American Transcendentalism and Asian Religions (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780195076585)

The first major study since the 1930s of the relationship between American Transcendentalism and Asian religions, and the first comprehensive work to include post-Civil War Transcendentalists like Samuel Johnson, this book is encyclopedic in scope. Beginning with the inception of Transcendentalist Orientalism in Europe, Versluis covers the entire history of American Transcendentalism into the twentieth century, and the profound influence of Orientalism on the movement--including its analogues and influences in world religious dialogue. He examines what he calls "positive Orientalism," which recognizes the value and perennial truths in Asian religions and cultures, not only in the writings of major figures like Thoreau and Emerson, but also in contemporary popular magazines. Versluis's exploration of the impact of Transcendentalism on the twentieth-century study of comparative religions has ramifications for the study of religious history, comparative religion, literature, politics, history, and art history.

Author: Arthur Versluis
ISBN-10: 0195076583
ISBN-13: 9780195076585
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 09/16/1993
Pages: 368
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.46lbs
Size: 9.57h x 6.47w x 1.18d