American Orient: Imagining the East from the Colonial Era Through the Twentieth Century

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The book delves into the deep-rooted American fascination with the Far East, tracing its origins back to the eighteenth century. Unlike their British and European contemporaries, early Americans viewed the East as a source of enlightenment, with figures like Franklin and Jefferson finding philosophical kinship in Confucius. As America transitioned to an industrial society, Transcendentalists sought mystical insights from Hinduism. This trend evolved through the twentieth century, influencing poets and continuing into modern times, where the East serves as a complex fantasy for self-discovery and authenticity.