Introduction
In writing this book, De Waal was too modest. The title of the book is a gross understatement of the sophistication and richness of the literature in the book. Any scholar would be hard-pressed in finding another t-the-point, fair-minded, graceful yet compact exploration of the tormented, fascinating and the utterly complex region that Asia represents. The literature in the book is diverse in that his arguments do not just confine to the Russian great-power games but also explores the fault lines and many cross-cutting intricacies in the region.
In the start of the book, De Waal explores the ancient glories ...
