Literary world honors Said '57, Goldman '60

If there was any doubt that Princeton has a strong presence in New York's literary community, it was dispelled Monday night when two Princetonian authors were presented with prestigious literary awards.

English professor Michael Goldman '60, GS '62 received the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. Goldman is the author of "Ibsen: The Dramaturgy of Fear," a book about the Norwegian playwright that was published last March.

The Nathan award is administered annually by the Cornell University Department of English for the best piece of dramatic criticism in an article, essay, treatise or book. The winner is selected by a committee comprised of the chairs of the English departments at Cornell, Princeton and Yale Universities.

The commendation, which brings with it a $10,000 prize, is considered one of the most respected awards in American theater.

The New Yorker Book Award

Edward Said '57 also won recognition Monday, receiving The New Yorker Book Award for non-fiction for his autobiographical work, "Out of Place: A Memoir." The work chronicles Said's childhood in Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon and describes his education at Princeton.

Princeton was well-represented at The New Yorker's award ceremony, said Kim Goldberg, manager of special events for the magazine. Robert F. Goheen Professor of the Humanities Toni Morrison presented the award for fiction, Ferris Professor of Journalism John McPhee '53 presented the non-fiction award and David Remnick '81, editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, was master of ceremonies.

The New Yorker Book Award, whose recipient is selected by readers, is awarded for fiction, non-fiction and poetry. "I was delighted to win it because it was the readers who voted for it," Said noted in an interview yesterday.

He said he plans to donate his award money to the Palestinian National Conservatory of Music at Birzeit University in the West Bank.

Said explained that in his book he explored his mixed feelings about the University. "I talk about the horrors of the Bicker system, the absence of anything except WASPs and a few outcasts and misfits," Said explained.

"There wasn't a single non-white face to be seen," he said. "There were no women. There wasn't a single member of the faculty who was minority. It was very reactionary."

"[The University] was totally apolitical," he added. "It was a closeted and restricted atmosphere."

Despite his feelings of disenfranchisement, Said noted that he enjoyed his intellectual experience at the University.

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"In the conventional sense, I got a superb education," explained Said, who majored in the Special Program in the Humanities, studying literature, music and philosophy. "The best thing about it was that in the end, I was left alone. Nobody tried to fuss with my mind. I was able to take from them what I wanted."