labor, epidemics, and warfare. This book, essentially an 'anarchist history', is the first-ever examination of the huge literature on state-making whose author evaluates why...

"Mountain-climbing prodigy Peak Marcello faces his toughest challenge yet as he descends into Tibet and goes head-to-head with an old enemy"--

Inspired by Little Kunoichi's relationship with her pet, Ninja Bunny, Chibi Samurai sets out to find a companion pet for himself. Includes facts about Japanese animals and customs.