Girard Reader

In one volume, an anthology of the seminal work of one of the twentieth century's most original thinkers.

In one volume, an anthology of seminal work of one of the twentieth century's most original thinkers.

Library Journal

The selections in this anthology of the writings of Girard (emeritus, French, Stanford Univ.) emphasize his thoughts on violence, religion, and culture as expressed in his books and articles. Born in Avignon, France, in 1923, Girard experienced a religious conversion to Christianity in 1959 while teaching French at Johns Hopkins University. In the first of this logically organized six-part reader, Girard defines his mimetic theory and mimetic desire: humans imitate models, but when the model's and the imitator's desires become the same, this clash produces envy and jealousy. Studying mimesis lead Girard to develop his phannakos, or "scapegoat theory." In Part 4, he cites historical, textual examples where collective violence against an innocent individual victim or scapegoat was justified to restore peace and harmony to the community; Girard explains later how the Crucifixion became the ultimate "scapegoat mechanism," which could not be justified. In the informative epilog, a conversation with editor Williams (religion, Syracuse Univ.), Girard further clarifies his views. A short glossary follows, along with a useful bibliography that includes works by other scholars in English, French, and German on Girard. Recommended to all humanists and scholars.-Robert T. Ivey, Univ. of Memphis, Tenn.