Force of Circumstance: The Autobiography of Simone de Beauvoir

Rating:
Summary: In Good Faith
Review: If there was any reason for Simone de Beauvoir's claim that "I am not a woman of action....", this book proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the claim is unfounded. In an autobiography filled with heroes, villains, friends, and foes de Beauvoir cast aside all doubt that was (and still is) a person of consequence.

Hard Times: Force of Circumstance is filled (over and above her constant devotion to Sartre) with references to Claude Lanzman and Nelson Algren. We are taken into her world and all her most intimate thoughts. Her insights on Brazil, Castro, Kruschev and the Algerian conflict are from a first hand source and you really can't beat that.

Of all of de Beauvoir's acts of courage, the independent (independent of Sartre) acts relating to the Algerian conflict in general and Djamila Boupacha in particular are acts of bravery and are in her own terminology "Good Faith" as an Existentialist. De Beauvoir centers her "Action" on 3 things: motive, the act itself, and the willingness to take the consequences. As a concrete example, along with her cohort Gisele Halimi (who saw her role as Boupacha's lawyer) and Djamila Boupacha (who saw her role as sacrificial lamb/symbol), de Beauvoir was set in her role as writer. Before I go on, I should background the Boupacha case for those who have not read book. During the French/Algerian conflict, Boupacha was accused of planting a bomb (which never exploded) at the University of Algiers. Convicted solely on the merit of her confession, a confession that was extracted via torture and rape. Compelled to "Act" both Halimi and de Beauvoir moved to see the trial transferred and attention and awareness raised regarding the acts of torture in Algeria.

As much a she claims that others "Did more..." what is important to note is that the writer has an important function - that of an educator. In the realm of public vs. private, all "freedom" regarding public acts are in "good faith" if the call to action has a liberating effect on all.

In the area of perception - we see ourselves as subject and the "other" as object. Writers help us realize that to the "other" we are object to their subject. Coming back to Boupacha, de Beauvoir's actions as writer are clearly acts of "good faith". Writing the introduction to "Djamila Boupacha" and signing in as co-author is proof positive of "Action". I guess in a struggle such as this one, one cannot help but rank extent of action based on risk. In a life full with travel, writing, teaching, success and disappointment - these "Hard Times" don't seem so bad after all.

I salute de Beauvoir for a life well spent. She went beyond most of her colleagues/peers in terms of impact. Through it all, she is just as human as any of us - she cries, she hurts, she loves - she is human and she is woman (you can take that however you like) and like all of us, has struggles and triumphs. A bit like a travel diary at times, this book is highly under rated and deserves its place beside "Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter". A resounding 5 stars!

Miguel Llora

Rating:
Summary: In Good Faith
Review: If there was any reason for Simone de Beauvoir's claim that "I am not a woman of action....", this book proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the claim is unfounded. In an autobiography filled with heroes, villains, friends, and foes de Beauvoir cast aside all doubt that was (and still is) a person of consequence.

Hard Times: Force of Circumstance is filled (over and above her constant devotion to Sartre) with references to Claude Lanzman and Nelson Algren. We are taken into her world and all her most intimate thoughts. Her insights on Brazil, Castro, Kruschev and the Algerian conflict are from a first hand source and you really can't beat that.

Of all of de Beauvoir's acts of courage, the independent (independent of Sartre) acts relating to the Algerian conflict in general and Djamila Boupacha in particular are acts of bravery and are in her own terminology "Good Faith" as an Existentialist. De Beauvoir centers her "Action" on 3 things: motive, the act itself, and the willingness to take the consequences. As a concrete example, along with her cohort Gisele Halimi (who saw her role as Boupacha's lawyer) and Djamila Boupacha (who saw her role as sacrificial lamb/symbol), de Beauvoir was set in her role as writer. Before I go on, I should background the Boupacha case for those who have not read book. During the French/Algerian conflict, Boupacha was accused of planting a bomb (which never exploded) at the University of Algiers. Convicted solely on the merit of her confession, a confession that was extracted via torture and rape. Compelled to "Act" both Halimi and de Beauvoir moved to see the trial transferred and attention and awareness raised regarding the acts of torture in Algeria.

As much a she claims that others "Did more..." what is important to note is that the writer has an important function - that of an educator. In the realm of public vs. private, all "freedom" regarding public acts are in "good faith" if the call to action has a liberating effect on all.

In the area of perception - we see ourselves as subject and the "other" as object. Writers help us realize that to the "other" we are object to their subject. Coming back to Boupacha, de Beauvoir's actions as writer are clearly acts of "good faith". Writing the introduction to "Djamila Boupacha" and signing in as co-author is proof positive of "Action". I guess in a struggle such as this one, one cannot help but rank extent of action based on risk. In a life full with travel, writing, teaching, success and disappointment - these "Hard Times" don't seem so bad after all.

I salute de Beauvoir for a life well spent. She went beyond most of her colleagues/peers in terms of impact. Through it all, she is just as human as any of us - she cries, she hurts, she loves - she is human and she is woman (you can take that however you like) and like all of us, has struggles and triumphs. A bit like a travel diary at times, this book is highly under rated and deserves its place beside "Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter". A resounding 5 stars!

Miguel Llora