Jason Powell (1)

For his part, Derrida does not fear immigration, but he fears the kinds of fear that immigration raises in people.

Jason Powell provides less a biography than a critical bibliography, offering thumbnails and outlines of the themes and discourses of most of Derrida's published effort. There are no interviews nor excerpted letters. There is consequently a blind spot concerning the philosopher's personal life. Perhaps the omission is of benefit. One recalls Heidegger on Aristotle, he was born, show more he thought and then he died. Despite these limitations I found this exploration fascinating. Without undue elaboration Powell examines the embrace of Derrida's ideas - the supposed "Yale School" and others, particularly Richard Rorty as well as those vehemently opposed -- including those in Wolin's Heidegger=Hitler camp. I did glean some remarkable details about Derrida which truly enchant when coupled with Amy Ziering Kofman's spellbinding documentary which I recently purchased after a dozen youtube viewings. I hope to continue my uneasy mazurka with the Maestro and continue to focus on his theoretical relations with Heidegger and explore his reading of Freud. show less