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The Light of Asia

A History of Western Fascination with the East

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The Light of Asia

By: Christopher Harding
Narrated by: Christopher Harding
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the time of the ancient Greeks onwards the West's relationship with Asia consisted for the most part in outrageous tales of monsters and giants, of silk and spices trans-shipped over vast distances and an uneasy sense of unknowable empires fantastically far away. By the 20th century much of Asia may have come under Western rule after centuries of warfare, but its intellectual, artistic and spiritual influence was fighting back.

The Light of Asia is a wonderfully varied and entertaining history of this vexed, confused but centrally important relationship. From Marco Polo onwards Asia has been both a source of genuine fascination and equally genuine failures of comprehension. China, India and Japan were all acknowledged to be both great civilizations and in crude ways superseded by the West. Christopher Harding's captivating gallery of geniuses, adventurers and con-men celebrates Asia's impact on the West in all its variety.

©2024 Christopher Harding (P)2024 Penguin Audio Asia History

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Another well narrated book

I was curious to see what Christopher Harding’s next book would be, and it’s quite a departure from the Japan-centric books that came before. Harding covers the West’s fascination with Asian philosophy and culture.

What I found most interesting was how often spiritual practices were adapted for ego-centric or individualistic purposes, rather than the true intent of those philosophies.

Although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Harding’s previous books, it was a fascinating listen.

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