‘The World in Miniature’ was a popular series of illustrated, pocket-sized books. The series was originally produced by Rudolph Ackermann, a renowned London bookseller and publisher in the early nineteenth century. The series continued for several years from its launch in 1821 and was completed in 43 volumes. The series introduced a Western readership to the manners, character, customs, fashion, history, religion etc. of peoples from distant lands.

This collection includes a facsimile reprint of seven volumes covering Asiatic and Pacific countries: Japan, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hawaii, the Micronesian/Polynesian islands, and New Zealand.

Frederic Shoberl, the editor and author of the original series, compiled his volumes by collecting information from the latest contemporary travel writing. He intended to provide objective views of, and facts on, the cultures of the countries covered by the series. However, the (mis)representations in each book often reflected exotic Western dreams of ‘the East’. Indeed, the distorted images of ‘undeveloped’ societies in some of the colour plates are a rich source of visual information for those studying the history of Orientalism.

Kay Gallagher is a Professor at Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. She teaches and conducts research in English language and literacy education. She has published widely on language and education topics in the Gulf region.