The Light of Asia : A History of Western Fascination with the East

Name: The Light of Asia : A History of Western Fascination with the East
Brand: Allen Lane
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

By Christopher Harding

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Description

This rich and enjoyable book by the acclaimed author of Japan Story explores the many ways in which Asia has influenced Europe and North America over centuries of tangled, dynamic encounters From the time of the ancient Greeks onwards the West's relationship with Asia consisted for the most part of outrageous tales of strange beasts and monsters, of silk and spices shipped over vast distances and an uneasy sense of unknowable empires fantastically far away. By the twentieth century much of Asia might have come under Western rule after centuries of warfare, but its intellectual, artistic and spiritual influence was fighting back. The Light of Asia is a wonderfully varied and entertaining history of the many ways in which Asia has shaped European and North American culture over centuries of tangled, dynamic encounters, and the central importance of this vexed, often confused relationship. From Marco Polo onwards Asia has been both a source of genuine fascination and equally genuine failures of comprehension. China, India and Japan were all acknowledged to be both great civilizations and in crude ways seen as superseded by the West. From Chicago to Calcutta, and from antiquity to the new millennium, this is a rich, involving story of misunderstandings and sincere connection, of inspiration and falsehood, of geniuses, adventurers and con-men. Christopher Harding's captivating gallery of people and places celebrates Asia's impact on the West in all its variety.

Product details

Edition:: 1
Number of Pages:: 464
Release Date:: 2024-01-25
Publication Date:: 2024-01-24
Publisher:: Allen Lane
Languages:: Original: English
ISBN10:: 0241434440
ISBN13:: 9780241434444
GPSR Manufacturer Reference:: [email protected]
Weight:: 901 g
Height:: 15.8 cm
Width:: 24.1 cm
Thickness:: 4.1 cm

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