"MOST INFLUENTIAL AND MOST CONTROVERSIAL"

SAID, Edward. Orientalism. New York: Pantheon, (1978). Octavo, original navy cloth, original dust jacket. $800.

First edition of Said's electrifying and foundational work in post-colonial theory, an exceptionally fine copy.

Orientalism, a founding work in post-colonial theory, "remains the most influential and most controversial" in the field (Cass, 25). It offered a major new perspective on the West's representation of non-Western cultures: a webbing of thought and action described by Said as a "system of ideological fictions." A leading Columbia University professor, Said was also controversial as "a fierce critic of American and Israeli policies and an equally fierce proponent of the Palestinian cause" (New York Times). "First Edition" stated on copyright page.

A fine copy.