SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR was born in Paris in 1908. In 1929 she became the youngest person ever to obtain the agrégation in philosophy at the Sorbonne, placing second on the exam to Jean-Paul Sartre. de Beauvoir taught at lycées in Marseille and Rouen from 1931 to 1937, and in Paris from 1938 to 1943. After World War II, she emerged as one of the leaders of the existentialist movement, working with Sartre on Les Temps modernes.The author of many acclaimed works, de Beauvoir was one of the most influential thinkers of her generation. She died in 1986.
“A book that will leave no one indifferent, and no one affected in quite the same way.” —New York Times
A superb autobiography by one of the great literary figures of the twentieth century
Simone de Beauvoir’s Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter offers an intimate picture of growing up in a bourgeois French family, rebelling as an adolescent against the conventional expectations of her class, and striking out on her own with an intellectual and existential ambition exceedingly rare in a young woman in the 1920s.
Beauvoir vividly evokes her friendships, love interests, mentors, and the early days of the most important relationship of her life, with fellow student Jean-Paul Sartre, against the backdrop of a turbulent political time.
What a time to be reading this book. This woman’s words, thoughts……
Sundays in November
November and a NONFICITON November read. I have talked about reading this book more than once. So….
📙A superb autobiography by one of the great literary figures of the twentieth century, Simone de Beauvoir’s Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter offers an intimate picture of growing up in a bourgeois French family, rebelling as an adolescent against the conventional expectations of her class, and striking out on her own with an intellectual and existential ambition exceedingly rare in a young woman in the 1920s. Beauvoir vividly evokes her friendships, love interests, mentors, and the early days of the most important relationship of her life, with fellow student Jean-Paul Sartre, against the backdrop of a turbulent political time.
AND
The Second Sex which I am rereading in bits along side this book …
📙The Second Sex is a 1949 book by French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. The book explores the treatment of women throughout history and in modern society. In the book, Beauvoir uses the concepts of “immanence” and “transcendence” to explain women’s situation. She argues that women are complicit in their own oppression.
All of it is fascinating, dense reading and written extremely intelligently without much emotion which is also fascinating. Gives one massive things to ponder. Even more so currently. 🥴
Happy Samhain. Here’s your reminder that they burned women and we are never taught to question the men and proximity to power women that let it happen.
“NO ONE IS MORE ARROGANT, MORE
AGGRESSIVE OR MORE DISDAINFUL
TOWARDS WOMEN, THAN A MAN WHO
IS FEARFUL FOR HIS MASCULINITY…”
-SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR
JUST WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW
