Todd Crowell Knihy

There is no single Asian language. But plenty of vogue words from this booming continent are entering English. Did you know there is a flower named after former dictator Kim Jong-il? The Chinese have a word – shengnu, literally leftover – for the new phenomenon of unmarried women over thirty. Can you tell your jeepney from your jilbab, or yakuza from the yellowshirts? These are just some of the hundreds of words that illuminate little corners of life and culture in a pan-Asian selection of keywords from the zeitgeist.

Set in Victoria Park, Hong Kong, the narrative explores the lives of Indonesian Muslim women seeking opportunities in a bustling city. While many work as maids, some face the challenges of being overstayers or engaging in illegal activities. Central to their stories is Dina, a compassionate figure who sells phone cards and offers support, advice, and a listening ear to these women navigating their struggles and aspirations in a foreign land.

Exploring the 450-year-old city of Macau offers a unique blend of European and Asian influences, evident in its architecture, cuisine, and culture. This guide features nine walking routes across the compact, seven-square-mile area, allowing visitors to easily navigate from the Border Gate to the A-Ma Temple in a single day. Each walk is designed to immerse travelers in the city's rich history and vibrant atmosphere, making it an ideal resource for those looking to understand Macau's distinct heritage.

On July 1, 1997, the red flag of China was hoisted over Hong Kong - and the untried idea of "one country, two systems" was put into practice. Farewell, My Colony is a real-time journal of the end of an era. American journalist Todd Crowell captures a unique moment in history as Britain soldiers through the last months of its colonial rule, China waits restlessly to resume its sovereignty, and Hong Kong buzzes with speculation.

A couple of years ago, the author moved next door to the King of Thailand working as an editor of an online magazine published in Hua Hin, a seaside town. At the time, the king lived there permanently in his summer palace known in Thai as the Klang Kangnon palace, which delightfully translates as 'Far from Worries'. The book is a chronicle of the author's year there, but in a larger sense, it is a portrait of contemporary Thailand; part memoir, part history and part travel book.