About the Author

Leonard Y. Andaya is professor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Hawai'i.

Reviews

This is a marvelous book. In the widest sense it is a history not merely of ethnicity, but of economy, politics, and culture - as close to a total history of the western (and central) archipelago during two millennia as we are likely to have for some time. Andaya's mastery of local geography, economic rhythms, commercial organization, political culture, elite family networks, literary production, and religious currents is apparent throughout the text and, together with his control of the diverse secondary literature and expertise in Dutch and Malay primary materials, gives his work a unique authority. - Victor Lieberman, University of Michigan