Unfabling the East

This book, originally published in German as 'Die Entzauberung Asiens' in 1998, examines how Enlightenment thinkers in Europe engaged with the great Asian empires like China, India, and the Ottoman Empire.

Osterhammel analyzes the shift from fascination and myths to more critical, empirical understandings, culminating in a sense of European superiority only toward the period's end.

Praised for its rigorous research, comparative approach, and elegant writing, it has significantly influenced global history studies.