This volume offers chronologies for the countries of Asia from the Paleolithic era through 1998. In his introduction, the editor explains that "ours is the historian's, not the geographer's, Asia." Content is divided into four major parts: "East Asia," "South Asia," "Southeast Asia," and "Central Asia." The Middle East and Asiatic Russia are excluded.Chapters for each of the 26 individual countries that are treated range from four or five pages (Bhutan, Maldives) to more than 100 pages. Chronologies for most countries are subdivided by time periods representing major developments in their history. In the chapter on Hong Kong, for example, the divisions are "Prehistoric Hong Kong," "Chinese Colonization: A.D. 907-1841," "British Rule: A.D. 1841-1997," and "Chinese Restoration: 1997-1998." Chapters on China, India, and Japan are organized into three separate chronologies: "Political History," "Arts, Culture, Thought and Religion," and "Science-Technology, Economics, and Everyday Life."Each section of a chronology begins with an overview of the time period that is covered, followed by fairly detailed entries. The volume concludes with three appendixes. The first appendix lists national or independence days, and the remaining two are additional chronologies--one surveying scientific and technological achievements in Asia, the other correlating developments in Asia with events in the rest of the world. The index is extensive and detailed.Although academic libraries may seem to be the natural home for this comprehensive chronology, it would be a good choice for reference collections in large public libraries as well. REVWR
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Pressestimmen
This reference work breaks new ground in the scope of its coverage; both historic and geographic; its 32 chronologies span from 2,000,000 B.C.E. to 1998 C.E. and include not only China, Japan, and India, as expected, but also Malaysia and the countries composing Southeast Asia and Central Asia... This one of a kind work belongs in all libraries where patrons have an interest in Asia. Library Journal This volume offers chronologies for the countries of Asia from the paleolithic era through 1998... Although academic libraries may seem to be the natural home for this comprehensive chronology, it would be a good choice for reference collections in large public libraries as well. Booklist This book is the first to fully chronicle Asia, with more than 30 chronologies for all its countries... Though this is very much a bird's-eye view, there is a surprising amount of detail. -- Donald Richie The Japan Times
