This book investigates the neglected history of how classical Asian literature was translated, published, and consumed by the Victorian reading public. Alexander Bubb, a scholar of Victorian literature and translation, utilizes archival research and publishing records to reconstruct the material and cultural life of these texts. He argues that these translations were not merely academic curiosities but were integral to the Victorian literary marketplace and the era's broader engagement with global cultures.

Scholars in the field of book history and Victorian studies identify this work as a significant contribution to understanding the material circulation of non-Western texts in the nineteenth century. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the depth of archival detail provided by the author.