This book investigates the complex and evolving representations of the East within the works of prominent 20th-century French writers and thinkers. It examines how figures like Victor Segalen, André Malraux, Marguerite Duras, and Roland Barthes engaged with, interpreted, and constructed notions of the Orient. The analysis explores the interplay between personal experience, cultural context, and literary production in shaping these Orientalist perspectives.

This work is likely to be of interest to scholars and students of comparative literature, French studies, and postcolonial theory. It offers a critical examination of how key 20th-century French intellectuals grappled with representations of the East, providing insights into the construction of cultural otherness. The book's comparative approach allows for a nuanced understanding of the diverse ways in which these authors engaged with and depicted non-Western cultures.