asia

Traces the history of the European and American colonization of South and East Asia from the first Portuguese explorers in the sixteenth century through the Vietnam War.

In Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, Theroux recreates an epic journey he took thirty years ago, a giant loop by train (mostly) through Eastern Europe, turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, China, Japan, and Siberia. In short, he traverses all of Asia top to bottom, and end to end. In the three decades since he first travelled this route, Asia has undergone phenomenal change. The Soviet Union has collapsed, Chinas has risen, India booms, Burma slowly smothers, and vietnam prospers despite the havoc unleashed upon it the last time Theroux passed through. He witnesses all this and more in a 25,000 mile journey, travelling as the locals do, by train, car, bus, and foot, providing his penetrating observations on the changes these countries have undergone.--from publisher description.

Provides understanding of the war and the experience of the Vietnam war and covers the impact on the U.S. as well as the international implications.

Discusses how the United States practice of intervening all over the globe and how that practice will end up affecting how the world looks at the United States.

Shows the travels of the 13th century Italian explorer Marco Polo with excerpts from his writings.