An exhaustively researched history documenting the Western perceptions of Asia during the Enlightenment. Osterhammel does a brilliant job documenting the ways that Orientalism and Western attitudes of superiority were gradually constructed. While the argument and evidence are impressive, the book is hampered by its narrative construction. There are no discernible character arcs. There are no national stories. As such, it is often difficult to follow and remember which scholars or adventurers did what and when. This book will likely serve as a scholarly foundation for a more narrative history designed for a wider readership.