Conor McCarthy - The Cambridge Introduction to Edward Said

One of the most famous literary critics of the twentieth century, Edward Said has been hugely influential far beyond academia. As a prominent advocate for the Palestinian cause and a noted music critic, Said redefined the role of the public intellectual. In his books, as scholarly as they are readable, he challenged conventional critical demarcations between disciplines. His major opus, Orientalism , is a key text in postcolonial studies that continues to influence as well as challenge scholars in the field. Conor McCarthy introduces the reader to Said's major works and examines how his work and life were intertwined. He explains recurring themes in Said's writings on literature and empire, on intellectuals and literary theory, on music and on the Israel/Palestine conflict. This concise, informative, and clearly written introduction for students beginning to study Said is ideally set up to explain the complexities of his work to new audiences.

Conor McCarthy is Lecturer in English at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

This book would not have been written without the support of many people. Firstly, my mother, though she is not here to read and question this book, always supported my projects and my interest in Edward Said.

My encounter with Edward Said began when Ellen Goodell gave me my first copy of Orientalism . I initially read Said with Seamus Deane, Thomas Docherty, and, in particular, Declan Kiberd, and for their guidance and encouragement I am very grateful. More recently I have learned much from conversations with Bashir Abu-Manneh, Joe Cleary, and David Lloyd.

I was fortunate enough to meet Edward Said on several occasions, and his brilliance, warmth, and openness were always compelling. Jean and Simone Mohr and Mariam Said have been very kind in facilitating the use of the cover photograph for this book.

I am grateful to Finbar Cullen at the Ireland Institute, to Ronit Lentin at Trinity College Dublin, and to my colleagues Joe Cleary and Colin Graham for opportunities to write and speak about Said. The library staff at the Mater Dei Institute of Education were very helpful to me. A most enjoyable residency at the Heinrich Boll Cottage, Achill, Co. Mayo, in July 2006 helped me get this work under way. Ruti Levi of Ha'aretz , and Nick Richardson of the London Review of Books assisted me with stray references.

It gives me particular pleasure to record that this work has been completed in the friendly and stimulating ambience of the Department of English at the National University of Ireland at Maynooth: my gratitude for their support and faith goes to Professor Christopher Morash and my colleagues in the Department, and also to Emeritus Professor Brian Cosgrove.

I owe a longtime debt to Norman Vance, for his erudition and example, and for his indefatigable support and kindness over many years.

It is to Ray Ryan that I owe the opportunity to write this book, and I am deeply grateful to him for that chance, and for his encouragement, cajoling, and endless patience during the process. Maartje Scheltens, Thomas OReilly, Caroline Howlett and Christina Sarigiannidou have been very tolerant and helpful in the production process.

My comrades Raymond Deane, Sally Eberhardt, Dara Fox, Andrew Kincaid, Chris Lee, Graham MacPhee, Mark Quigley, and Zohar Tirosh have provided me with an intellectual context of conversation and challenge. Luke Gibbons, Kevin Whelan, and the late Siobhan Kilfeather have all been generous to me over the years.

Thanks of a very special kind are due to Joanne Fox, for everything.