Orientalism

By: Edward Said

Narrated by: Peter Ganim

Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

This landmark book, first published in 1978, remains one of the most influential books in the Social Sciences, particularly Ethnic Studies and Postcolonialism. Said is best known for describing and critiquing "Orientalism", which he perceived as a constellation of false assumptions underlying Western attitudes toward the East. In Orientalism Said claimed a "subtle and persistent Eurocentric prejudice against Arabo-Islamic peoples and their culture." He argued that a long tradition of false and romanticized images of Asia and the Middle East in Western culture had served as an implicit justification for Europe and the US' colonial and imperial ambitions. Just as fiercely, he denounced the practice of Arab elites who internalized the US and British orientalists' ideas of Arabic culture. Peter Ganim's narration gives the work an elegant and knowledgable voice.

©1978 Edward Said (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

THE work on Orientalism

Will argued with diamond-solid citations and centuries of examples. The quintessential place to start in decolonising your understanding of history.

We're lucky to have this on audio

In the academic world, this book has become well-known and influential that a realistic estimate of its impact has the sound of hyperbole. That makes it worth reading in the same way as Plato's _Republic_ or Machiavelli's _The Prince_; you may not agree with all or even much of its arguments, but there's much value simply in knowing what these ideas are that so many people are thinking and talking about.

For those who don't know the book, it describes the connections between how European empires (and the US, somewhat) controlled the Middle East politically, fantasized about it, and studied it, arguing that these were all aspects of the same structures and processes. It suffers from a certain amount of contradiction and one-sided argument, but I think that when Said was writing in the 1970s the other side of the argument--the pro-colonialist side--was more frequently heard than it is now.

Another reviewer complained that he quit after listening for 45 minutes and finding that it was all generic political arguments. I think that reviewer never got past the new preface, which does go on for something like 45 minutes. The preface was added around 2004 and is mainly a fairly standard critique of the US invasion of Iraq from the perspective of its early years. There's no solution but to be patient and wait for the book itself to begin.

I've had a print copy for years and never got around to reading it, but am finding the audio version pleasant going. Said's writing is much clearer and jargon-free than many of his admirers--he is a scholar of literature, after all. The reader does well enough to keep my attention, and handles fairly well the French words that show up regularly. There are times when he sounds exactly like a computer-generated voice reading text, but his reading doesn't put me to sleep.

Narrator

Best narrator ever. His French Arabic and German were perfect. Unless someone else was doing it.

Jin Lee

It was a very difficult book to finish since it covers a vast amounts of history of literature and having small knowledge of it made even harder for me. But, having this audio book helped me finish it.

Groundbreaking and amazing

Where does Orientalism rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The combination of a deeply researched text and skillful narration propels this work to my favourites shelf.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had an extreme reaction in the fact that the book was incredibly enlightening, philosophically and academically (not that those two categories are always distinct).

Any additional comments?

Prepare to be challenged while reading and then continue to challenge previously held worldviews after you've finished.

An Exhaustive Analysis

A well researched history of the study of the near east from a perspective outside of colonial and western biases. A bit too detailed at times, and sometimes condescending, but overall a very informative book.

Very thorough study on Orientalism

The book is an excellent, thorough, and in my opinion very fair review of the history of orientalism. It's easy to point out the abuses of colonialism and the racist views of individuals. What Said did was write a much more nuanced and scholarly work on the growth of Orientalism as a field, those who contributed to it, and its effects on public perception. The narrator was excellent as well. I think that anyone who can go into this and put aside the impulses and prejudices that we are all encouraged to form by the role of orientalism in the modern west will enjoy the learning experience.

My one major complaint is that, especially early in the book, there are many sometimes very lengthy quotations in French (and I believe at least once in German) that are not translated or explained. I do not speak French, so having a two minute quotation in it is totally lost on me. Perhaps it was explained in a way that I didn't quite catch due to the format, but it's good to know going in.

Abstruse.

I guess an earlier reviewer, David Newcastle, Australia, has a couple or so critics here. He titled his review: "Tautological and terribly tedious..." Because of the importance of this book, I am approximately 2/3 the way through Professor Edward Said's seminal work; forcing myself to listen on. Little doubt there is validity to the professor's charge, European Orientalists (many) were motivated by racial supremacism and intolerance of oriental or asiatic peoples from which I originate. I am hoping to read the late professor's take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Actually it is Israel's conflict with the greater Muslim world which does not recognize the need for a sovereign Jewish state in Dar al-Islam - the territory of Islam. I remember the media accounts of Professor Said in southern Lebanon joining protesters by throwing a stone at Israeli soldiers just across the border. Said and President Obama were acquaintances or friends. There are pictures of the two families dining together. If you like recondite. If you like abstruse scholarship, you will love this book!

Very insightful

Very insightful book. It sheds alot of light on the dynamic between people from the orient and people from the occident, and on the perception and understanding of the oriental by the occidental and by the orientels themselves thanks to centuries of “orientalism”

Wonderful! Epic! We need more like this around!

Thank you! THANK YOU!!
I want to thank you, Audible, for give scholars the opportunity to have their books in audio.
Edward Said deserves it.
I am really looking forward for the next publications. I hope there's more Edward Said coming!!
Please, the Audio Book field have reached an academic level that you, Audible, has the responsibility to fill this gap. More Academic Books! Please! and "Bravo" for Edward Said!