ISBN Empire Writing ( An Anthology of Colonial Literature 1870-1918 ) 576 pages English

The contact with . . .primitive nature and primitive man brings sudden and profound trouble into the heart.' (Joseph Conrad) `Flowers look loveliest in their native soil . . .plucked they fade And lose the colours Nature on them laid.' (Toru Dutt) This is the first anthology to gather together British imperial writing alongside native and settler literature in English interweaving short stories poems essays travel writing and memoirs from the phase of British expansionist imperialism known as high empire. A rich and starling diversity of responses to the colonial experience emerges: voices of imperial; adventurers administrators memsahibs propagandists and poets intermingle with West Indian and South African nationalists Indian mystics Creole balladeers women activists and native interpreters. Drawn from India Africa the West Indies Australia New Zealand Canada Ireland and Britain this wide-ranging selection reveals the vivid contrasts and subtle shifts in responses to colonial experience and embraces some of empire's key symbols and emblematic moments. Comprehensive notes and full biographies ensure that this is one of the most compelling readable and academically valuable source books on the period. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study and much more.