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The Game of War
The first biography in English of the modern French revolutionary.
'It could almost be believed that I was the only person to have loved Paris', Debord said, then, almost with a shrug, 'but no one has twice raised Paris to revolt.'
Since his death in 1994 (when he put a bullet through his heart in his lonely farmhouse), Guy Debord has been hailed as one of the key thinkers of the age. He was full of contradictions; his public life was predicated upon the single-mindedness of his revolutionary intentions, but in private he sought oblivion in infamy, exile and alcoholism. Implicated in the events of May 1968, Italian terrorism, and the murder of his friends, he was under surveillance by the French secret police for over a decade. This is the story of the lone, defiant figure who, at one historic moment in 1968, appeared to lead the drift of art and politics in Paris.
'It could almost be believed that I was the only person to have loved Paris', Debord said, then, almost with a shrug, 'but no one has twice raised Paris to revolt.'
Since his death in 1994 (when he put a bullet through his heart in his lonely farmhouse), Guy Debord has been hailed as one of the key thinkers of the age. He was full of contradictions; his public life was predicated upon the single-mindedness of his revolutionary intentions, but in private he sought oblivion in infamy, exile and alcoholism. Implicated in the events of May 1968, Italian terrorism, and the murder of his friends, he was under surveillance by the French secret police for over a decade. This is the story of the lone, defiant figure who, at one historic moment in 1968, appeared to lead the drift of art and politics in Paris.
430 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 28, 2012
I always tell people this is the most interesting book they will ever read, and even if you aren't that interested in Debord (though you should be) you will still probably find it an amazing read. It's incredibly well written, thoroughly researched and so full of detail that it makes you so jealous you weren't Michele Bernstein.
December 16, 2007
Is there anyone more romantic than Guy Debord? One of the great thinkers of the last century, who probably wished that he had lived in the 19th Century - nevertheless this is a very good bio written by an Englishman who has an understanding of Paris sub-culture.
February 14, 2025
Incredibly interesting, well written and consistently great from the first page right til the end.
This is exactly what I imagine a great biography to be. Mainly , the strength of this is how good Hussey is as a writer, how engaged he is with the subject and how skilfully he navigates vast amounts of evidence to tell the story of Guy Debord and situationism in an incredibly lively way with humour, intelligence and sensitivity. He is also not remotely snobby in any way - just as comfortable discussing pop music as very abstract theoretical concepts. The attention to detail and emphasis on painting a picture of the Situationists’ world - the cafés, bars and alleyways of 50s/60s Paris is astonishingly well done.
All hail Andrew Hussey
This is exactly what I imagine a great biography to be. Mainly , the strength of this is how good Hussey is as a writer, how engaged he is with the subject and how skilfully he navigates vast amounts of evidence to tell the story of Guy Debord and situationism in an incredibly lively way with humour, intelligence and sensitivity. He is also not remotely snobby in any way - just as comfortable discussing pop music as very abstract theoretical concepts. The attention to detail and emphasis on painting a picture of the Situationists’ world - the cafés, bars and alleyways of 50s/60s Paris is astonishingly well done.
All hail Andrew Hussey
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews