20th Century French Literary Biography, 20th Century French Literature - Literary Criticism
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Overview
"Georges Bataille (1867-1962), philosopher, writer and founder of the influential literary review Critique, had an enormous impact on the thinking of Foucault, Derrida and Baudrillard, and his ideas have been the subjects of recent debates in a wide range of disciplines." In this biography Michel Surya enters into a complicity with Bataille's oeuvre to provide a detailed exposition of its themes as they developed against the backdrop of his life. The essence of Bataille's life and work were defined by transience and effacement, reflecting a will both to contest the impermanence of things and to confront death. His troubled childhood, his relationships with surrealism and his paradoxical position at the heart of twentieth-century French thought are enriched here with testimonies from Bataille's closest acquaintances, making this a vivid and detailed study. Revealing the context in which he worked, and the ways in which his work and ideas took shape, Surya sheds light on a figure Foucault described as 'one of the most important writers of the century.'.Editorials
Booknews
French philosopher Bataille (1867-1962) founded the literary review and influenced Foucault, Derrida, and Baudrillard. Fellow philosopher Surya examined his life and work in l'oeuvre/>, published by Editions Gallimard in 1992. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)The Guardian
“Serious and respectful.”New Statesman
“Penetrating and insightful.”The Independent
“Such is Surya’s intimacy with this material that each of his short, thoughtful chapters could serve as an introductory essay on Bataille… This is also a book that presents an astonishingly detailed panorama of French intellectual life in the first half of the last century.”Book Details
Published
June 25, 2002
Publisher
Verso Books
Pages
608
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9781859848227