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Jean-François Lyotard
Best known in the English-speaking world for his book The Postmodern Condition , Jean-François Lyotard was one of the most important and complex French thinkers of the twentieth century. In this new critical biography, Kiff Bamford traces the multi-faceted, sometimes surprising, journey of Lyotard’s life and work.
Bamford’s book is the first to consider Lyotard’s work and ideas in the wider context of his life and times. He unravels the thrust of Lyotard’s main philosophical arguments, his struggle with thinking, and his confrontation with the task of writing and thinking differently about philosophy. Bamford takes care to situate each of these in their particular the Algerian war; the experimental university at Vincennes; and within Lyotard’s sustained engagement with the visual arts. The philosopher’s own suspicion of easy narratives and rejection of self-determination help to frame the book. It is only by following these prescribed cautions that Bamford is able to present a compelling portrait of a challenging subject.
Bamford’s book is the first to consider Lyotard’s work and ideas in the wider context of his life and times. He unravels the thrust of Lyotard’s main philosophical arguments, his struggle with thinking, and his confrontation with the task of writing and thinking differently about philosophy. Bamford takes care to situate each of these in their particular the Algerian war; the experimental university at Vincennes; and within Lyotard’s sustained engagement with the visual arts. The philosopher’s own suspicion of easy narratives and rejection of self-determination help to frame the book. It is only by following these prescribed cautions that Bamford is able to present a compelling portrait of a challenging subject.
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 12, 2019
An excellent, comprehensive insight into Lyotard's life, politics and thought. Lyotard is generally associated with The Postmodern Condition, but Bamford shows he is much more complex and interesting than this. The section on colonialism and Algeria is particularly interesting. A must for anyone interested in C20th politics and philosophy.
June 1, 2022
The main thread running through all of Lyotard’s work was his declared will to save the honour of thinking. In this remarkably astute and thoroughly researched account of a monumental, unrelenting, and tumultuous quest for truth, Bamford manages to capture Jean-François Lyotard’s spirit and ‘manner’ perfectly: that of a modern-day Sophist. An intellectual biography of this caliber, depth, and breadth is hard to come by.
The enthusiasm catches. Bravo!
The enthusiasm catches. Bravo!
August 21, 2025
Dat naoorlogse Franse post-mei ’68 intellectuele milieu - tegelijk utopisch én beangstigend; een waar broeinest van ideeën. Lyotard speelt hierin een sleutelrol; van zijn bezoek aan Heidegger in ’47 (in het kader van een Frans-Duitse academische uitwisseling - op zichzelf al bijzonder) tot de Schizo-Culture-conferentie in ’75 onder Lotringer in New York (waar zelfs Burroughs aanwezig was) en nog veel meer, hier samengevat in zo’n 150 pagina’s - geheel in lijn met Lyotards eigen oeuvre en biografie. Knap!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews