A poem may be the product of a single mind and heart, but a work of criticism usually is not. I have many people to thank for their help. First always are my husband, John Erikson, and my sons, Philip and Robby. I am grateful to my mother, Helen R. Haddad, for caring for my children so that I could complete my dissertation (the basis for this book), and to my father, Robert M. Haddad, for being the model of a committed and honest scholar. My sister Josette Haddad edited this book with more attention than it deserves. Leila Borowsky, George Haddad, Josette Generale, and Jean Rogerson provided cheering support at difficult moments.
The shape of this book owes much to Barbara Johnson, who directed my dissertation with sensitivity and brilliance, and to Sandra Naddaff, who introduced me to orientalism and whose clear perspective and warm friendship have been important to me for nearly twenty years. Stephen Owen and James Engell provided invaluable help with early drafts. Linda Simon has been a source of calm and good advice throughout. My thanks are due as well to Wheeler Thackston for comments on part of chapter 4, and to Amber Vogel for suggestions on the portion of chapter 3 published in modified form by the Journal of African Travel-Writing. Since receiving my doctorate from Harvard University and taking a position in the English Department at the University of South Dakota, I have been especially grateful to Susan Wolfe for her confidence in my work and for making sure that I had the time I needed to finish writing this book. I must also thank Sasha Erickson for assistance with research and Christelle Gonthier for checking my translations of French texts.
I would not have been in a position to undertake this project without the financial support of several institutions. Grants from the Fulbright Foundation and the Center for Arabic Study Abroad enabled me to study in Cairo for almost two years. A Jacob Javits Fellowship supported much of my graduate education. I completed my dissertation with the help of a fellowship from the Whiting Foundation. Support for additional research was provided by a faculty development grant from the University of South Dakota.
I acknowledge with thanks permission to quote copyrighted material from Oxford University Press and from Société d’édition “Les Belles Lettres.”
This book was expertly guided through the publication process by Erika Gaffhey of Ashgate Publishing. I am grateful also to Claire Annals, Alec McAuley, and Ruth Peters for additional help at various stages of that process.