Edward W. Said (1935-2003) was a Palestinian-American literary theorist, cultural critic, and public intellectual. He was a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and a founding figure in postcolonial studies. Said was a prolific writer, publishing more than 20 books and hundreds of articles and reviews. His most influential work, Orientalism (1978), examined the cultural representations of the East by the West, and argued that the West had constructed a false and distorted image of the East. Said's work was highly influential in the fields of literary theory, cultural studies, and postcolonial studies, and he was a major figure in the Palestinian struggle for self-determination. He was a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, and a passionate advocate for Palestinian rights. Said's legacy continues to shape the fields of literary theory, cultural studies, and postcolonial studies, and his work remains an important source of inspiration for those seeking to challenge the power of Western hegemony.