Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang - Softcover

'[An] excellent ... and invaluable book.' - Jonathan Mirsky, New York Review of Books "The scope and depth of Mr. Millward's latest text is unmatched." - Ilaria Maria Sala, Far Eastern Economic Review "The requisite scholarly reading on the region." - Nicolas Becquelin, China Quarterly "[An] excellent ... and invaluable book." - Jonathan Mirsky, New York Review of Books "Well written, well documented, analytical, detailed and stimulating. I recommend it strongly. " - Colin MacKerras, American Historical Review "The first successful attempt to grapple with the entire history of Xinjiang ... Recommended." - Choice "A masterful and insightful piece of integrative scholarship, unique in the literature in its scope and execution, and a pleasure to read." - Morgan Liu, H-Soyuz "Eurasian Crossroads is a superbly written history of a region little known to American readers. James Millward introduces many fascinating, diverse actors into the story of Xinjiang and makes excellent use of existing monographs and primary source material. There is no comparable study in the field." - Peter C. Perdue, T.T. and Wei Fong Chao Professor of Asian Civilizations, Massachusetts Institute of Technology "Eurasian Crossroads is a highly readable history of this vast and crucial region, where China's high-speed development drive collides with the aspirations of Muslim communities for national identity and cultural preservation. James Millward skillfully weaves all the different strands of Xinjiang's complex history into the colorful tapestry of his book, which is set to become the definitive reference on Xinjiang for laymen and scholars alike." - Rob Gifford, former China correspondent for National Public Radio

"Eurasian Crossroads" is the first comprehensive history of Xinjiang, the vast central Eurasian region bordering India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia. Forming one-sixth of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Xinjiang stands at the crossroads between China, India, the Mediterranean, and Russia and has, since the Bronze Age, played a pivotal role in the social, cultural, and political development of Asia and the world. Xinjiang's population comprises Kazakhs, Kirghiz, and Uighurs, all Turkic Muslim peoples, as well as Han Chinese, and competing Chinese and Turkic nationalist visions boiled over into insurrection in 2009. This book provides the essential historical and cultural background to this fascinating part of the world.