Books published by Kegan Paul

The development of the Siculo Arabic group of varieties in the early medieval period took place while Sicily was under two cultural influences: the Latin and the Byzantine. This book explores the Arabic spoken by both Arabs and non-Arabs in that region, during that period.

An investigation of the food and dietary practices of the Japanese. Dividing the history of Japanese dietary life into six periods, it traces its development from the paleolithic and neolithic eras before rice was cultivated in Japan to the period between the sixth and fifteenth centuries, when a stable indigenous cuisine began to evolve.

Documents the years 1746-1757 from the perspective of an Irish slave-dealer, Nicholas Owen, travelling between Africa and America.

'Come and be my geisha'. Responding to her solider husband's invitation, an American woman arrives in 1950's Japan and encounters something very different to the world of Madame Butterfly and Lafcadio Hearn she is expecting. Entertaining and insightful, this memoir captures the challenge and mutual incomprehension she experiences as she strives to learn about another culture and people, while they struggle to understand her. Written with tremendous zest and good humour, American Geisha is a timeless example of how to live abroad successfully in an increasingly global world, as well as a fascinating account of everyday life in Japan in the immediate post-war years.

Nobleman, writer, adventurer and inspiration for the swashbuckling gun runner in the Adventures of Tintin, Henri de Monfried lived by his own account "a rich, restless, magnificent life" as one of the great travellers of his or any age. His name is inextricably linked to the Red Sea and the raffish ports between Suez and Aden in the early years of the twentieth century. This is a compelling account of how de Monfried seeks his fortune by becoming a collector and merchant of the fabled Gulf pearls, then is drawn into the shadowy world of arms trading, slavery, smuggling and drugs. Hashish was the drug of choice, and de Monfried writes of sailing to Suez with illegal cargos, dodging blockades and pirates. This book is a unique and detailed portrayal of a colorful and dangerous world that has now disappeared. It allows us to share in the exhilarating adventures of a legend whose love for the sea and zest for life runs across every page.

Written in 1924, this has been called the best novel ever written about Japan, and its charm remains undiminished. The French author, a pilot during World War I, was sent to Japan as a flying instructor after the war, and this book is a fictionalized account of the year he spent there. Writing in deceptively simple style and displaying an exceptional gift for observation, Raucat tells of a trip to the holiday island of Enoshima that goes badly wrong. By adopting the perspectives of different people in his narrative -- the foreigner bent on seduction, the poor young girl who is the object of his interest, the station-master at the train station where the two are supposed to meet, the proprietress of a hotel, the girl's friend and her spoiled son, a geisha and a young man -- he builds up a complex picture and a mood that shifts quickly from light to shadows, offering penetrating insights into the Japanese character, and capturing the heady and rarely-portrayed atmosphere of Tokyo in the twenties.

Jewish Life in the Middle Ages is a fascinating and well-known look at life in the middle ages for the Jewish community. The author also gives attention to how the European movements of the middle ages were affected by Jewish influences. Topics addressed include: social functions of the synagogue, decay of the sermon in the middle ages, the origin of the word "ghetto", family feasts and fasts, and the ethics of dress.

The Heart of the Middle East is a comprehensive look at Iraq's history and culture. Coke conveys the charm and interest that Mesopotamia excites in those who are familiar with this land.

These diaries are a remarkable record of court life in eleventh century Japan. They are the personal accounts of three young girls, Sarashina, daughter of a Governor of Kazusa, Murasaki Shikibu, and Izumi Shikibu, daughter of a Governor of Echizen.

The study of ethnicity, diaspora, and identity is one of the most expanding and exciting areas of contemporary historical research and publication in the UK today. There is an increasing body of literature being published on this subject, which was previously seen as the domain of the social sciences. Connecting Histories is an important addition to that trend as, whilst utilising sociological and anthropological theories, it is a historical and comparative assessment of ethnic identities and memories. It investigates how African-Caribbean and Jewish individuals and 'communities' remember their experiences, by examining 'life histories' and 'autobiographical acts', including autobiography, oral history, and travel writing. Its main focus is to assess how mythologies affect collective memory and influence personal identities. Key themes of exploration include the memories of migration and myths of the Mother Country and Promised Land, the re-remembering of racist riots in early twentieth century Britain, and reflections on community and diasporic identities. Its value and originality lies in juxtaposing two communities who have many parallels in historical experience, identity, and memory but who have rarely been compared to each other.

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A work on the prehistory of Japan and of South East Asia that challenges views on the origins of Japanese society and identity. It combines scientific evidence from such different fields as rice genetics, DNA and historical linguistics to show that the major elements of Yayoi civilization actually came, not from the north, but from the south.

Traces the history of urban studies concerning the Islamic world in terms of theme, motif and methodology.

Rahman examines the wars, conflicts, intrigues, conspiracies, and strategic contests that were factors behind the comparatively late emergence of Qatar as an independent political entity. This is a significant contribution to the historical record and an important new resource for scholars and historians interested in the history of Qatar and the Gulf in general.

Kabir seeks to understand the basis of mainstream Australians'fear of Muslims by tracing their history since the Afghan settlement in 1860. The author investigates how events such as September 11 and Bali terrorist attacks reinforce suspicion and fear. This book gives an insight into what it means to be a Muslim in contemporary Australia, and how and why the actions of militant Islamic groups have impacted upon Muslims in general in Western society.

Explores how scientists managed to cope with the particular circumstances created by the war. This book focuses on war-waging countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, and the United States, and those under occupation, such as the Netherlands and France.

Cities are sites of multiple meanings and symbols, ranging from statues and street names to festivals and architecture. Sometimes the symbolic side of urbanism is so strong that it outshines reality -- then we speak of hypercity. Urban symbolic ecology and hypercity studies are relatively new fields that deal with the production, distribution and consumption of symbols and meanings in urban space, timely concerns in an era of increasing globalization and competition between mega-urban regions. This volume, which presents a detailed introduction to the new fields, followed by case studies of the cultural layer of symbolism in Brussels (Belgium), Cape Town (South Africa), Cuenca (Ecuador), Delft (The Netherlands), Kingston (Jamaica), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Paris (France) and cities in Italy and Indonesia, amply demonstrates that the time has come for urban symbolic ecology and hypercity studies to be included in regular urban studies training in the fields of anthropology, sociology and architecture.

Deals with the conflict between Northern and Southern Sudan over the Abeyi region and other border areas. This book provides a background to the complexities of the conflict, looking at the factors behind it and calling for the resolution of Africa's longest running dispute.

Focuses on issues dealing with the development and application of molecular biology and bioengineering technologies in Asian societies and cultures. This book provides insights on research into the social, political and ethical aspects of genomics, and reflects the bioethical experiences of researchers.

First published in 2008. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Contemporary Mongolia is often seen as one of the most open and democratic societies in Asia, undergoing remarkable post-socialist transformation. Based on original material from the former Soviet and Mongolian archives, this book presents a full length post-Cold War study on the history of the Mongolian People's Republic.

First Published in 1989. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Mysticism, which seeks to establish an intimate relationship between God and man, is present in almost all religions. In Islam, it is called sufism, and its adherents, known as sufis or dervishes, are organized into tarikats and assemble in tekes for their ceremonies. Dervishes are the gentlest of all believers. They have a tradition of extreme tolerance, conscious of the fact that there are many paths leading to God, and theirs is only one of them. Sufism acts as a powerful although passive counterforce against violent Islamist tendencies. During a stay of more than two years in Skopje, Biegmann became close to the sheikh and dervishes of the last remaining teke and was allowed to take the fifty photographs that are in this book. The sheikh spoke to Biegmann about the ceremonies and their meaning. Gods Lovers presents a vivid picture of popular Islamic mysticism as practiced in Macedonia today, and gives a rare view of traditional Sufism in an establishd Islamic society in contemporary Europe.

Describes a trip made by two American women to Uganda and the Transvaal in the hopes of inspiring other Americans to do the same.

Lying midway between Baghdad and the Persian Gulf, the lost city of Ur became the subject of great interest when excavations began in 1922. This book recounts the findings of the joint operation between the University Museum of Pennsylvania and the British Museum.