Voyeur: Beauty and Rebellion

Author: Qian Xiuzhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Simone de Beauvoir was a renowned French writer and scholar, known for her multiple identities as a philosopher, essayist, and playwright, as well as a pioneer of the feminist movement. Her influence on the world came from two aspects: as a pioneer of feminism, she contributed the groundbreaking The Second Sex; and by rejecting marriage and choosing not to have children, she remained lifelong companionship with the existentialist master Sartre. These two aspects were so overwhelming that they overshadowed another important gift she possessed—an exceptionally captivating writing ability. With a great philosophical mind and a fresh, hungry, and curiosity unique to women, she continuously analyzed herself with the Rousseau-esque style of Confessions, offering humanity countless outstanding works. She won the Goncourt Prize in 1954 and was a world-class best-selling author. Sartre described her as possessing both male wisdom and female sensitivity. In 1955, she visited China with Sartre and, as a friendly envoy of the French people, climbed the Tiananmen reviewing stand on National Day. After returning, she published a 400,000-character titled The Long March—Chinese Sketches, and her comprehensive work on women's issues, The Second Sex, was hailed as a classic of feminism. She once compared herself to a ghost, wanting to pass through walls and observe the human world without participating. In 1986, she entered Sartre's grave wearing the ring of a lover across the ocean, becoming the unique woman in the world—Simone de Beauvoir. The 37th bridge on the Seine in Paris was named "Beauvoir Bridge" in her honor to commemorate this outstanding woman.
Reasons to Read This Book: Simone de Beauvoir was a world-class best-selling author and writer who gained global recognition through her works. Her unique lifestyle drew strong controversy, and her "love contract" with the existentialist master Sartre was seen by some as proof that love could triumph over conventional marriage, while others held the opposite view. Reading this book not only allows readers to understand the author's life story and the background of the creation of the celebrated The Second Sex, hailed as the "Bible of Western Women," but also encourages them to reflect on various social issues such as family, marriage, and homosexuality.