Edge of Empire: Lives, Culture, and Conquest in the East, 1750-1850

by Maya Jasanoff

Description

A mansion filled with Western art in the center of old Calcutta, the Mughal emperor's letters in an archive in the French Alps, the names of Italian adventurers scratched into the walls of Egyptian temples. In this book, Jasanoff delves into the stories behind vestiges such as these to uncover the lives of people who lived on the frontiers of the British Empire during a pivotal century of its formation. She traces the exploits of collectors to tell an intimate history of imperialism, show more offering a fresh account of European imperialism that challenges received wisdom about how imperial power was asserted in Asia and the Middle East. This book enters a world where people lived, loved, mingled, and identified with one another in ways richer and more complex than we might have believed possible.--From publisher description. show less

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4 reviews

jmarthur 1 review

This is actually a very good book .. A real gem. It tells the story of English and French colonialism and rivalry in Egypt and India from from the perspective of collecting and the collector. Both the French and English, while battling for military dominance, also competed with each other for the art, artefacts, statues, obelisks and other collectibles of the countries they had colonized. One of the most prolific collectors was Robert Clive of Shropshire and later India, who amassed an enormous collection of artefacts and memorabilia and personal wealth. I am looking forward to Ms Jasanoff's next book!

Aug 10, 2010

susanna.fraser 544 reviews

http://susanswilbanks.blogspot.com/2007/03/edge-of-empire-book-30.html

Mar 26, 2007

emiliom 42 reviews

interessante, ma il titolo è misleading, perchè non tutto il libro è dedicato alla storia della compagnia.

Mar 21, 2012Italian