Against Architecture: The Writings of Georges Bataille (October Books)

Annotation. Over the past 30 years the writings of Georges Bataille have had a profound influence on French intellectual thought, informing the work of Foucault, Derrida, and Barthes, among others. Against Architecture offers the first serious interpretation of this challenging thinker, spelling out the profoundly original and radical nature of Bataille's work. Denis Hollier is Professor of French at Yale University

Against Architecture offers the first serious interpretation of this challenging thinker, spelling out the profoundly original and radical nature of Bataille's work.

Library Journal

Hollier approaches Bataille through his criticism of architecture. Bataille stressed the authoritarian potential of monuments: their builders often sought to mold human beings according to a fixed plan. He did not, however, repudiate architecture altogether but felt its rigid character needed to be balanced by the unformed and often violent side of human personality. After giving a detailed account of Bataille's views, Hollier widens his analysis to cover other symbols in his work, e.g., the all-seeing ``pineal eye.'' He also provides good treatments of Bataille's political articles, his ``College of Sociology,'' and his quarrel with Andre Breton. Given its unusual organization, the book will not be to everyone's taste and is not for beginners. It is, however, a very valuable study of its subject.-- David Gordon, Bowling Green State Univ., Ohio