Dennis Lewis

I enjoyed this book and got far more value from it than I'd expected. Lanzmann, through his active involvement in the French Resistance during the Second World War, his romantic involvement with Simone de Beauvoir, his close friendship with Jean-Paul Sartre, and his decades-long involvement with the French Left, presents a ringside view of postwar French intellectual history. Although Lanzmann could have been more forthcoming about some aspects of his relationships with Beauvoir and Sartre, overall, this is a rich and frequently surprising presentation. On virtually every page, there are surprising little nuggets and insights. I found his brief observations about his interactions with Frantz Fanon and his wife Josie, for instance, completely riveting. If you're interested in French intellectual history in the 20th century, this book is definitely worth a read.

This presents a fascinating intimate perspective on the revolutionary psychiatrist and anti-colonial activist by Fanon's older brother. Fanon scholars will find this book provides invaluable insights on Frantz Fanon's theories of race and anti-colonial violence, particularly in relation to the profound influence of the French Enlightenment on Fanon's intellectual development.