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Penguin Lives
Simone Weil
A patriot and a mystic, an unruly activist plagued by self-doubt, a pampered intellectual with a credo of manual labor, and an ascetic who craved sensuous beauty, Simone Weil died at the age of 34 after a long struggle with anorexia. But her tremendous intellectual legacy foresaw many of the 20th century's great changes and continues to influence philosophy today.
Simone Weil traces this seminal thinker's transformation from privileged Parisian student to union organizer, activist, and philosopher, as well as the complex evolution of her ideas on Christianity, politics, and sexuality. In this thoughtful and compelling biography, du Plessix Gray illuminates an enigmatic figure and early feminist whose passion and pathos will fascinate a wide audience of listeners.
Simone Weil traces this seminal thinker's transformation from privileged Parisian student to union organizer, activist, and philosopher, as well as the complex evolution of her ideas on Christianity, politics, and sexuality. In this thoughtful and compelling biography, du Plessix Gray illuminates an enigmatic figure and early feminist whose passion and pathos will fascinate a wide audience of listeners.
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First published June 25, 2001
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About the author
Francine du Plessix Gray
32 books56 followersFrancine du Plessix Gray, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and literary critic, was born in Warsaw, Poland, where her father, Vicomte Bertrand Jochaud du Plessix, was a French diplomat - the commercial attaché. She spent her early years in Paris, where a milieu of mixed cultures and a multilingual family (French father and Russian émigré mother) influenced her.
Widowed when her father died in battle, in 1940 du Plessix Gray's mother escaped France to New York with Francine. In 1942, her mother married Alexander Liberman, another White émigré from Russia, whom she had known in Paris as a child. He was a noted artist and later longtime editorial director of Vogue Magazine and then of Condé Nast Publications. The Libermans were socially prominent in media, art, and fashion circles.
Francine du Plessix Gray then grew up in New York City, and was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1952. She was a scholarship student at Spence School. She attended Bryn Mawr College for two years, and in 1952 received her B.A. in philosophy from Barnard College, NY.
In 1957 she married painter Cleve Gray (1918-2004) with whom she had two sons.
Du Plessix Gray had a long and varied career, in the 1950s as reporter for several French magazines; book editor for Art in America New York City; staff writer for The New Yorker; several professorships, including at Columbia University.
Her most well-known book is Them: A Memory of Parents (2005). Her novels included Lovers and Tyrants (1976).
Widowed when her father died in battle, in 1940 du Plessix Gray's mother escaped France to New York with Francine. In 1942, her mother married Alexander Liberman, another White émigré from Russia, whom she had known in Paris as a child. He was a noted artist and later longtime editorial director of Vogue Magazine and then of Condé Nast Publications. The Libermans were socially prominent in media, art, and fashion circles.
Francine du Plessix Gray then grew up in New York City, and was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1952. She was a scholarship student at Spence School. She attended Bryn Mawr College for two years, and in 1952 received her B.A. in philosophy from Barnard College, NY.
In 1957 she married painter Cleve Gray (1918-2004) with whom she had two sons.
Du Plessix Gray had a long and varied career, in the 1950s as reporter for several French magazines; book editor for Art in America New York City; staff writer for The New Yorker; several professorships, including at Columbia University.
Her most well-known book is Them: A Memory of Parents (2005). Her novels included Lovers and Tyrants (1976).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 17, 2020
Good short book on a fascinating life. I like her activism, and the quote, "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity."
July 17, 2019
Ms. Weil was certainly one of the most complex and profound thinkers of the 20th century. Her intellect was astonishingly forceful and direct, beyond the depth of many of her contemporaries. At the same time, she must have been maddeningly childish and stubborn, insisting as she did so often on self-abnegation and almost martyrdom. It seems impossible to comprehend the many threads of Weil’s intellectual being. At 21, she completed her studies at France’s esteemed École Normale Supérieure, yet she continued to be drawn to physical labor as a way of showing her solidarity with workers.
She came from a wealthy, successful Jewish family, but they were very much interested only in assimilation into French society. She always dressed as poorly as she could, and dismayed her friends and parents. She disdained any signs of comfort, much to the annoyance of acquaintances and friends.
According to the author, she had what is now regarded as a classic case of anorexia nervosa, a malady which was not well understood at the time. She has become widely read and influential in political circles.
Rereading this book five years later, I understand Ms. Gray’s warm and sympathetic approach to the life of Simone Weil. She writes beautifully about her subject.
A fascinating read.
She came from a wealthy, successful Jewish family, but they were very much interested only in assimilation into French society. She always dressed as poorly as she could, and dismayed her friends and parents. She disdained any signs of comfort, much to the annoyance of acquaintances and friends.
According to the author, she had what is now regarded as a classic case of anorexia nervosa, a malady which was not well understood at the time. She has become widely read and influential in political circles.
Rereading this book five years later, I understand Ms. Gray’s warm and sympathetic approach to the life of Simone Weil. She writes beautifully about her subject.
A fascinating read.
February 12, 2010
Weil's story itself is fascinating, which kept me going through the book. As a biography it was good in places but overall mediocre. Among other things, the author seemed intent on convincing readers that Weil was essentially anorexic. Perhaps it's true, but I didn't pick up this book for a retroactive diagnosis of Weil's eating habits.
Overall I don't at all regret reading it, but maybe it's worth investigating a different biography of Weil.
Overall I don't at all regret reading it, but maybe it's worth investigating a different biography of Weil.
October 4, 2019
I enjoyed this biography. It gave me a cross section of life and history of which I was largely ignorant. Simone Weil was an interesting thinker, but, like most, I'd say her radical compassion with the suffering is her most striking feature. I haven't much studied anorexics, but her style of neuroticism seems distinctly anorexic and greatly influential on her thinking. I am intrigued to learn more.
June 23, 2018
Fascinating biography of this complex, influential, paradoxical, and at times maddening philosopher.
January 24, 2011
This may be the only 5 star book on my list. This is not a good read: it is a powerful read. I think that I am talking more about the life depicted than the writing. However, I will say that the writing was concise and flowed. It was understated and held my attention through all the anger and pain evoked.
Beginning the book I wanted to throw it across the room because of Simone's self-centeredness and being so spoiled. Then I wanted to throw it across the room because of her naive political ideas. Then I could not stop reading the book as she moved from agnostic Jew to heretical Roman catholic. That move took up about 1/2 the book as she moved into the War and the parents' and her escape.
There are more ups and downs, confessions, moves, nasty letters, confrontations, you name it in the book.
Through the book, I was moved to anger, to sadness, frustrations, pity, confusion, and more. However, I never did come to appreciate her thought or her approach to live. However, fascinated I remain. Unlike many I do not consider her one of the great philosphers of the 20th century. However, I do imagine that she influenced many.
Beginning the book I wanted to throw it across the room because of Simone's self-centeredness and being so spoiled. Then I wanted to throw it across the room because of her naive political ideas. Then I could not stop reading the book as she moved from agnostic Jew to heretical Roman catholic. That move took up about 1/2 the book as she moved into the War and the parents' and her escape.
There are more ups and downs, confessions, moves, nasty letters, confrontations, you name it in the book.
Through the book, I was moved to anger, to sadness, frustrations, pity, confusion, and more. However, I never did come to appreciate her thought or her approach to live. However, fascinated I remain. Unlike many I do not consider her one of the great philosphers of the 20th century. However, I do imagine that she influenced many.
July 5, 2012
The second Penguin Lives biography I've read in the past month. Both have been smart and readable and fascinating, this one in particular (the other was Kathryn Harrison's biography of Therese of Lisieux, which wasn't quite as rich as this one, maybe just because Therese didn't live that long) (which wasn't Kathryn Harrison's fault). Anyway, I did love this book--I knew almost nothing about Simone Weil, and found her life, as described by du Plessix Gray, moving and terrifying and admirable and deeply sad.
August 15, 2015
This was a well-written account of the life of a fascinating woman. It focuses on her life and not her work, with a couple of small factual errors I noticed that made me wonder a little bit how carefully it was edited. It can't have been easy to make such a readable and interesting account of the political and historical events participated in by Simone Weil. The biographer expressed a couple of opinions about her subject that seemed out of place to me, but on the whole I enjoyed the book very, very much.
February 8, 2016
Simone Weil (unfortunately) really resonates with me. The biography was somewhat annoyingly written (stop with how Simone Weil could have been beautiful if she tried, jfc) but it's a concise and relatively detailed account of the life of a fascinating person
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April 4, 2022I've heard about Simone Weil for years as an intellectual of the 1930's and 40's, often as a spiritual philosopher during World War II. Weil died at the age of 34 after a long struggle with anorexia. She was a daughter to a secular Jewish family in France and sister to a precocious brother who excelled in mathematics and languages. The siblings' lives were patterned on that of Pascal and his sister who were also extraordinarily gifted. Simone also excelled at the elite academic academies of France and was often the first or only woman in these classes. She was a classicist and also influenced by the Marxism of her times becoming a union organizer and activist, and was moved to do manual labor in factories and agriculture all the while starving herself as a penance and contribution to the poor. Eventually she was drawn to the Catholic church but had trouble with its hierarchies and so never quite was able to convert. Albert Camus greatly respected her writings and in some ways she served as a godmother to the existentialists. She worked for the French resistance from England and dearly wanted a dangerous assignment in France perhaps as an unconscious suicidal desire for her martyrdom. She had many friends and comrades but never married. Her parents overprotected her, hovering around her all her life often rescuing her from her bad health habits. After she died they spent their long lives afterwards typing her hand-written notes for posthumous publication. She was brilliant but exasperating with an abnegation and rigidity that often caused trouble for her family and friends. In spite of her self-destructive tendencies she launched herself to became an icon of the French intellectuals pantheon Alas, she didn't live long enough to see Hitler defeated. The author, Francine Du Plessix Gray, has done a great job portraying her difficult life. She has also written about the life of the Marquis de Sade.
December 15, 2017
The best parts of the book are the quotations
Simone Weil is fascinating. Whether one is Catholics, Jewish or Atheist, conservative or bolshevik there is something about her life story that will resonate with every thinking person today. Her life as prodigy child to philosopher to teacher, factory worker, mystic and (near) convert to Catholicism is the story of a woman who grapped with everything she came across. One is reminded of the St. Augustine quote: "Our heart is restless until it rests in You".
du Plessix Gray's biography is decent, acceptable and generous without being overly flattering. It gives a good outline of Weil's life and times but is relatively less memorable than the quotations from Weil which are scattered throughout like seed scattered on rather average soil.
This book serves as a good introduction if one has not heard of Weil nor has any idea of the socio-political-historical era which forms the anvil for so much of Weil's hammer of a life. The best I can say about the book itself is it spurred me to get Gravity and Grace.
Some quotes for fun (from Weil, not du Plessix Gray):
"When I think of the Crucifixion, I commit the sin of envy." (p. 217)
"God could create only by hiding himself, otherwise there would be nothing but himself." (p. 215)
"To die for God is not a proof of faith in God. To die for an unknown and repulsive convict who is a victim of injustice-that is a proof of faith in God." (p. 186)
"When I think that the great bolshevik leaders proposed to create a free working class that...none of them-certainly not Trotsky, and I don't think Lenin either-had ever set foot inside a factory and thus hadn't the faintest idea of the real conditions that create the worker's servitude or freedom-well-politics appears to me a sinister farce." (p. 100)
Simone Weil is fascinating. Whether one is Catholics, Jewish or Atheist, conservative or bolshevik there is something about her life story that will resonate with every thinking person today. Her life as prodigy child to philosopher to teacher, factory worker, mystic and (near) convert to Catholicism is the story of a woman who grapped with everything she came across. One is reminded of the St. Augustine quote: "Our heart is restless until it rests in You".
du Plessix Gray's biography is decent, acceptable and generous without being overly flattering. It gives a good outline of Weil's life and times but is relatively less memorable than the quotations from Weil which are scattered throughout like seed scattered on rather average soil.
This book serves as a good introduction if one has not heard of Weil nor has any idea of the socio-political-historical era which forms the anvil for so much of Weil's hammer of a life. The best I can say about the book itself is it spurred me to get Gravity and Grace.
Some quotes for fun (from Weil, not du Plessix Gray):
"When I think of the Crucifixion, I commit the sin of envy." (p. 217)
"God could create only by hiding himself, otherwise there would be nothing but himself." (p. 215)
"To die for God is not a proof of faith in God. To die for an unknown and repulsive convict who is a victim of injustice-that is a proof of faith in God." (p. 186)
"When I think that the great bolshevik leaders proposed to create a free working class that...none of them-certainly not Trotsky, and I don't think Lenin either-had ever set foot inside a factory and thus hadn't the faintest idea of the real conditions that create the worker's servitude or freedom-well-politics appears to me a sinister farce." (p. 100)
February 28, 2021
Before reading this book, I knew very little of Simone Weil, I only saw her rather intriguing quotes in other books. I was fascinated by her spiritual voyage and wanted to examine it closer.
This biography is a masterful introduction to this extremely complex personality. I admire the precision, elegance and simplicity of the style, I loved the pace of the narration. It takes real talent to present someone's a biography in a clear fashion, because the writers usually know way too much about the object of their research. Writing a biography is a rather awkward exercise in eliminating irrelevant information.
It is impossible not to be impressed with Weil, for her immense courage of conviction and the ability to continuously look with critical eye at one's own thinking and actions. Her life wouldn't have been possible without her parents' enlightened and patient attitude. In fact, I think Simone died because in London she stopped being gently and lovingly supervised by her parents.
The fact that Weil was a woman in a man's world was not discussed in this book. It was surprising that she has not experienced ridicule or disrespect. It seems, at least in that particular sense, that the interwar France was a very enlightened and modern society.
Weil's final tragedy was the realization that the spiritual and the political worlds cannot be reconciled.
I am sure that there will be critical voices insisting that this biography doesn't reach deep enough, but for me this was an excellent introduction. I feel lucky that that this book ended up in my hands.
This biography is a masterful introduction to this extremely complex personality. I admire the precision, elegance and simplicity of the style, I loved the pace of the narration. It takes real talent to present someone's a biography in a clear fashion, because the writers usually know way too much about the object of their research. Writing a biography is a rather awkward exercise in eliminating irrelevant information.
It is impossible not to be impressed with Weil, for her immense courage of conviction and the ability to continuously look with critical eye at one's own thinking and actions. Her life wouldn't have been possible without her parents' enlightened and patient attitude. In fact, I think Simone died because in London she stopped being gently and lovingly supervised by her parents.
The fact that Weil was a woman in a man's world was not discussed in this book. It was surprising that she has not experienced ridicule or disrespect. It seems, at least in that particular sense, that the interwar France was a very enlightened and modern society.
Weil's final tragedy was the realization that the spiritual and the political worlds cannot be reconciled.
I am sure that there will be critical voices insisting that this biography doesn't reach deep enough, but for me this was an excellent introduction. I feel lucky that that this book ended up in my hands.
January 6, 2026
Absolutely loved the book, had me captivated the entire way with Simone's deep and rich Life. I love her explanation of her thought process and how her environment shaped her life. I am indecisive on how the book handled a retroactive diagnosis of anorexia but I don't think it stopped me from enjoying it.
Highly recommend if you are even remotely into philosophy or even just curious about her life.
Highly recommend if you are even remotely into philosophy or even just curious about her life.
October 14, 2025
maybe more of a 3 stars on the writing itself but i fuck so heavy with simone that it gets 4. i did appreciate that it paints her insufferable sides as well, but the author smuggles a lot of her own baggage where it feels uncalled for (im not here for your opinions !! just because you don't get her argument doesn't mean it's "proto-fascist" !! grow up !!)
July 30, 2017
offshoot of existential cafe. Well-written, challenging subject but fairly easy read. Troubled, brilliant woman.
May 7, 2018
20th century woman you must know.
October 14, 2018
Great little biography. It would be hard to write a dull book about Weil, but du Plessix Gray's analysis is also first class. Head elsewhere if you want a hagiography.
September 21, 2019
Remarkable, baffling, confusing, inspiring - a few words to describe the mysterious internal life of this prolific writer and philosopher.
June 14, 2020
Useful as a limited overview to plan a more detailed study
June 3, 2021
Disagree with the eating disorder angle but a fairly well balanced brief bio
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December 27, 2015This book is just terrible. The most condescending biography I've ever read.The author clearly thinks she's smarter than Weil and, just as clearly, she's not. So you can throw around a lot of terms from pop psychology. Big fucking deal. Weil taught herself to read Sanskrit, studied Ancient Greek and followed advanced mathematics, and developed her own original theology. She may have been crazy, but just possibly you with your smug liberal stupidity could stand to learn something from a crazy person.
August 9, 2010
I'm on page 150 ...now I think we're going to hit the real crazy stuff. So far, du Plessix Gray is doing a great job defending Weil, showing how her attitudes and behaviors fit into the temper of her times -- and how they generally are supported by fierce, passionate thinking (it's like, her neuroses are channeled into fierce thought ...) I'm interested to see if she can keep up this tone for Weil's final years.
December 21, 2012
Weil has been bugging me since 1976 when Simone Petremont's full biography was issued in translation. Reading Petremont, however, is like hearing about someone from an ex-spouse - the question of objectivity never seems very far away. Gray is balanced, objective, and well-researched - no small matter when the subject is as unbalanced, subjective, and mysterious as Weil. Short, too - did I mention short? End result: Weil still bugging me. Progress, of a sort.
July 4, 2010
A very good general biography of the interesting and complex Simone Weil. I enjoy these types of biographies because they provide enough information and insight into the subject to either stand alone as a sufficient summation, or serve to incite a deire to read more about and, especially by, the subect.
July 23, 2016
Interesting read, but moreso for the feeling it provides of what it was like to live in France during the time period concerned (primarily 1930s-40s) than for details of Weil's life. I found myself wanting much more about her actual relationships and writings, and more discussion based on hard evidence rather than what seemed like purely anecdotal surmises.
June 27, 2015
I don't think I could recommend this book. Weil's view of the world is so personal and so deeply felt, as unique as say Walt Whitman, that, for me, in order for her life to make sense it needs to be presented from a point of view appreciative of her own and I didn't get that from this book. Besides, you can learn enough about her life from her own work.
July 22, 2007
Simone Weil is one of the most unbelievable people I have ever read about, and this is a very fine short biography of her. One of the few historical figures that I'd probably never want to actually meet...
June 30, 2008
At a very brief 230 pages, this book serves best as an introduction to Weil's life and work. It was an enjoyable non-academic book which tends towards a psychological reading of her works. Readers looking for in depth analyses of her writings should look elsewhere.
August 20, 2010
This is one of the books that has urged me to read more about other authors. When you read Francine's books, you cannot finish them without using a dictionary, but I always marvel her writing as somebody who is eager to learn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews