Palestinian Scholar Edward W. Said Dies

[OrdinaryTa]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Edward W. Said, a Columbia University professor, literary critic and leading spokesman in the United States for the Palestinian cause, has died, his editor at Knopf publishers said Thursday. He was 67.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Obit-Said.html

[AP]

1. What a crappy obituary. They don't mention Orientalism at all

but they repeat the paragraph about throwing the rock twice.

Incidentally, Cultural Imperialism is not his strongest book, yet, just the introduction explains about 90 percent of what you need to know to understand what the US is doing in Iraq.

Orientalism
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/039474067X/qid=1064503411/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-5018417-7394413?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Character Assassin]

4. Nor did they mention "Musical Elaborations"

Eh, what do you expect from journalists? ;-)

[gottaB]

2. To be honest he was very sick

So I'm not completely broken up.

His Orientalism stayed with me for many years. Maybe it's time to reread it. Or Musical Elaborations. I bought a copy on sale recently (from Labyrinth, very good deals on scholarly books), but haven't read it yet.

Okay, I'm sad.

[Thaddeus]

3. Such a loss

He was one of my heroes. I went to see him speak a few years ago in Seattle where he briefly talked about his sickness, but sounded as if he had beat it. This took me totally by surprise.

We will sorely miss such an intelligent and brave soul. Rest in Peace. May his progressive visions yet be realized.

[zauberflote]

5. Bad time to lose him

But I guess the way things are in the Middle East, anytime would be a bad time.
"Orientalism" is a classic and helped the West to understand its inate biases regarding the Middle East.
But I'm stunned Bernard Lewis, a great nemesis, outlived him. Lewis has to be in his 90s or close to it.

[newyawker99]

8. Hi zauberflote!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[markses]

6. A loss indeed

Whatever you think of his work, it was groundbreaking and virtually defined an important field of scholarship for a generation.

Salam Aleichem, Edward.

[JI7]

7. so sad

i was hoping this wasn't true when i read a post in discussion which had an article saying he was dying. but very sad and a big loss to all.

[realFedUp]

9. Said had suffered from leukemia for years

sad loss.

[young_at_heart]

10. A great speaker

He roused many audiences with his thoughtful and intelligent speeches, and considering his insidious illness, he is all the more to be honored.

[TSIAS]

11. kick

[pippin]

12. my hero too

I do agree the obits are crappy. Orientalism was a landmark in critical theory, and Said was truly brilliant. He was also a concert calibre painist on top of everything else.

Yet in many ways he was marginalized because of his pro-Palestinian views. Mainstream media, journals, high level agencies never included him when commentary was needed. Aside from academics and the liberals, I doubt most people know anything about him.

There were countless times when things occured in the middle east and his knowledge could have been very informative, but inevitably the media would choose some idiot talking head. The obits keep mentioning how his death is a loss to the Palestinian and Arab world, but I think in the long run (particularly with all the mess in the Middles East) the loss is much ours when we deliberately choose to ignore people like Said.

[FlemingsGhost]

13. Wa 'alai-komus-salaam Said.

"And on to you be peace, Said."