1
of
1
What is Literature?
Series: Routledge Classics
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 1,620 ratings, 131 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of What is Literature?. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This thought-provoking work suits readers interested in philosophy, literary theory, and existentialism, particularly those fascinated by the interplay between literature and ethical selfhood.
Latest News
The Book Briefing - September 16th
This week there are so many exciting new book announcements out and about with covers,...
Every crime/thriller Novel Lizzy has read this year (so far!)
Lizzy is sharing her crime and thriller reads for 2026 so far and giving you...
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (16th September)
We had some exciting new releases arrive with some huge names in fiction, a highly...
Lizzy's Top 5 Board Games
Lizzy is sharing her top 5 Board Games including her favourite cooperative games, two-player options,...
New Hero Alert! Meet Jade - our new Warehouse Sidekick
Weโre thrilled to welcome Jade to the Book Hero team! Itโs not always easy to...
See more
In What is Literature? sartre the novelist and Sartre the philosopher combine to address the phenomenon of literature, exploring why we read, and why we write.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Jean-Paul Sartre was one of the most important philosophical and political thinkers of the twentieth century. His writings had a potency that was irresistible to the intellectual scene that swept post-war Europe and have left a vital inheritance to contemporary thought.
The central tenet of the Existentialist movement, which he helped to found, whereby God is replaced by an ethical self, proved hugely attractive to a generation that had seen the horrors of Nazism and provoked a revolution in post-war thought and literature.
In What is Literature? Sartre the novelist and Sartre the philosopher combine to address the phenomenon of literature, exploring why we read, and why we write.
Series: Routledge Classics
View all-
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
Modern Man in Search of a Soul is a profound exploration of the human psyche by one of the founding figures of modern psychology, C.G. Jung. This insightful work delves into the complexities of the human mind, addressing the existential crises that many face in contemporary society. Jung meticulously examines the inner workings of the unconscious mind, the role of...Paperback$10300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Road to Serfdom
The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek is a profound work of political philosophy and economics, originally published in 1944. This groundbreaking book offers a compelling critique of centralised planning and the dangers it poses to individual freedom and democracy. Hayek meticulously dissects the allure of totalitarianism that was gaining traction in many parts of the world during his time....Paperback$10300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Order of Things
In The Order of Things, Michel Foucault embarks on a profound exploration of the intricate patterns and structures that underpin human knowledge and understanding. This groundbreaking work traverses a dazzling array of disciplines, scrutinising the ways we have historically categorised and classified information. Without divulging any spoilers, Foucault takes the reader on an intellectual journey through literature, art, economics, and...Paperback$9800Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Open Society and Its Enemies
Karl Popper's seminal work, The Open Society and Its Enemies, offers a penetrating exploration of the philosophical and historical foundation of totalitarianism. Spanning two volumes originally published in 1945, the book critically examines the ideas of influential philosophers such as Plato, Hegel, and Marx, whose doctrines Popper argues have paved the way for authoritarian regimes. Through these examinations, Popper presents...Paperback$8400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Logic of Scientific Discovery
The Logic of Scientific Discovery by Karl Popper stands as a monumental text in the philosophy of science, one which has profoundly influenced both the academic world and the practical methodology of scientific research. This seminal work delves into the nature of scientific inquiry, presenting a rigorous analysis of the scientific method and challenging the foundational concepts of empirical science....Paperback$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Conquest of Happiness
The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell is a seminal work that offers readers insightful guidance on how to lead a fulfilling and happy life. First published in 1930, this timeless classic precedes the modern self-help movement by several decades, yet retains its relevance and wisdom. Russell, a renowned philosopher and logician, combines his deep understanding of human nature with...Paperback$10600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Birth of the Clinic
In The Birth of the Clinic, Michel Foucault embarks on an intriguing exploration of the medical gaze and the transformation of medical knowledge during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution and the rise of modern medicine, Foucault analyses how the practice of medicine shifted from a reliance on classical texts and...Paperback$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Archaeology of Knowledge
Michel Foucault, a towering intellectual figure of the twentieth century, invites readers to delve deep into the intricate and often opaque realms of knowledge and history with Archaeology of Knowledge. In this seminal work, Foucault shifts from the historical to the philosophical, analysing the ways in which discourseโthe way we speak and write about subjectsโboth informs and constructs our understanding...Paperback$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Madness and Civilization
Madness and Civilization, Michel Foucault's groundbreaking first book, offers a compelling journey through the history of madness in Western society from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Foucault meticulously examines how notions of madness have evolved over time, from being perceived as a divine or demonic manifestation to an illness requiring clinical treatment. Throughout this detailed exploration, Foucault illuminates...Paperback$9300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy
Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy by Bertrand Russell is a seminal work first published in 1919, offering readers a profound insight into the philosophical underpinnings of mathematics. This classic text is a testament to Russell's intellectual prowess, intertwining his expertise in both philosophy and mathematics to provide an accessible yet thorough introduction to the subject. In this book, Russell embarks on...Paperback$9800Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
History of Western Philosophy
History of Western Philosophy, first published in 1946, stands as a monumental achievement in the world of philosophy. Authored by the renowned philosopher Bertrand Russell, the book offers an extensive and thorough exploration of Western philosophical thought from ancient times to the early 20th century. Through its pages, readers are invited to journey through the development of philosophical ideas that...Paperback$10600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
In Praise of Idleness
In his thought-provoking work, In Praise of Idleness, Bertrand Russell explores the profound societal impact of embracing leisure and scepticism. This collection of essays delves into the vital importance of introspection and intellectual freedom in an era marked by relentless activity and unquestioning conformity. Far from advocating mere laziness, Russell mounts a persuasive argument for recognising the significance of what...Paperback$10600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780415255578
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 18 May 2001
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Routledge
Edition: 2nd edition
Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 453g
Pages: 288
About the Author
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-80) was the foremost French thinker of the early post-war years. His books, which include Being and Nothingness, Psychology of the Imagination, Nausea, Iron in the Soul and The Age of Reason, have exerted enormous influence in philosophy, literature, politics and cultural studies.
Also by Jean-Paul Sartre
View all-
Nausea
In this novel, Antoine Roquentin, an introspective historian, records the disturbing shifts in his perceptions and his struggle to restore meaning to life in a continuing present and without lies. This is Sartre's first published novel and his first extended essay on existential philosophy.Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Age of Reason: Popular Penguins
Set in the volatile Paris summer of 1938, The Age of Reason captures the existential struggles of Mathieu Delarue, a philosophy teacher, and his eclectic circle of friends frequenting the cafรฉs and bars of Montparnasse. Over the course of just two days, Mathieu grapples with his deeply-held beliefs about personal freedom and the repercussions of his romantic entanglements. Mathieu has...Paperback$1400Elsewhere:$1599Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Age of Reason
Set in the volatile Paris summer of 1938, The Age of Reason follows two days in the life of Mathieu Delarue, a philosophy teacher, and his circle in the cafes and bars of Montparnasse. Mathieu has so far managed to contain sex and personal freedom in conveniently separate compartments. But now he is in trouble, urgently trying to raise 4,000...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Reprieve
It is September 1938 and during a heatwave, Europe tensely awaits the outcome of the Munich conference, where they will learn if there is to be a war. In Paris, people are waiting too, among them Mathieu, Jacques, and Philippe, each wrestling with their own love affairs, doubts, and angstsโand none of them ready to fight. The second volume in...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Nausea: Popular Penguins
Nausea is both the story of the troubled life of a young writer, Antoine Roquentin, and an exposition of one of the most influential and significant philosophical attitudes of modern times โ existentialism. The book chronicles his struggle with the realisation that he is an entirely free agent in a world devoid of meaning; a world in which he must...Paperback$1699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Iron in the Soul
June 1940 was the summer of defeat for the French soldiers, deserted by their officers, utterly demoralised, awaiting the Armistice. Day by day, hour by hour, Iron in the Soul unfolds what men thought and felt and did as France fell. Men who shrugged, men who ran, men who fought and tragic men like Mathieu, who had dedicated his life...Paperback$3400Elsewhere:$3700Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
On Revolution
Iconic French novelist, playwright, and essayist, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), is widely recognised as one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century, whose work has remained relevant and thought-provoking through the decades. The Seagull Sartre Library now presents some of his most incisive philosophical, cultural, and literary critical essays in twelve newly designed volumes. On Revolution includes a long...Paperback$3900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Truth and Existence
Truth and Existence, written in response to Martin Heidegger's Essence of Truth, is a product of the years when Sartre was reaching full stature as a philosopher, novelist, playwright, essayist, and political activist. This concise and engaging text not only presents Sartre's ontology of truth but also addresses the key moral questions of freedom, action, and bad faith. Truth and...Paperback$3599Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
The Family Idiot
An approachable abridgment of Sartreโs important analysis of Flaubert. From 1981 to 1994, the University of Chicago Press published a five-volume translation of Jean-Paul Sartreโs The Family Idiot: Gustave Flaubert, 1821-1857, a sprawling masterwork by one of the greatest intellects of the twentieth century. This new volume delivers a compact abridgment of the original by renowned Sartre scholar, Joseph Catalano....Paperback$4999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
The Family Idiot
An approachable abridgment of Sartreโs important analysis of Flaubert. From 1981 to 1994, the University of Chicago Press published a five-volume translation of Jean-Paul Sartreโs The Family Idiot: Gustave Flaubert, 1821-1857, a sprawling masterwork by one of the greatest intellects of the twentieth century. This new volume delivers a compact abridgment of the original by renowned Sartre scholar, Joseph Catalano....Hardback$18899Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
On Modern Art
Iconic French novelist, playwright and essayist, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905โ1980) is widely recognized as one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century, whose work has remained relevant and thought-provoking through the decades. The Seagull Sartre Library now presents some of his most incisive philosophical, cultural, and literary critical essays in twelve newly designed volumes. Sartre was a prodigious commentator...Paperback$3900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Being and Nothingness
Revisit one of the most important pillars in modern philosophy with this new English translationโthe first in more than 60 yearsโof Jean-Paul Sartre's seminal treatise on existentialism. This is a philosophy to be reckoned with, both for its own intrinsic power and as a profound symptom of our time (The New York Times). In 1943, Jean-Paul Sartre published his masterpiece,...Paperback$6400Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks
More from Philosophy & Psychology
View all-
12% off
Eat Your Ice Cream
The New York Times bestseller that presents a bold new vision for living well and ageing with purpose from a world-renowned health expert THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a leading doctor and world-renowned health expert, the simple, uplifting and practical guide to cutting through the wellness noise, living well and ageing with purpose. โEssential reading for anyone who...Paperback$2800Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Winner's Formula
The Neuroscience of Peak Performance, Success, and Happiness Why do some people win all the time? Why do others languish? From Olympians to Formula 1 drivers, addicts to billionaires, cognitive neuroscientist Dr Kerry Spackman has spent decades working to help people understand how to succeed. In The Winner's Formula, Kerry explains what goes on in your brain when you are...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Inside the Box
How to do more with less and use limits to stimulate creativity, innovation and collaboration, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Range. We live in a world that gives us seemingly infinite choices and values freedom above all else. We have an unprecedented number of options regarding what to do, who to be and how to spend our time....Paperback$3000Elsewhere:$3900Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseMauritau
A journal to find balance with the 12 states of Mauri. Mauri is the pulse of wellbeing - the spark that makes you uniquely you. In Mauritau, clinical psychologist Jessica Gerbic introduces the 12 states of Mauri and shows how intentional awareness can guide your sense of balance across mind, body, spirit, environment and whฤnau. From Mauri Oho, a sudden...Hardback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Tell Me Where It Hurts
Leading expert Rachel Zoffness bridges the gap between medicine and psychology to get to the heart of treating pain We can move the dial on pain Every one of us will experience pain, be it back pain, the pain of childbirth, or living in an ageing body. Not a single one of us will escape. But what if everything you...Hardback$6500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...Paperback$1299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Better Never Stops
The Art and Science of Continuous Improvement From delinquent to doctor, Paul Wood knows first-hand how far we can take our lives if we address what holds us back. At the age of 18, Wood was sent to New Zealand's toughest prison. Almost 11 years later, in 2006, he walked out a free man, escaping his past and becoming a...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Strong Ground
#1ย New York Timesย bestselling author Brenรฉ Brown returns with an urgent call to reimagine the essentials of courageous leadership. In a time when uncertainty runs deep and bluster, hubris and even cruelty are increasingly framed as acceptable leadership, Brown delivers practical, actionable insights that illuminate the mindsets and skill sets essential to reclaiming focus and driving growth through connection, discipline and...Hardback$4000Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Book of Awakening
A new edition of the #1 NYT's bestseller by Mark Nepo, who has been called "one of the finest spiritual guides of our time" and "a consummate storyteller." Immerse yourself in The Book of Awakening, a compelling spiritual daybook by philosopher-poet and cancer survivor, Mark Nepo. This remarkable work is a profound manual for living a more deeply connected and...Paperback$3999Elsewhere:$4499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Meditations for Mortals
From the author of the global bestseller Four Thousand Weeks, a liberating four-week journey towards a saner, freer, more meaningful, more enchantment-filled life. Meditations for Mortals takes us on a liberating journey towards a more meaningful life - one that begins not with fantasies of the ideal existence, but with the reality in which we actually find ourselves. Addressing the...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
13% off
The Stimulated Mind
A practical, empowering plan to boost your day-to-day brain function and prevent dementia - by a renowned neuroscientist and performance coach. 'From day one I was always blown away by Dr Tommy Wood's command of the science from which he communicates.' - Dr Peter Attia, bestselling author of Outlive- The Science and Art of Longevity 'As global health declines, Dr...Paperback$3300Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
