Singapore: NUS Press, Date: 2007. 2009 Reprint. Paperback. New. New. While the more traditional histories of Southeast Asia and elsewhere has been primarily political, i.e. studies of men and women at the centre of power, there has been a growing trend to dig a bit deeper so as to develop histories of the people who influenced and were affected by the political decision makers. This work is a significant contribution to the new trend as it examines what was happening in the two major trade ports in Malaya at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. Penang was always British controlled and Melaka mainly Dutch controlled during this period. 388 pages including the following chapters - 1 - The Straits of Melaka and the Trading World, 2 - The Geography and Trade of Melaka, 1780-1830, 3 - The Geography and Trade of Penang, 1780-1830, 4 - Trade in the Straits: Melaka and Penang, 1780-1830, 5 - Urban Traditions, Geography and Morphology, 6 - Population Growth in Melaka and Penang, 1780-1830, 7 - Dutch Administration in Melaka, 8 British Administration in Penang, 9 - Melaka Society 1780-1830 & 10 - Penang: A Port-town of Migrants. There is also a bibliography and an index. Weight 0.70 Kg. Postage within Malaysia is free 2007. NUS Press ISBN 9971693542 9789971693541 [MY]