The [European] Other in Medieval Arabic Literature and Culture: Ninth-Twelfth Century Ad (2012)Hardcover - 2012, 27 March 2012

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.