ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Said, Edward.  Orientalism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1978.


     In this book, Edward Said discusses the topic of Orientalism, which is "a way of coming to terms with the Orient that is based on the Orient's special place in European Western experience" (Said 1).  According to Said, Orientalism means three interdependent things.  First, it is an academic label applied to anyone who teaches or studies the Orient.  Second, it is a style of thought that creates distinctions between the East and the West.  Finally, by looking at the eighteenth century as a starting point, it is the way imperialist Europeans dealt with the Orient.  Said goes on to explain these definitions, and expand upon them, in this fascinating piece of literature.  He makes connections throughout his book between Orientalism and various historical events (such as Napoleon's invasion of Ethiopia), which helps give these events new meaning.  Said approaches Orientalism from an historicist viewpoint, which makes for some interesting reading.


Lowes, John L.  The Road to Xanadu. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1927.


     In this book, Lowes concentrates on the subject of the imagination. It is important to note, though, that he is not concerned with the theory of Coleridge's imagination.  Instead, Lowes wishes "to get at the workings of the faculty itself" (x).  This is where part of the problem with the book lies.  The book itself is interesting, but the ideas are somewhat flawed.  Lowes makes connections between the sign and the signifier in Coleridge's work, but since many things he discusses occur in the imagination, one cannot get a firm grasp on the ideas.  Since most of these things could not happen, it is easy to dismiss Lowes's ideas.  At least Lowes admits in the preface that the ideas are new and also that they are based upon his own interpretations.  Many authors would not forwarn readers in this manner.  Overall, the book is not bad, it just suffers since the ideas are new and need to be flushed out more.