The European other in medieval Arabic literature and culture

Contrary to the monolithic impression left by postcolonial theories of Orientalism, the book makes the case that Orientals did not exist solely to be gazed at. Exploring a cross-section of 9th through 12th centuries, non-religious Arabic prose and poetic texts such as the geo-cosmographical literature, récits de voyages, diplomatic memoirs, captivity narratives, pre-Crusade and Crusade poetry, Nizar F. Hermes shows that there was no shortage of medieval Muslims who cast curious eyes and minds towards the European Other and that more than a handful of them were textually and physically interested in Europe.