At the height of European colonialism, Britain s reach circled the globe. Yet its empire did not proceed unchallenged, prompting efforts to preserve its kingdom by complementing military might with intellectual warfare. Mid-nineteenth century India was a case in point. After squashing rebellions in the subcontinent, the British clung desperately to an empire that was slipping from their grasp an effort perpetuated by the literature of India-based British authors who negatively and oftentimes inaccurately portrayed Indians to justify British rule. Reich exposes this literary transformation...