Jean-Paul Sartre is perhaps the most famous of the existentialists, and by far the most famous philosopher of the post-war era. Sartre was a highly prolific writer and thinker, and delving into his novels, plays, stories, essays, and memoirs can be challenging. Most books on Sartre focus on only one sphere of his astounding intellect -- either his philosophical treatises or his forays into fiction. Enter Sartre Explained, a comprehensive guide to Sartre's versatile work, as well as a valuable overview of his life and scholarly context. Detailing the philosophical notions central to all of Sartre's work, including his fictional pieces, this guide is an essential resource for anyone interested in Sartre's full range of talents.

Categories

• Movements - Existentialism
• History & Surveys - Modern

Product Details

ISBN: 9780812696318
ISBN-10: 081269631X
Publisher: Open Court
Publication Date: June 28th, 2008
Pages: 224
Language: English
Series: Ideas Explained

David Detmer’s Sartre Explained is undoubtedly the best introduction to Jean-Paul Sartre’s ideas available today. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Sartre.”
Matthew Eshleman, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Detmer explores the implications of Sartre’s work both for ourselves and for our world, and in so doing he makes Sartre come alive. Sartre’s most complicated philosophical doctrines are rendered comprehensible without sacrificing rigor, and his most counterintuitive political positions are shown to be more compelling than they are often taken to be.”
David Sherman, author of Sartre and Adorno

Detmer has managed to boil down Sartre without losing any of the flavor. This readable book, written in lucid and lively prose, straightforwardly addresses the hard, important issues in Sartre.”
T Storm Heter, author of Sartre’s Ethics of Engagement

Detmer’s Sartre Explained convincingly demonstrates how important Sartre is for us today, and places Sartre front and center as a giant of the twentieth century whose stature will be felt well beyond the twenty-first. Detmer’s deft treatment of Sartre’s most abstruse ideas, and his use of creative examples to tackle difficult problems and concepts, makes this a most welcome and inviting guide for those unfamiliar with Sartre’s work. Scholars will appreciate the depth of analysis and rigor.”
Gail E. Linsenbard, author of An Investigation of Jean-Paul Sartre’s Posthumously Published Notebooks for an Ethics

"Detmer (philosophy, Purdue U. Calumet) introduces the work of French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-80), explaining how his writings on existentialism, his fiction and plays, and his political activism were all part of his attempt to describe the salient features of human existence such as freedom, responsibility, emotions, human relations, work, and death."
Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR