Let’s face it: The buzz of FX’s Shōgun on Hulu might have you thinking about reading the books that it’s based on. But, wading through over 2,000 pages in the series is a daunting prospect, to say the least. If you want a more accessible way to consume the source material for the hit TV show, you can pick up an $18 bundle of eight audiobooks that comprise Humble’s Asian Saga bundle.
This bundle features the two-part Shōgun saga, in addition to some of James Clavell’s other major works: Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, King Rat, Escape, Whirlwind, and Noble House. If that’s more than you want (both in terms of content and money down), a $10 tier that includes just Shōgun, Tai-Pan, and Gai-Jin is available. Just $1 down will get you the first part of Shōgun.
Much like Shōgun, James Clavell’s other works place fictional characters against the backdrop of massive historical events taking place on the Asiatic continent, providing readers (in this case, listeners) with a window to experiences that are generally overlooked by Western historians. The two-part series Escape and Whirlwind, for instance, detail the events of the 1979 Iranian revolution, while the Anglo-Satsuma War, an inflection point in Western relations with Japan, is covered in the book Gai-Jin.
By default, a portion of every purchase of this bundle benefits the non-profit First Book, a foundation that strives to remove barriers to literacy and equitable education. However, if you’d like to customize how much of your purchase goes to this charity, the publisher, or Humble, you can use the “Adjust Donation” menu before checking out.