A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Asia in the past nurtured great civilisations and cultures, some of which withstood the onslaughts of the mighty West. After suffering from the evils of colonial rule, Asia today is poised to occupy the centre stage of the world arena, with India, China and Japan playing leading role. In this context, it is all the more necessary for college and university students in Asia and the west to acquaint themselves with the history of Asia. Hence this book. The book is different from others of this genre, as it connects the ancient and medieval Asia with the modern world. It ideals with the history of each country in its geographical setting with the interaction and impact of neighbouring countries. Early migrations, settlements, formation of kingdoms and empires, socio-economic aspects of Islamic conquests and the advent of Western powers are all accounted for. The modern period (up to 2004) is treated in a detailed manner covering topics like colonisation, impact of Western civilisation, the rise of nationalism and the achievement of independence. The current history highlights subversion of democracies, ushering in of military rule, ethnic conflicts, movements for the restoration of democracy, oppression of minorities, economic issues, nuclear proliferation and the war on terror all in a fascinating manner with maps, bibliography, and an index to stimulate reader’s interest.