Editorial Review

When archeologists working under Stamford Raffles, the British colonialist and founder of Singapore, stumbled on the overgrown monument of Borobudur in the Javanese jungle in the late 19th century, they uncovered an ancient marvel that has astounded archeologists ever since. A cosmos in stone, a visual scripture of Buddhism with 1,460 exquisite carved reliefs, a pilgrimage site and an enormous mandala, Borobudur was the supreme achievement of a Buddhist kingdom that flourished briefly and then died on Java in the 9th and 10th centuries. This exquisite coffee table volume is perhaps the most lavish of the several oversize photographic books on the greatest Buddhist monument in the world. Designed by Molly Shields, the book's almost-square format approximates that of Borobudur itself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Worths the price.
For those who have been there or those who are planning to go this book is a must. It's amazing how publishers are able to realize author's and reader's dreams when they want to. Here you will find: schematic drawings,historical background, maps, breathtaking pictures and all the symbolismassociated with this cosmic mandala."The architecturaltraditions of India and Java"; "The mystery of the hiddenbase"; "The mudras or gestures of the hands";"Borobudur as a pilgrimage site"; "The indonesian Cult ofAncestors"; "The sacred texts behind the reliefs" etc. arejust some of the contents.The appendix brings little black and whitephotographs of hundreds of reliefs. Almost as a buddhist comic-strip. Ihope Angkor and Bagan could get a devoted tribute like this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Buddhist    3. Asian    4. Borobudur (Temple : Magelang,    5. Borobudur (Temple : Magelang, Indonesia)    6. Buddhist art and symbolism    7. General    8. Indonesia    9. Magelang    10. Photography    11. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    12. Religion And Art    13. Religious Buildings    14. Specific Religious Buildings Architecture    15. Asian / Middle Eastern history   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Java Sea, Battle of the, Indonesia, 1942    4. Military    5. Military - Naval    6. Military - United States    7. Military - World War II    8. Naval History - World War II    9. Naval operations, American    10. World War II - East Asia    11. World War, 1939-1945    12. History / General   

Reviews (1)

Masks of Bali
Masked drama performances have been an important ritual on Bali for over a thousand years.Slattum presents a gallery of fifty significant, visually stunning masks photographed at both private collections and in Balinese museums.Explanatory text accessible to Westerners delves into the artistry involved in creating these intricate pieces, their symbolic and cultural significance, and the elevated role they assume in village ceremonial life.These magical, totemic masks have come to represent Bali to many visitors, who are spellbound by their exotic, gargoyle-like demeanor and their entertaining presence in evening dance spectacles (and in every art and craft shop window all around the island).

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Bali (Province)    3. Beauty & Grooming - General    4. History - Asian    5. Indonesia    6. Masks    7. Religious aspects    8. Rites and ceremonies    9. Social aspects    10. Sociology    11. Bali    12. Costume    13. Folk art    14. Photography / General   

Editorial Review

Would you believe that nutmeg formed the basis of one of the most bitter international conflicts of the 17th century, and was also intimately connected to New York City's rise to global preeminence? Strange but true: nutmeg was, in fact, one of the most prized commodities in Renaissance Europe, and its fascinating story is told in Giles Milton's delightful Read more

Reviews (67)

Full of information!
It's a short book jam packed with characters and voyages. I have to say though that I could have used a time line in the begining to help me keep things straight. Reading this book takes focus (not the kind of thing you can read when you're tired or watching TV at the same time) but I enjoyed learning so much about the spice trade!

Making History Appreciated Again
I am not into history books and I find many are filled with lousy presentation of facts - making it a very dry read.It is not the case here.Milton had successfully made reading history fun and helps you grow an appreciation for the things and people around you and beyond.This book will make you laugh, cry, and cetainly, appreciate the spices in your kitchen :)
Excellent History
Giles does a wonderful historical job in telling a complicated story, but not getting in the way of the history by invoking his views as most historians do.
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Subjects:  1. 17th century    2. Asia - General    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Indonesia    8. Maluku    9. Maritime History    10. Nutmeg industry    11. Spice trade    12. Spices    13. World - Colonial Studies    14. History / Modern / 17th Century   

Reviews (2)

Negara: The Theatre State in Nineteenth Century Bali
Geertz, a social anthropologist at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, is a prolific scholar on Balinese and Indonesian political and state organization."Negara" is a Sanskrit word which originally meant "town"; in Bahasa Indonesia it now signifies nation or realm--the seat of political authority.Its opposite is "desa," the village, place, region, or governed area.Between these two contrasting poles-negara and desa-the classical polity developed.In his search for the "negara," the traditional state of pre-colonial Bali, he casts a wide analytical net over the cultural streams that flowed unchecked in to the archipelago for over 3,000 years from India, China, the Middle East, and Europe.Foreign contact/intervention left a permanent stamp on the island chain in the form of a Hindu civilization on Bali, Chinatowns in Jakarta, and a multiplicity of social structures, economic forms and kinship organizations.Geertz traces the sociological and historical interplay of state formation and dissolution and power and status distribution in 14th to 19th century Bali-an island symbolically caught in a parallel tug of nature between the tranquil Java sea to the north and the treacherous Indian Ocean to the south.Heavy on political theory, this book is more suitable for academicians, history buffs, and college students than for the general reader or the package holiday tourist.Substantiated by critical reviews of the scholarly literature, 130 pages of explanatory footnotes, and a lengthy bibliography, Negara puts forth a persuasive final model of the Balinese state as a distinctive political order.To understand Bali's past, is to understand Bali's present and future.

""Tis nothing but a Magic Shadow-show"
Bali flits in and out of the Western imagination: Conradian tropic kingdoms, National Geographic star attraction, Mead-Covarrubias-Belo-Geertz himself, tourist paradise (ever-fading).What is Bali all about besides emerald rice terraces, bare breasted beauties, cheap surfing holidays, and tremendously elaborate ceremonies featuring gamelan orchestras and graceful dancers ?Bali is indeed a mystery.If you approach NEGARA with the desire to learn more about this marvelous Indonesian island, you may go away disappointed.There are no Balinese voices in the book; modern Bali is hardly discussed.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Bali Island (Indonesia)    5. Civilization    6. Political Process - General    7. Politics and government    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Anthropology    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history    12. Asian and Asian American Studies    13. Bali    14. Political Science and International Relations    15. Political Science-Political Process - General    16. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural    17. Social Science / Anthropology / General    18. Theatre, drama   

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Collections Of Photographs    3. Description and travel    4. Ecology    5. Environmental Science    6. General    7. Indonesia    8. National parks and reserves    9. Natural History    10. Nature / Field Guide Books    11. Nature/Ecology    12. Science    13. Science/Mathematics    14. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    15. Photographs: collections    16. Science / Environmental Science   

Reviews (1)

Extraordinarily informative
I found this book very useful in understanding much about the prehistory of the Indo-Malaysian Archipelago. It was in depth and easily read. I was especially interested in the animistic beliefs the Negritos held, and foundit amazing that even christianity had to be adjusted to fit aroundtheirstrong belief in animism later on in modern history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Antiquities, Prehistoric    3. Asia - Southeast Asia    4. Clinical Psychology    5. General    6. History - General History    7. Indonesia    8. Malaysia    9. Prehistoric Archaeology    10. Prehistoric peoples    11. Psychology    12. Sociology - General    13. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 500 to c 1500    14. Social Science / General    15. South East Asia   

Editorial Review

It may seem a stretch to connect a volcanic eruption with civil andreligious unrest in Indonesia today, but Simon Winchester makes acompelling case. Read more

Reviews (177)

Humanity's 1st 'Do you remember where you were when...'
It takes a gifted historian and storyteller to thread together the geological, political, social, atmospheric and biological elements that make the story of the Krakatoa explosion compelling.Winchester serves brilliantly.Scientists and non-scientists alike will enjoy this highly detailed examination of what was arguably the first news story that touched everyone on the planet.

Krakatoa: the Day the World Exploded
Detailed and informative account of one of the most well known natural disasters in modern history.Winchester does an excellent job of placing Krakatoa in context of it's time in history, and also of drawing meaningful parallels to what is going on now with radical Islam and the world.
Good, but stretched
This is an interesting history and account of Krakatoa and the 1883 explosion. Much of the book is interesting and readable. In particular, Mr. Winchester makes the geology accessible, and even fun, for non-scientists. However, I felt Mr. Winchester did not do as well with the historical accounts. This seems more because he tries to cover so much history than anything else. The book is best when it focuses on the volcano itself, not the people. Besides this, it is still a great read, and I would definitely recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. Earthquakes & Volcanoes    4. Eruption, 1883    5. Essays    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Indonesia    10. Krakatoa (Indonesia)    11. Natural Disasters    12. Volcanoes    13. History / General    14. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (2)

new information
very good information from the birth of kopassus until prabowo era. There are many new facts that i dont know before espcially during the struggle for indonesia independence. Thumbs up for author that collected such huge informations that's available nowhere.

View from the other side of the Borneo campaign
KOPASSUS, Inside Indonesia's Special Forces by Ken Conboy.Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Military    5. Military - General    6. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Indonesia    5. Islam    6. Islam - General    7. Middle East - General    8. Religious aspects    9. Sexual abstinence    10. Single women    11. Social conditions    12. Women's Studies - General    13. History / Middle East    14. Interdisciplinary Studies    15. Middle East   

Reviews (18)

why are japanese so evil?
Japan has committed some of the world's worst atrocities in history (nanking massacre, unit 731, batton death march, comfort women, pearl harbor, ect..) and they still refuse to apologize, compensate, or make an accurate history in there textbooks. Why is Japan so cowardly and instead try to make their amends to their victims of the horrible crimes against humanity. No wonder people call Japan a "devil" race.
Book Contains Great Facts, but Lame Excuses
The most outstanding attribute of this book is its honest depiction of Japan's atrocities.The description of these horrific onslaughts surpasses similar titles in some portions of the book. OK
Interesting info, but author seems to try and make the point the Japanese did nothing worse than others have done thru out history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Japan    2. Australians    3. Crimes against    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: World    7. Indonesia    8. International    9. Military - World War II    10. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    11. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. Armed Forces    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: Second World War    15. History / Japan    16. History-Military - World War II    17. Japan    18. War crimes   

Reviews (3)

Enormous Info on Obscure Battle
Mr. Womack is to be commended for his attention to a particular element of World War II.Rather than trying to encompass the entire war into a single book he spends time examining a pivitol yet widely unknown saga of WWII.Historians and war buffs will want to read this book.

Great book on MLD
Tom Womack has written an very thorough book on Dutch naval aviation in the East. As a Dutchman it's interesting to read about the history of the MLD from an outside perspective. Well, researched, nice new pictures. Well worth reading!

I Am The Author Of This Book
As the author of this text, I am perhaps being somewhat biased when I say that this book easily represents the most complete description of the naval air war in the Netherlands East Indies compiled to date in any language.The result of 11 years of research, it details the role of the Dutch Naval Air Force (MLD) and its doomed from the start effort to stem the Japanese invasion of the former Netherlands East Indies between December 1941 - March 1942.While there have been a number of English language sources highlighting the role of American and British naval air operations few, if any, have detailed the actions of their Dutch allies in any measurable detail.It is for this reason that I undertook this project.
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Subjects:  1. Aerial operations, Dutch    2. Campaigns    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - Military / War    7. History: World    8. Indonesia    9. Military - Aviation    10. Military - General    11. Military - World War II    12. Netherlands    13. Regimental histories    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. Air forces & warfare    16. European history: Second World War    17. Japan    18. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. 1798-1942    2. 20th century    3. Asia - Southeast Asia    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Indonesia    8. Java    9. Java (Indonesia)    10. Radicalism    11. ASIA    12. Asian / Middle Eastern history    13. Political ideologies   

Reviews (1)

Slimy Things That Crawl with Legs...
This is the first complete English translation of an important work by the Dutch botanist, zoologist, and ethnographer Rumphius; it was first published in 1705. On his arrival on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies, Rumphius began studying, as a hobby, the region's flora and fauna; soon, he was toying with the idea of writing a book on the subject. Read more

Subjects:  1. Crustacea    2. Early works to 1800    3. Essays    4. History    5. Indonesia    6. Maluku    7. Mineralogy    8. Mollusks    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Science / History    12. Sea & seashore life   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Asian    4. Bali (Province)    5. Indonesia    6. Masks    7. Religious aspects    8. Rites and ceremonies    9. Social aspects    10. Subjects & Themes - General    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history    12. Bali    13. Costume    14. History of specific subjects    15. Sculpture & other three-dimensional art forms   

Reviews (1)

The Embarrassing Dictator
Indonesians are rather embarrassed about their past these days, except for the glorious Revolution in the 1940s when they expelled the Dutch colonialists. They seem to want to forget about the man who ruled them for thirty years, though some ordinary Indonesians yearn for the stability and predictability of that time. Elson's biography is meticulously researched, readable and comprehensive, and provides an irreplaceable introduction to a crucial period, which still influences Indonesia, despite the extraordinary democratisation which has taken place.Despite appearances, many political patterns, especially those of elite politics, economic exploitation and corruption, are little changed from Suharto's time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1921-    2. 1966-1998    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - General    8. Indonesia    9. Political    10. Politics and government    11. Presidents    12. Presidents & Heads of State    13. Soeharto,    14. Sports - General    15. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    16. Biography: historical    17. History / Modern / 20th Century    18. Soeharto    19. Soeharto,--1921-   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. History    3. Indonesia    4. Java    5. Mysticism    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Subud    9. Kabbalah & hermetic thought    10. Oriental religions    11. Religious rites & ceremonies    12. Social Science / Ethnic Studies   

Reviews (3)

GayBuddhistLawyer
While this has a lot to recommend it, the author seems to be excessively politically correct.It would seem that she has no familiarity with mainstream economic analysis, but is perhaps overly familiar with Marxist economics. She seems to feel that value is only created by farmers/laborers and needs to remind of it.Her many boxed digressions are interesting, but the one on Hinduism and Buddhism is so strange, that it did make me question the validity of her work in areas I'm less familiar with.She says that the Dutch did not try to convert the Islamic, Hindu or Buddhist Indonesians because they regarded Asians as essentially different (inferentially a racist outlook).I would like to know her source for this, since the pragmatic observation that there were far too many of them and they were too attached to their religions to make forced conversion possible seems like a much more obvious reason for the decision.

Quirky history for an eccentric nation
This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in Indonesia.It is not a standard sort of history, but its value lies in how the author brilliantly weaves together strands of Indonesia's prehistory, colonial history, and history as an independent nation--it reminds one of Churchill's maxim about the Balkans, that the region has to be a net exporter of history because it produces too much for local consumption.This book also demonstrates why the Australians are absolutely first-rate in Indonesian studies (look at a map--they have to be).Another huge plus are the extremely valuable capsule histories scattered throughout--little gems that capture small topics deftly.My only criticism is about the author's writing style:hardly "voluptuous" as one reviewer put it (what does voluptuous writing look like?)--but in fact it's fairly inelegant; the list approach to making your points.

Much Needed and Thanks!!!!
I have been waiting for someone to write this book.'Indonesia: Peoples and Histories' by Jean Gelman Taylor fills an important gap in Indonesia studies. I was really excited to find this book and have not be disappointed. If you are at all interested in Indonesia you will want to have this book. The writing is clear and concise. Taylor knows her subject well. I highly recommend this beautiful book about an increasingly important nation on the world scene. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indonesia    2. History - General History    3. Asia - Southeast Asia    4. ASIA    5. History / Southeast Asia    6. Ethnic relations    7. Asia - General    8. History    9. History: World   

Reviews (3)

Amusing and interesting
Obviously, there is more to anthropology than simply going to some faraway land and relating tales about one's experiences there.But there's nothing wrong with doing just that, as Nigel Barley does in this book.He starts right out, in the first sentence, by saying that "Anthropology is not a hazardous sport."Anyway, he goes off to Indonesia (actually, to Torajaland, on the island of Celebes) to live, um, non-hazardously.
Funny and Informative
I am a student of African and Indonesian spiritual practices.This book, along with Mr. Barley's others, is a refreshing departure from long-winded, ivory-tower lectures.Funny and informative.

Anthropologist in Indonesia
Nigel Barley is an English antropologist who makes a visit to Torajaland in Sulawesi, Indonesia. He says in his foreword that he want to tell the stories that more traditional antropological books don't tell. The resultis sometimes funny but otherwise not very remarkable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Barley, Nigel    2. Biography    3. Ethnologists    4. Ethnology    5. Ethnology And Ethnography    6. Field work    7. General    8. History: American    9. Indonesia    10. Sociology    11. Southeast Asia    12. Toradja (Indonesian people)   

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Indonesia    6. Islam    7. Islam and politics    8. Military    9. Military - General    10. Political violence    11. Religious aspects    12. Violence    13. Political Science / International Security    14. Political ideologies    15. Political science & theory