Give me some recommendations on good East Asian history books?

Question

I read "Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world" and I liked the book so can anyone recommend a good book on East Asian history. East Asia excludes everything west of China's western border.

Answer 1

While you're on the subject of Batu Khan and the Golden Horde, why not continue to read about the Mongol Invasion of Europe?
The book's title is "The Devil's Horsemen", the author is James Chambers (yes he wrote Ghenghis Khan too), published by Castle Books in 2003. Originally publsihed in 1979. Happy reading!

Answer 2

For a reasonably comprehensive history of pre-modern China with good illustrations and references to other reading:

Patricia Buckley Ebrey, The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996

For a more full-on scholarly treatment of the same thing:

Jacques Gernet, A History of Chinese Civilization, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996

For a more anthropological but still historical treatment, inclusion of other east (and south-east) Asian countries, and more emphasis on modern times:

Colin MacKerras (ed.), Eastern Asia - An Introductory History, 3rd Edition, Frenchs Forest: Longman, 2000.

Answer 3

Over the wall... by HI MOK HUNG

This book basically will cover 75% of everything you need to know about East Asia.

Difficult to find in Borders, check the web and make an order. Every copy will be send to you from London directly.

Answer 4

"Shinohata" - modern Japanese history. Excellent historical and anthropoloical study. What is learned overlaps with Chinese thinking.

Broken Earth - modern Chinese rurual anthropological study. The author is now persona non gratis is in China. But thee two books together are really really good.