Orientalism by Edward W. Said is a seminal work of cultural criticism that examines how Western literature, art, and scholarship have historically represented “the East” (Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) in stereotyped, exoticized, and patronizing ways. Said argues that these portrayals served to justify colonialism and power imbalances, shaping perceptions of Eastern societies in ways that persist today.
Note: Non-fiction, Cultural Criticism / Postcolonial Studies.

