The writer Pankaj Mishra discusses his new book, From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia (Doubleday, 2012), with Joseph Planta.

From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia by Pankaj Mishra (Doubleday, 2012). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: From the Ruins of Empire

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver at TheCommentary.ca.

A fascinating new book is out now it’s called From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia. It tells the history of the East, and how its peoples have struggled against the West, against the West’s incursion and dominance. It goes back a couple of centuries, and the book allows us to look back with an eye to looking forward and seeing where we’re headed. The book’s author joins me now. Pankaj Mishra has written about intellectuals who challenged the West and its ideals, as well as looks at how Asian nations like India and China are the dominant or soon-to-be dominant nations in the world today. We’ll get Mr. Mishra who joins me from Toronto this day to tell us about this sweep of history he takes the reader on, and perhaps let us in on what the past can teach us about our future. Born in northwest India, Pankaj Mishra lives in London and Mashobra, India. He is the author of An End to Suffering, and Temptations of the West, as well as a novel, The Romantics. www.pankajmishra.com is the website for more. He’s written for a number of publications including the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, the New York Times, and The Guardian. This book is published by Doubleday. I’m very pleased to welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Pankaj Mishra; Mr. Mishra, good morning.

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