Defending the West: A Critique of Edward Said’s Orientalism

When Said's Orientalism hit the streets in 1978, it made waves in academic and political circles that still reverberate. Ibn Warraq, a scholar of Islam but not a believer, challenges both specific arguments and overall themes in it. Citing primary sources in both Western and Indian literature and recent academic analysis, he argues that Orientalists were motivated by genuine intellectual curiosity and made contributions to knowledge of India appreciated by Indians themselves. Annotation 穢2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)