'Via this rich exploration of hitherto little-studied examples of travel literature in Persian, Dabashi not only provides a framework for understanding a crucial transition period in the history of Iran in a global context, but also offers refreshing insights into ongoing debates on modernity and the role of orientalism.' Gabrielle van den Berg, Universiteit Leiden
1. Mr Shushtari travels to India; 2. Mirza Abu Taleb travels from India; 3. An Ilchi wonders about the world; 4. A colonial officer is turned upside down; 5. A Shirazi shares his travelogues; 6. A wandering monarch; 7. Hajj Sayyah leads a peripatetic life; 8. In the company of a refined prince; 9. A wandering mystic; 10. In and out of a homeland; 11. The fact and fiction of a homeland; 12. Professor Sayyah comes home to teach.