From the Ruins of Empire

From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia by Pankaj Mishra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am surprised at myself. Why was I so engrossed in this long, complicated book? Because it gives me a little awareness of my world. MY world, yes, and also the world of many who have different values,  relationships to Europe, definitions of the good life. Now I know a little more about the Mideast and the Far East. I taped a map of Asia to the cover of my iPad for reference. This book showed me what I don't know.  Mishra, who is from India, is mostly objective, like someone patiently describing  his home to outsiders. He is not harsh, but doesn't hesitate to explain that in many cases the East does not trust the U.S.  And he shows why.




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