Existentialism and excess : the life and times of Jean-Paul Sartre

"Jean-Paul Sartre is an undisputed giant of twentieth-century philosophy. His intellectual writings popularizing existentialism combined with his creative and artistic flair have made him a legend of French thought. His tumultuous personal life - so inextricably bound up with his philosophical thinking - is a fascinating tale of love and lust, drug abuse, high profile fallings-out and political and cultural rebellion. This substantial and meticulously researched biography is accessible, fast-paced, often amusing and at times deeply moving. Existentialism and Excess covers all the main events of Sartre's remarkable seventy-five-year life from his early years as a precocious brat devouring his grandfather's library, through his time as a brilliant student in Paris, his wilderness years as a provincial teacher-writer experimenting with mescaline, his World War II adventures as a POW and member of the resistance, his post-war politicization, his immense amphetamine fueled feats of writing productivity, his harem of women, his many travels and his final decline into blindness and old age. Along the way there are countless intriguing anecdotes, some amusing, some tragic, some controversial: his loathing of crustaceans and his belief that he was being pursued by a giant lobster, his escape from a POW camp, the bombing of his apartment, his influence on the May 1968 uprising and his many love affairs. Cox deftly moves from these episodes to discussing his intellectual development, his famous feuds with Aron, Camus, and Merleau-Ponty, his encounters with other giant figures of his day: Roosevelt, Hemingway, Heidegger, John Huston, Mao, Castro, Che Guevara, Khrushchev and Tito, and, above all, his long, complex and creative relationship with Simone de Beauvoir. Existentialism and Excess also gives serious consideration to Sartre's ideas and many philosophical works, novels, stories, plays and biographies, revealing their intimate connection with his personal life. Cox has written an entertaining, thought-provoking and compulsive book, much like the man himself."-- Provided by publisher Jean-paul Sartre Is An Undisputed Giant Of Twentieth-century Philosophy. His Intellectual Writings Popularizing Existentialism Combined With His Creative And Artistic Flair Have Made Him A Legend Of French Thought. His Tumultuous Personal Life - So Inextricably Bound Up With His Philosophical Thinking - Is A Fascinating Tale Of Love And Lust, Drug Abuse, High Profile Fallings-out And Political And Cultural Rebellion. This Substantial And Meticulously Researched Biography Is Accessible, Fast-paced, Often Amusing And At Times Deeply Moving. Existentialism And Excess Covers All The Main Events Of Sartre's Remarkable Seventy-five-year Life From His Early Years As A Precocious Brat Devouring His Grandfather's Library, Through His Time As A Brilliant Student In Paris, His Wilderness Years As A Provincial Teacher-writer Experimenting With Mescaline, His World War Ii Adventures As A Pow And Member Of The Resistance, His Post-war Politicization, His Immense Amphetamine Fueled Feats Of Writing Productivity, His Harem Of Women, His Many Travels And His Final Decline Into Blindness And Old Age. Cox Deftly Moves From These Episodes To Discussing His Intellectual Development, His Famous Feuds With Aron, Camus, And Merleau-ponty, His Encounters With Other Giant Figures Of His Day: Roosevelt, Hemingway, Heidegger, John Huston, Mao, Castro, Che Guevara, Khrushchev And Tito, And, Above All, His Long, Complex And Creative Relationship With Simone De Beauvoir. Genius -- Stowaway Traveller -- Exile -- Very Heaven -- Castor -- Le Havre -- Apricot Cocktails -- Ostraconophobia -- La Petite Russe -- The Mighty Gallimard -- Sex Before War -- War Of Words -- Occupation -- Political Animal -- Differences -- Crushing Camus And Genet -- Blood Pressure Rising -- The Ghost Of Stalin -- Corydrane Creations -- The Philosopher And The Film Director -- Explosive Situation -- Nobel Words -- Help Of The Helpless -- Revolution In The Air -- Ultra-lefty -- The Long Road Down -- Immortality -- A Kind Of Conclusion. By Gary Cox. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 312-316) And Index. "Jean-Paul Sartre is an undisputed giant of twentieth-century philosophy. His intellectual writings popularizing existentialism combined with his creative and artistic flair have made him a legend of French thought. His tumultuous personal life - so inextricably bound up with his philosophical thinking - is a fascinating tale of love and lust, drug abuse, high profile fallings-out and political and cultural rebellion. This substantial and meticulously researched biography is accessible, fast-paced, entertaining, often amusing and at times deeply moving. Existentialism and Excess covers all the main events of Sartre's remarkable seventy-five-year life from his early years as a precocious brat devouring his grandfather's library, through his time as a brilliant student in Paris, his wilderness years as a provincial teacher-writer experimenting with mescaline, his World Ward II adventures as a POW and member of the resistance, his post-war politicization, his immense amphetamine fulled feats of writing productivity, his harem of women, his many travels and his final decline into blindness and old age. Along the way there are countless intriguing anecdotes, some amusing, some tragic, some controversial. His loathing of crustaceans and belief that he was being pursued by a giant lobster, his escape from POW camp, his many affairs, his meetings with Roosevelt, Hemingway, John Huston, Mao, Castro, Che Guevara, Khrushchev, Tito, his feuds with Aron, Camus, and Merleau-Ponty, the bombing of his apartment, his influence on the May 1968 uprising, his long and complex relationship with Simone de Beauvoir. Existentialism and Excess also gives serious consideration to his ideas and many philosophical works, novels, stories, plays, and biographies revealing their intimate connection with his personal life. An entertaining, thought-provoking and compulsive book, much like the man himself"--Abstract Jean-Paul Sartre is one of the undisputed giants of 20th-century philosophy. His intellectual writings popularizing existentialism combined with his creative and artistic flair have made him a legend of French thought. His tumultuous personal life - so inextricably bound up with his philosophical thinking - is a fascinating tale of love and lust, drug abuse, high profile fallings-out and political and cultural rebellion. This substantial and meticulously researched biography is accessible, fast-paced, entertaining, often amusing and at times deeply moving. Existentialism and Excess covers all the main events of Sartre’s remarkable seventy-five-year life from his early years as a precocious brat devouring his grandfather’s library, through his time as a brilliant student in Paris, his wilderness years as a provincial teacher-writer experimenting with mescaline, his World Ward II adventures as a POW and member of the resistance, his post-war politicization, his immense amphetamine fulled feats of writing productivity, his harem of women, his many travels and his final decline into blindness and old age. Along the way there are countless intriguing anecdotes, some amusing, some tragic, some controversial. His loathing of crustaceans and belief that he was being pursued by a giant lobster, his escape from POW camp, his many affairs, his meetings with Roosevelt, Hemingway, John Huston, Mao, Castro, Che Guevara, Khrushchev, Tito, his feuds with Aron, Camus, and Merleau-Ponty, the bombing of his apartment, his influence on the May 1968 uprising, his long and complex relationship with Simone de Beauvoir. Existentialism and Excess also gives serious consideration to his ideas and many philosophical works, novels, stories, plays, and biographies revealing their intimate connection with his personal life. An entertaining, thought-provoking and compulsive book, much like the man himself. Jean-Paul Sartre is an undisputed giant of twentieth-century philosophy. His intellectual writings popularising existentialism combined with his creative and artistic flair have made him a legend of French thought. His tumultuous personal life - so inextricably bound up with his philosophical thinking - is a fascinating tale of love and lust, drug abuse, high profile fallings-out and political and cultural rebellion. This substantial and meticulously researched biography is accessible, fast-paced, often amusing and at times deeply moving. Existentialism and Excess covers all the main events of Sartre's remarkable seventy-five-year life from his early years as a precocious brat devouring his grandfather's library, through his time as a brilliant student in Paris, his wilderness years as a provincial teacher-writer experimenting with mescaline, his World War II adventures as a POW and member of the resistance, his post-war politicisation, his immense amphetamine fueled feats of writing productivity, his harem of women, his many travels and his final decline into blindness and old age FC -- Half title -- Also Available from Bloomsbury -- Title -- Copyright -- Quote -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Glossary of Abbreviations -- 1 Genius -- 2 Stowaway Traveller -- 3 Exile -- 4 Very Heaven -- 5 Castor -- 6 Le Havre -- 7 Apricot Cocktails -- 8 Ostraconophobia -- 9 La Petite Russe -- 10 The Mighty Gallimard -- 11 Sex Before War -- 12 War of Words -- 13 Occupation -- 14 Political Animal -- 15 Differences -- 16 Crushing Camus and Genet -- 17 Blood Pressure Rising -- 18 The Ghost of Stalin -- 19 Corydrane Creations -- 20 The Philosopher and the Film Director -- 21 Explosive Situation -- 22 Nobel Words -- 23 Help of the Helpless -- 24 Revolution in the Air -- 25 Ultra-Lefty -- 26 The Long Road Down -- 27 Immortality -- 28 A Kind of Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Glossary of Abbreviations 1. Genius 2. Stowaway Traveller 3. Exile 4. Very Heaven 5. Castor 6. Le Havre 7. Apricot Cocktails 8. Ostraconophobia 9. La Petite Russe 10. The Mighty Gallimard 11. Sex Before War 12. War of Words 13. Occupation 14. Political Animal 15. Differences 16. Crushing Camus and Genet 17. Blood Pressure Rising 18. The Ghost of Stalin 19. Corydrane Creations 20. The Philosopher and the Film Director 21. Explosive Situation 22. Nobel Words 23. Help of the Helpless 24. Revolution in the Air 25. Ultra-Lefty 26. The Long Road Down 27. Immortality 28. A Kind of Conclusion Bibliography Index