Category: Asia

February 3, 2026

The Beast in the Clouds by Nathalie Holt *** (of 4)

The year is 1929. America’s large museums are filling out their exhibits with mysterious animals delivered from the remotest parts of the world. There are sporadic reports that the last large mammal, a Panda bear, might exist. Or might be as mythological as a Yeti. Two sons of former president Theodore Roosevelt, Kermit and Ted […]

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October 16, 2025

Night Heron by Adam Brookes ** (of 4)

This spy drama set in China received excellent reviews when it came out in 2014. A Chinese spy for British intelligence called Peanut breaks free...

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August 20, 2025

Malice by Keigo Higashino *** (of 4)

Keigo Higashino is Japan's most decorated mystery writer, and this book, Malice, the first in a series, catapulted him to fame. Unlike nearly any other...

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July 30, 2025

Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities by Bettany Hughes *** (of 4)

Istanbul, the city, sits at the junction of Europe and Asia, literally and metaphorically. Istanbul, the book, moved my perception of history eastward, away from...

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October 1, 2024

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese **** (of 4)

In the fictional riverside town of Parambil, in Kerala, India, 12-year-old Big Ammachi is taken from her home at the beginning of the 20th century...

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January 26, 2024

A Disappearance in Fiji *** (of 4)

Sargent Akal Singh has been banished to desk duty in Fiji. The year is 1915 and Britain rules its colonies with guile, brutality, and economic...

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January 11, 2024

Eastbound by Maylis De Kerangal *** (of 4)

A group of Russian men have just been conscripted into the Army. They are on the trans-Siberian railroad crossing more than 8 time zones toward...

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September 16, 2022

Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg *** (of 4)

It would be a cozy murder mystery from which a lot could be learned about the culture of modern day China, if not for the...

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July 27, 2022

To a Mountain in Tibet by Colin Thubron *** (of 4)

Mount Kailash in Tibet is a mountain revered and sanctified by Hindus and Muslims. Walking around its base cleanses the soul and brings respect and...

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January 9, 2022

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips ** (of 4)

Take my review with a grain of salt. Disappearing Earth was a National Book Award Finalist and top-10 book of the year for the New...

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