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Synopsis The convergence of literary and historical theory has made literary history one of the most exciting fields in the humanities. This book, the first major reassessment of literary history in nineteenth-century India in a long time, comprises essays which analyse the making of literary history, the process of canonization, the reinvention of literary tradition, and the writing of literary history. A central premise fo the book is that when European literary cultures arrived in India, they came into contact with popular performance forms and complex literary cultures that had their own histories. The essays also reach beyond the obvious genres and include little-known texts, situating them within a wider debate about national origins, linguistic identities, and political entitlements. Print culture and oral tales, drama and gender, library use and publishing history, theatre and audiences, detective fiction and low-caste novels are among the topics covered.