I shall argue that his œuvre can be seen as cohering around a concept of what could be called ‘transculturalism’ (to distinguish it from the political connotations of ‘internationalism’; and from the personal predicament of the émigré): an idea of Mediterranean-based civilization that both comprehends and respects particular nationalities and languages. If Ford hadn’t existed, ESSE would have had to invent him. This sketch of his ‘cultural imaginary’ will discuss four aspects: his relation to his own complex national and cultural background; groupings of his books which reveal the centrality of cultural comparison in his work; ways in which he poses ideas about communication between cultures; and finally, how this ‘transcultural’ context can show the better-known books in different lights.