tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post5883844348171371807..comments2024-03-29T07:33:59.039+13:00Comments on The Imaginary Museum: Orientalism & its Enemies,Dr Jack Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-30872869735777401392024-03-20T06:19:22.903+13:002024-03-20T06:19:22.903+13:00I like his novels, too -- particularly The Arabian...I like his novels, too -- particularly <i>The Arabian Nightmare</i> - and certainly enjoyed reading his companion to the <i>Arabian Nights</i>. I guess that's one reason this particular book irritated me so much - I had high hopes of his account of so vexed a subject: the gratuitous attacks on Edward Said on such odd grounds as his (alleged) distaste for Arabic music just seemed a bit bizarre.<br /><br />I'm glad that he's gone on to sponsor more useful projects such as the Lyons' 2008 <i>1001 Nights</i> translation and various other translations of Arabic folktales.<br /><br />I note with interest that the Wikipedia page on Irwin's "For the Lust of Knowing" lists a number of responses to the book which are largely in accord with my own. For example, "Irwin's factual corrections ... do nothing to discount the fertility of <i>Orientalism</i> for other academics. The most thought-provoking works it has inspired have not blindly accepted Said's propositions, but have expanded and modified them", as well as listing "a number of factual and editing errors that Irwin makes in the book." <br /><br />He is, unfortunately (and this applies to the Arabian Nights <i>Companion</i> as well) not very careful or accurate at times, which makes his attacks on Said for precisely this same characteristic even less justifiable.Dr Jack Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-14133377770925531762024-03-19T21:50:12.583+13:002024-03-19T21:50:12.583+13:00Confession time - I rather like his novels, so I w...Confession time - I rather like his novels, so I was primed to be annoyed. I would be interested to know if you've read his "Arabian Nights: A Companion" though.HANNAH'S DADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877455489975811860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-50638611650539830712024-03-10T07:08:49.774+13:002024-03-10T07:08:49.774+13:00You could have a point there. The book did rile me...You could have a point there. The book did rile me somewhat ...Dr Jack Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-57313015780508634032024-02-04T15:55:08.116+13:002024-02-04T15:55:08.116+13:00That post started off quite well, but got huffier...That post started off quite well, but got huffier and huffier as it proceeded. By the end I felt like I was having a bad day on Quora.HANNAH'S DADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877455489975811860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-39315456830632508742012-12-04T12:41:04.711+13:002012-12-04T12:41:04.711+13:00Superb job at revealing the shallow scholarship of...Superb job at revealing the shallow scholarship of Irwin and his nasty ideological premises.<br /><br />Orientalism is sadly all too alive and kicking (below the belt).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-14583421604698742452012-02-18T08:34:25.220+13:002012-02-18T08:34:25.220+13:00Possibly so. But then (like Said and Irwin) at lea...Possibly so. But then (like Said and Irwin) at least I provide citations and evidence for my views, rather than relying on random, top-lofty assertions and innuendo ... <br /><br />You'll have to try a bit harder than that, I'm afraid.Dr Jack Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-57158636261295766172012-02-16T18:46:08.862+13:002012-02-16T18:46:08.862+13:00This review, which attempts a deconstruction of an...This review, which attempts a deconstruction of an orientalist's deconstruction of a an ill-constructed book titled Orientalism, is in and of itself a hilariously orientalist text. <br /><br />Like Said and Irwin, you have mastered the art of missing the point through quotation. Congrats.A.Z. Foremanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07178150009150360184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-9860853207418455042010-04-26T04:09:59.460+12:002010-04-26T04:09:59.460+12:00brilliant. i had the misfortune of meeting irwin r...brilliant. i had the misfortune of meeting irwin recently (fyi, he's not a prof., not even a dr.) and he's as pompous and unpleasant in the flesh as he is in the book. also, i think bernard lewis was his MA supervisor, hence the extra-easy ride.tankienoreply@blogger.com