LAUSR

have had at least nine children and many grandchildren. Another area that is, in my estimation, insufficiently explored in the book relates to the way in which class, race, and gender manifested in favorable ways for Quilliam. There are passing comments about his privileged status as a white man who was wealthy and educated, but these attributes need to be better considered in relation to the status he obtained during and after his life. Since Quilliam lived at the height of empire and colonialism, it is also reasonable to suspend a romanticizing of Quilliam and reflect on the extent to which he may have been engaged in an Orientalist cultural appropriation in which he embraced the leadership of Muslims as a white male redeemer. When considered alongside Quilliam’s surprising devotion to Freemasonry, a cynical hypothesis might suggest that his conversion could have been about achieving an enhanced mystique in pursuit of his esoteric demagoguery. Such a conspiracy theory may be unfair, though, and indeed, Victorian Muslim gives quite the opposite impression of Quilliam as an inspirational, devout, and highly knowledgeable Muslim who was anti-racist and anti-Orientalist. Readers will also get the impression that Quilliam achieved respect from Muslims around the world, was passionate about defending and spreading Islam, and obsessed over contributing toward social justice issues for the benefit of all of society, particularly for the poor, orphans, and women. Quilliam was undoubtedly an eccentric and intriguing character onto whom many contemporary anxieties can be projected, and for this reason and others, Victorian Muslim is a valuable collection that is worthy of attention, not only by researchers of Muslims in Britain but also by those who desire a more holistic understanding of the complexity of British history and the role of Muslims within it.