XL342: Travel Writing and the Muslim World

Designed for general readers with little or no knowledge of Islam, this superb Oxford Dictionary provides more than 2,000 vividly written, up-to-date, and authoritative entries organized in an easy-to-use, A-to-Z format.

The Encyclopedia Of Islam And The Muslim World, 2nd Edition, is a two-volume set containing over 540 alphabetically-arranged entries designed to support students of religion and world history at the high school and undergraduate levels, as well as the general public. Rich historical content is partnered with coverage of the issues, countries, and people that are important in today's world, allowing for an assessment of Islam's influence on all areas of human activity throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

This unique publication provides an overview of Islamic history from its inception up to the beginning of the twentieth century.

This is the first general survey of the entire history of travel literature, with illustrations reproduced from manuscripts and books in the Bodleian Library's collections. Writers covered include Marco Polo, Sir John Mandeville, Thomas Coryate, Captain Cook, T.E. Lawrence, and Christopher Columbus as well as Boswell and Johnson, Byron, Ruskin, Defoe, Conrad, and James.

From its ancient origins to the present day, the travel narrative has borrowed elements from various genres - from epic poetry to literary reportage - in order to evoke distant cultures and exotic locales, and sometimes those closer to hand. Tim Youngs argues in this lucid and detailed Introduction that travel writing redefines the myriad genres it comprises and is best understood on its own terms.

As many places around the world confront issues of globalization, migration and postcoloniality, travel writing has become a serious genre of study, reflecting some of the greatest concerns of our time. An ideal starting point for beginners, but also offering new perspectives for those familiar with the field, The Routledge Companion to Travel Writing examines: Key debates within the field, including postcolonial studies, gender, sexuality and visual culture Historical and cultural contexts, tracing the evolution of travel writing across time and over cultures

This original and significant book will interest armchair travelers and others in views of people and places away from the European traveler's gaze. Selections include "The Travels of a Japanese Monk" (c. 838), "Al-Abdari, the Disgruntled Traveller" (c. 1290), "A Korean Official's Account of China" (1488), "The Poetry of Basho's Road" (1689), "Malabari: A Love-Hate Affair with the British" (1890).

In From Stonehenge to Samarkand, noted archaeologist and popular writer Brian Fagan offers an engaging historical account of our enduring love of ancient architecture--the irresistible impulse to visit strange lands in search of lost cities and forgotten monuments.

Until the 1880s, British travelers to Arabia were for the most part wealthy dilettantes who could fund their travels from private means. In this elegantly crafted book, James Canton examines over one hundred primary sources, from forgotten gems to the classics of T. E. Lawrence, Thesiger, and Philby.This work makes for essential reading for all of those interested in the literature of Empire, travel writing and the Middle East.

The Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature is an authoritative reference source on the most important authors, works, genres, key terms, concepts and issues in the Arabic literary tradition. The Encyclopedia covers the classical (pre-Islamic to 1258), transitional (1258-1798) and modern periods within a single work.

An invaluable reference source and critical review of Arab women writers from the last quarter of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century.

Improbable Women examines the lives of five women writers, all upper-class British women, who rebelled against the conventions of their own societies and lived, traveled and explored the Middle East.