Category Archives: Tales

Rich Stories From the Land of the White Elephant. By Chris Burslem

Never a dull moment in old Bangkok. Glittering temples, Siamese twins, pirates, palace intrigue and exotic delights. Come along as Chris Burslem guides you through the rich past of the “land of the white elephant”, from the days when it was the remote floating capital of a closed kingdom to its emergence as a bustling modern metropolis. The stories – painstakingly collected from firsthand accounts, postcards, local legend and elsewhere – paint a scintillating atmospheric portrait of one of Asia’s most alluring cities.

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The Glorious Past of Asia’s Greatest Emporium. By Iain Manley

Old Singapore was an eclectic trade emporium, where an ethnically and culturally diverse populace coalesced, and sometimes clashed, under the aegis of the British Empire. It was a fascinating world filled with traders of all nations, roving bands of pirates, murderers running amuck and even the occasional flesh-hungry tiger. Using a patchwork of words and images from Singapore’s residents and visitors of yesteryear, author Iain Manley brings old Singapore’s colourful colonial past back to life with striking clarity.

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Treasures From The Fragrant Harbour. By Derek Sandhaus

Pirates, plagues, pistols and poisons; with adventure of all varieties, this collection of historical odds and ends is a rollicking journey into colonial Hong Kong. Through stories, quotations, cartoons, postcards and drawings, this book recounts in thrilling detail how a ‘barren rock’ seemingly destined to fail rose to become one of the richest trading outposts in Asia.

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Derek Sandhaus

Old Peking was the cultural and political center of a nation in flux. This book provides a glimpse of that world with a mishmash of photos, clippings and writings, bringing to life those faroff days.

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Graham Earnshaw

The old Shanghai was a rich and cosmopolitan mixture of East and West that exuded luxury, style and excitement. Yet, at the same time, it was ridden with an underworld full of opium dens and brothels that earned the city its eponymous nickname “Whore of the Orient.” Collecting together all the juicy tidbits, this unique account offers a first hand peek into that world with a smattering of the most interesting photos, newspaper clippings, cartoons and writings to bring back to life those far-off days.

Buy it on Amazon or email us to order a copy if you are China-based.