Georges Bataille
author profile
born
December 13, 1901
died
July 08, 1962
gender
male
place of birth
Billon, Puy-de-Dôme, France
genre
Literature & Fiction
about this author
French essayist, philosophical theorist and novelist, often called the "metaphysician of evil." Bataille was interested in sex, death, degradation, and the power and potential of the obscene. He rejected traditional literature and considered that the ultimate aim of all intellectual, artistic, or religious activity should be the annihilation of the rational individual in a violent, transcendental act of communion. Roland Barthes, Julia Kristeva, and Philippe Sollers have all written enthusiastically about his work.
Sign up for Goodreads to pick your favorite quotes and books by Georges Bataille.
avg rating: 3.92
| 3,553 ratings
| 404 reviews
| 84 distinct works
|
28 fans
More books by Georges Bataille…
|
Story of the Eye by Georges Bataille, Joachim Neugroschel avg rating 3.82 — 1,595 ratings — published 1928 12 editions |
my rating: 
|
|
Erotism: Death and Sensuality by Georges Bataille avg rating 4.12 — 273 ratings — published 1957 7 editions |
my rating:
|
|
Blue of Noon by Georges Bataille avg rating 3.72 — 208 ratings — published 1978 11 editions |
my rating:
|
|
Visions of Excess: Selected Writings, 1927-1939 (Theory and History of Literature, Vol 14) by Georges Bataille avg rating 4.29 — 164 ratings — published 1985 4 editions |
my rating:
|
|
The Accursed Share, Volume 1: Consumption by Georges Bataille, Robert Hurley avg rating 4.24 — 129 ratings — published 1949 7 editions |
my rating:
|
|
The Tears of Eros by Georges Bataille avg rating 3.97 — 127 ratings — published 1989 3 editions |
my rating:
|
|
My Mother, Madame Edwarda and The Dead Man by Georges Bataille avg rating 3.89 — 115 ratings — published 1989 2 editions |
my rating:
|
|
The Impossible by Georges Bataille, Robert Hurley avg rating 3.95 — 96 ratings — published 1962 3 editions |
my rating:
|
|
L'Abbe C by Georges Bataille avg rating 3.54 — 94 ratings — published 1972 5 editions |
my rating:
|
|
Theory of Religion by Georges Bataille avg rating 4.01 — 81 ratings — published 1989 3 editions |
my rating:
|
upcoming events
No scheduled events.
"The need to go astray, to be destroyed, is an extremely private, distant, passionate, turbulent truth."
— Georges Bataille
— Georges Bataille
"Beauty is desired in order that it may be befouled; not for its own sake, but for the joy brought by the certainty of profaining it."
— Georges Bataille (Erotism: Death and Sensuality)
— Georges Bataille (Erotism: Death and Sensuality)
topics mentioning this author
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Next Best Boo...: The Last Letter Game | 1263 | 1142 | Aug 20, 2009 12:29PM | |
| The Book Challenge: laurea's challenge 2009 | 4 | 29 | 28 days ago, 02:28PM |
