A reference for graduate and undergraduate students presenting the bibliographic details and sometimes describing and evaluating the content of over 5,000 books in English, most published since 1945 and many quite recently, but also some earlier works of enduring importance. A section of works on all three continents is followed by sections on each, which first consider the continent as a whole, then each country, usually by chronological periods and topics such as economics, politics, and society. Indexed only by author and editor, but the table of contents is detailed enough to provide adequate access. Distributed in the US by St. Martin's Press. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

American merchants established trading firms in the ports of Yokohama, Kobe and Nagasaki which operated from 1859-1899 until the repeal of the Unequal Treaties. Members of a privileged, semi-colonial community, the merchants formed the largest group of Americans in 19th century Japan. In this first book-length treatment of this group, Kevin Murphy explores their interactions with the Japanese in the treaty port system, how the Japanese leadership manipulated them to its own ends, and how the merchants themselves defined the limitations of American business in Japan through their ambiguous but deep concern with order and opportunity, restraint and dominance, and conservatism and dominance.

A definitive history of the Royal Navy’s China Station. In the The Navy List for April 1864 the China Station was first shown as a separate Royal Navy Station . It remained as such until the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 which was to signal the end of that era. In addition to a precis of the lives and naval careers of each of the Commanders in Chief of the China Station, this volume also gives relevant information outlining something of the concurrent internal affairs of China and Japan. Both are very different but sad tales, the former in decline towards the end of the Manchu Ch’ing dynasty and then into the chaotic 1920’s and 1930’s, and the latter increasingly adopting a militaristic attitude which was to result in their disaster of the Pacific War of 1941-1945. As a reminder of these days long gone are interwoven brief references to the British Consular Service. This is especially relevant for China, and for a shorter period for Japan during that era of extraterritoriality. Mention is also made of the British Colonial Service with whom, necessarily, the Navy worked very closely. In addition, being one important reason for it all, frequent references are made to a few British shipping and trading interests together with those of some other nations. All of these areas are linked together to give a definitive history of this very important Royal Navy Station.

Tamerlane, the Ottomans, the Mughals, the Manchus, the British, the Japanese, the Nazis, and the Soviets: All built empires meant to last forever; all were to fail. But, as John Darwin shows in this magisterial book, their empire-building created the world we know today. From the death of Tamerlane in 1405, to America's rise to world "hyperpower," to the resurgence of China and India as global economic powers, After Tamerlane is a grand historical narrative that offers a new perspective on the past, present, and future of empires.