Maya Jasanoff''s Edge of Empire is about imperial collecting. She approached the subject of British imperialism in the
East in the 18th and 19th Century by focusing on how British colonists collected and maintained artifacts and curiosities from the lands they conquered. By studying these
collections, she surmised that British conquests were not merely about territorial gain or the pursuit of precious spices and trade. It was about the need to be recognised, especially by those who were not known in their own countries. Thus Robert Clive of India came back from his conquests with exotic Indian collections, and with his Indian-made wealth, tried to gain a standing in the social structure of England. Though he tried hard to buy his way up the social ladder, he failed to get the coveted earl-ship (which his son obtained eventually) and actually died a lonely man in his palatial uncompleted mansion littered with
colonial trophies and trinkets.
This book is recommeded for its fresh approach to imperialism and colonialism. Colonists like Clive and Warren Hastings set out as clerks in the East India Company and ended up as kings in the land they conquered. By examining the collections, Jasanoff revealed the hidden motives of these colonists who tried to convert their colonial gains into respectability in their country of origin.