Sartre Explained: From Bad Faith to Authenticity

by David Detmer

Jean-Paul Sartre is perhaps the most famous of the existentialists, and by far the most famous philosopher of the post-war era. Sartre was a highly prolific writer and thinker, and delving into his novels, plays, stories, essays, and memoirs can be challenging. Most books on Sartre focus on only one sphere of his astounding intellect — either his philosophical treatises or his forays into fiction. Enter Sartre Explained , a comprehensive guide to Sartre's versatile work, as well as a valuable overview of his life and scholarly context. Detailing the philosophical notions central to all of Sartre's work, including his fictional pieces, this guide is an essential resource for anyone interested in Sartre's full range of talents.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2008

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-done analysis of Sartre's writings, with especially good sections on Being and Nothingness and Critique of Dialectical Reason. Sartre's philosophies of violence and inauthenticity are intriguing, and Detmer's discussion is quite good.

[Heather Pagano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book knowing almost nothing about Sartre- I had some misconceptions about existentialism and continental philosophy, and I knew the plot of Huis Clos- and that was the extent of my knowledge. Having read this book I now have a grasp of some of the concepts that were important to Sartre's philosophy, like bad faith and authenticity. I was often surprised by how well Sartre's ideas lined up with what I've studied about Buddhism, cognitive science, and the more analytic schools of philosophy. Sometimes I had moments of deeply resonating with Sartre's observations and conclusions. This is an example of a book that delivers exactly what it promises, I feel as though an expert has done a great job explaining to me the fundamentals of Sartre's philosophy.