Les suicides (Archives des sciences sociales)

by jean-baechler

French

650 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Sin Tien Tan]

Such an important (and often overlooked) contribution to suicidology. Taking a side-step from the usually clinical leaning of suicide research, Baechler's method of inquiry here is more phenomenological. However, the premise for both is similar: suicide is rational, in so far that men could be understood as a rational being and thus his actions, no matter how bizarre could be rationally explained. The typology of suicide meanings is impressive enough but what really impresses me is how streamlined the structure of Baechler's arguments is. From introduction to his final conclusion, structure of his writing is straight as an arrow. An important and original piece of writing.