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Artwork for Asian Review of Books

Asian Review of Books

New Books Network
World War II
India
China
Hong Kong
Japan
Bernhard Sindberg
Nanjing Massacre
Tokyo Trials
Operation Gratitude
The Enclave
A Slight Angle
United States
Xiongnu
Mongolia
Han Dynasty
Mughal Empire
Jhaveri Family
US Navy
Britain
Mumbai

The Asian Review of Books is the only dedicated pan-Asian book review publication. Widely quoted, referenced, republished by leading publications in Asian and beyond and with an archive of more than two thousand book reviews, the ARB also features long-format essays by leading Asian writers and thinkers, excerpts from newly-published books and reviews of arts and culture. Support our show by becom... more

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Latest Episodes

Into the Leopard’s Den (Pegasus / Hachette India: 2025), the latest novel in the Bangalore Detective Club series by Harini Nagendra, opens with a home invasion gone wrong: An elderly woman in 1920s India, murdered by a mystery assailant during a robb... more

War, and the threat of war, spurs governments to invest in secret military technologies and weapons. Imperial Japan, ahead of the Second World War, was no exception. After the First World War, Japan set up the Noborito Research Institute: a division ... more

Begum Wilayat Mahal, the self-proclaimed heir to the House of Awadh, has fascinated journalists and writers for decades. She claimed she was Indian royalty, descended from the kings of Awadh, a kingdom annexed by the British in 1856. She spent a deca... more

In 1923, archaeologist Leonard Woolley stumbled upon a room that dated back to 530BC, the time of the Babylonians. Oddly, the room was filled with artifacts that were thousands of years older. A clay drum led Woolley to speculate that he might have s... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Charles R. Butcher
Professor in the Department of Sociological Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, focuses on historical states and state systems.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Episode: Charles R. Butcher and Ryan D. Griffiths, "Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century" (Columbia UP, 2025)
Liz Webber
Professor of Instruction at Chinese at the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
Episode: Wu Jianren, "New Story of the Stone: An Early Chinese Science Fiction Novel" (Columbia UP, 2025)
Sam Dalrymple
Historian, filmmaker, and co-founder of Project Dastaan
Episode: Sam Dalrymple, "Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia" (William Collins, 2025)
Tracy Slater
A Jewish American writer from Boston, focusing on Japanese and Jewish histories
Chicago Review Press
Episode: Tracy Slater, "Together in Manzanar: The True Story of a Japanese Jewish Family in an American Concentration Camp" (Chicago Review Press, 2025)
Nan Z. Da
Author of The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear, and a subscriber of English at Johns Hopkins University.
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Nan Z. Da, The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear (Princeton UP, 2025)
Audrey Truschke
Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Episode: Audrey Truschke, "India: 5,000 Years of History on the Subcontinent" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Eiko Maruko Siniawer
Charles R. Keller Professor of History at Williams College
Williams College
Episode: Eiko Maruko Siniawer, "Ten Moments that Shaped Tokyo" (Cambridge UP, 2024)
Aatish Taseer
Famed journalist and writer
Episode: Aatish Taseer, "A Return to Self: Excursions in Exile" (Catapult, 2025)
Sanjana Sathian
Author of Goddess Complex and Gold Diggers
Penguin Press
Episode: Sanjena Sathian, "Goddess Complex" (Penguin Press, 2025)

Host

Nicholas Gordon
Host of the Asian Review of Books, known for engaging discussions with authors and scholars, exploring themes in literature and history.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 19 ratings
  • Great interviews

    Nicholas Gordon is a great interviewer. I look forward to each and every episode of this podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Harry Victor
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the engaging nature of interviews and the deep insights offered by the host.
The quality of discussions is frequently highlighted, making it a recommended listen for anyone interested in literature and cultural affairs.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#142
Indonesia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#179
Israel/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#188
Hong Kong/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#199
Belgium/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#227
Japan/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Charles R. Butcher and Ryan D. Griffiths, "Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century" (Columbia UP, 2025)
Q: What factors affect the centralization or decentralization of states in the 19th century?
Key factors include the costs of moving people and goods, competition, trade, and the interaction capacity that affects how centralized a state can become.
Charles R. Butcher and Ryan D. Griffiths, "Before Colonization: Non-Western States and Systems in the Nineteenth Century" (Columbia UP, 2025)
Q: What is the traditional view of what the state is and what does it miss about what the world was actually like during much of its history?
The traditional view of the state sees it as an organization atop a hierarchy with infrastructure for taxation and law enforcement, but it often overlooks the diversity of state systems in non-Western contexts.
Lizhi Liu, "From Click to Boom: The Political Economy of E-Commerce in China" (Princeton UP, 2024)
Q: What has been the impact of Alibaba's Taobao village initiative?
While the initiative improved rural household welfare on the consumption side, it didn't significantly impact income generation or entrepreneurship, indicating a need for complementary support.
Lizhi Liu, "From Click to Boom: The Political Economy of E-Commerce in China" (Princeton UP, 2024)
Q: How do you understand the relationship between the government and the private sector during the tech crackdown?
The crackdown arose from platforms overstepping their boundaries and harming consumer interests, while the government overreacted to the challenges posed by these powerful entities.
Mayukh Sen, "Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star" (Norton, 2025)
Q: Why did you want to write about Merle Oberon in the first place?
I had always been fascinated by Merle Oberon's story ever since I first encountered her.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Asian Review of Books

What is Asian Review of Books about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast offers a rich exploration of literature, history, and arts through conversations with authors, scholars, and thought leaders. The discussions revolve around notable books covering diverse themes such as cultural transformations, historical narratives, and the impact of colonialism, particularly within the Asian context. Unique to this series is its commitment to providing in-depth analyses of how literature reflects and influences societal dynamics across Asia, making it appealing to listeners who appreciate meaningful discourse on the intersection of books and broader cultural contexts. Listeners are likely to engage deeply with topics related to historical linguistics, political history, and contemporary relevance of literatu... more

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1. The Daily
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. The Globalist
4. Empire
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How many episodes of Asian Review of Books are there?

Asian Review of Books launched 5 years ago and published 264 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Asian Review of Books?

Recent guests on Asian Review of Books include:

1. Charles R. Butcher
2. Liz Webber
3. Sam Dalrymple
4. Tracy Slater
5. Nan Z. Da
6. Audrey Truschke
7. Eiko Maruko Siniawer
8. Aatish Taseer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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