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Simone de Beauvoir
Traces the life of the prominent French feminist and existentialist, describes the links between her work and her life, and looks at her relationship with Sartre
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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About the author
Lisa Appignanesi
59 books100 followersaka Jessica Ayre
Elżbieta Borensztejn was born on 4 January 1946 in Łódź, Poland, the daughter of Hena and Aaron Borensztejn with Jewish origin. Following her birth, her parents moved to Paris, France, and in 1951 they emigrating to Canada. She grew up in the province of Quebec - first in a small Laurentian town, subsequently in Montreal.
She graduated from McGill University with a B.A. degree in 1966 and her M.A. the following year. During 1970-71 she was a staff writer for the Centre for Community Research in New York City and is a former University of Essex lecturer in European Studies. She was a founding member and editorial director of the Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Through the eighties she was a Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, UK, for whom she also edited the seminal Documents Series and established ICA television and the video Writers in Conversation series.
She produced several made for television films and had written a number of books before devoting herself to writing fulltime in 1990. In recognition of her contribution to literature, Lisa Appignanesi has been honoured with a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. In 2004, she became Deputy President of English PEN and has run its highly successful 'Free Expression is No Offence Campaign' against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In 2008 she became President of English PEN. She writes for The Guardian, The Independent and has made several series for BBC Radio 4, as well as frequently appearing as a cultural commentator.
In 1967, she married Richard Appignanesi, another writer, with whom she had one son in 1975, Josh Appignanesi, a film director. They divorced in 1984. With her life partner John Forrester, she had a daugther, Katrina Forrester, a Research Fellow in the history of modern political thought at St John's College, Cambridge. She lives in London.
Elżbieta Borensztejn was born on 4 January 1946 in Łódź, Poland, the daughter of Hena and Aaron Borensztejn with Jewish origin. Following her birth, her parents moved to Paris, France, and in 1951 they emigrating to Canada. She grew up in the province of Quebec - first in a small Laurentian town, subsequently in Montreal.
She graduated from McGill University with a B.A. degree in 1966 and her M.A. the following year. During 1970-71 she was a staff writer for the Centre for Community Research in New York City and is a former University of Essex lecturer in European Studies. She was a founding member and editorial director of the Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative. Through the eighties she was a Deputy Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, UK, for whom she also edited the seminal Documents Series and established ICA television and the video Writers in Conversation series.
She produced several made for television films and had written a number of books before devoting herself to writing fulltime in 1990. In recognition of her contribution to literature, Lisa Appignanesi has been honoured with a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. In 2004, she became Deputy President of English PEN and has run its highly successful 'Free Expression is No Offence Campaign' against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In 2008 she became President of English PEN. She writes for The Guardian, The Independent and has made several series for BBC Radio 4, as well as frequently appearing as a cultural commentator.
In 1967, she married Richard Appignanesi, another writer, with whom she had one son in 1975, Josh Appignanesi, a film director. They divorced in 1984. With her life partner John Forrester, she had a daugther, Katrina Forrester, a Research Fellow in the history of modern political thought at St John's College, Cambridge. She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 17, 2016
I found this book while packing my apartment two weeks ago and took it with me for a long-term stay in another state. Inside was a piece of paper dated 1/7/97 with notes about employee health insurance (I was working in human resources at the time) and the phone number for someone whom I later married.
I wish I'd read this book in 1997; I wonder if it would've made a difference, if I would've lived differently earlier. Of course, I didn't (read the book or live differently) until much later.
Better late than never.
I wish I'd read this book in 1997; I wonder if it would've made a difference, if I would've lived differently earlier. Of course, I didn't (read the book or live differently) until much later.
Better late than never.
August 8, 2024
Very well written, succinct overview of Simone de Beauvoir's life, almost like a Wikipedia page in terms of hitting the major themes and events, but not like a Wikipedia page in that this was very well researched and provided interesting analysis of Beauvoir's philosophy and works.
I read this because I remembered reading parts of the The Second Sex in first year university philosophy class and wanted to know more about this feminist queen.
While obviously some of Beauvoir's ideas are dated (she's born in 1908), I think a lot of her struggles and theories still ring true today. I liked her constant search for truth and honesty and how to find freedom for women - particularly, how she loved doing everything alone, including long country walks and writing in cafes. Beauvoir's statement that one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman feels relevant and fresh.
The Beauvoir and Sartre relationship is very interesting too, kind of reminds me of Mary and Percy Shelley - would she have been better off without him? Did they make each other better? Hard to say.
I read this because I remembered reading parts of the The Second Sex in first year university philosophy class and wanted to know more about this feminist queen.
While obviously some of Beauvoir's ideas are dated (she's born in 1908), I think a lot of her struggles and theories still ring true today. I liked her constant search for truth and honesty and how to find freedom for women - particularly, how she loved doing everything alone, including long country walks and writing in cafes. Beauvoir's statement that one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman feels relevant and fresh.
The Beauvoir and Sartre relationship is very interesting too, kind of reminds me of Mary and Percy Shelley - would she have been better off without him? Did they make each other better? Hard to say.
September 17, 2024
FUERA SARTRE
January 16, 2018
A great and brief primer into SdB’s thinking and relationship with Sartre...and throws a light on the limitations of her arguments too.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews