Revelatory insights into the early life and thought of the preeminent French feminist philosopher

Dating from her years as a philosophy student at the Sorbonne, this is the 1926-27 diary of the teenager who would become the famous French philosopher, author, and feminist, Simone de Beauvoir. Written years before her first meeting with Jean-Paul Sartre, these diaries reveal previously unknown details about her life and offer critical insights into her early philosophy and literary works. Presented here for the first time in translation and fully annotated, the diary is completed by essays from Barbara Klaw and Margaret A. Simons that address its philosophical, historical and literary significance. The volume represents an invaluable resource for tracing the development of Beauvoir’s independent thinking and influence on the world.          

"Barbara Klaw, Sylvie Le Bon de Beauvoir, Margaret Simons and Marybeth Timmerman have given the world a remarkable gift. . . . This volume is organized, annotated, and contextualized superbly. . . . How much richer and more profound [Beauvoir's] corpus becomes with the addition of these priceless writings. . . . The publication of her diaries will only further elevate her philosophical and literal legacy."--H-France Review

"This indispensable volume offers a panorama of Beauvoir's intellectual preoccupations. . . . The translators and editors are to be applauded for . . . producing such a valuable contribution to Beauvoir studies."--French Studies