Read "Orientalism" by Edward Said

I had finished it in the beginning of 2005 but never updated it. I’ve been meaning to re-read parts of it. Its an excellent book. A bit too scholarly, but his critiques are devastating.

Highly recommended!

I have been meaning to do this, and after I got the “Baroqu Cycle” out of the way (by abandoning the task that is). I now am free to start on this.

I had placed a hold on it before, but had to forfeit since I was out of the country when the book arrived. So I restarted and had better luck this time, got it within 3 weeks!.

I have started reading it. Its a genuinely scholarly book. So I’m having to re-read passages. However, its a very interesting and intellectually challenging read.

I like his attack on the pseudo-intellectual myth that the works done by “humanist” scholars ought to be (and in fact “are”) objective and don’t take into account the biases (cultural, imperial, racial) of the respective authors and their attitudes toward “the other” as he puts it. “Orient” represents the other. etc. etc.

phew.