Colette (European Perspectives: A Series in Social Thought and Cultural Criticism) (Paperback)

by Professor Julia Kristeva (Author), Professor Jane Marie Todd (Translator) "Finally, a Frenchwoman, after Hannah Arendt and Melanie Klein!" some of my readers exclaim approvingly, relieved to hear Colette's name announced..." (more)
Key Phrases: The Ripening Seed, Melanie Klein, Henry de Jouvenel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this final volume of her trilogy on female genius (Hannah Arendt; Malanie Klein), Parisian linguistics professor Kristeva employs her prodigious arsenal of feminist scholarship and psychoanalytic prowess to prove why the French author of Cheri and Gigi deserves such intellectual distinction. A writer, dancer and sexual gourmand, Colette was the sort of woman who took boxing lessons in order to acquire "the most vicious punch possible." Seducing both male and female lovers (including her own stepson), the thrice married and intensely prolific aesthete ignored the sexual mores of her time and sublimated her lifestyle in a lyrical prose that Kristeva equates with the light-filled palettes of Poussin and Watteau. Expertly translated by Todd, the dense biography is a fascinating read for lovers of belle-lettres, but it assumes that readers already possess a substantial familiarity with Colette’s work. After breezing through the author’s life, Kristeva launches into a close reading of all seven movements to 1905’s Tendrils of the Vine (even breaking down the title by its vocal vibrations) and proceeds to scrutinize Colette’s strained relationship with her mother, Sido. Kristeva is at her best when she uses psychoanalysis to explore the "perverse acts" that punctuated Colette’s life, noting that for Colette, "writing itself appears as a substitute for erotic pleasure and the text as a fetish." Clearly in awe of her subject, Kristeva candidly admits that she feels "all the humility of the immigrant when faced with her language, over which she asserts her irrevocable mastery," and does her idol proud by completing a rousing, academically rigorous, detailing of her life. 3 pages of b&w photos.
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Review
"This scholarly biography, published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Colette's death, is not a scandal sheet but a psychoanalysis of Colette in which Kristeva uses psycholinguistics to explore the author's work and life... Recommended for academic libraries." -- Library Journal "Persuasive and entertaining. As an account of how Colette's writing works through vivid and sexualized metaphor, it's quite superb... Kristeva and Colette are a brilliant coupling." -- The Times (London) "part psychoanalysis, part apologia--all based in love." -- Julia Balen, Women's Review of Books "A major study on a figure who remains one of France's most underrated writers." -- Julien Bisson, France Today "This is a wonderful book by one of the finest minds of our time." -- Michael Payne, Daily Item

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (November 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231128975
• ISBN-13: 978-0231128971
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #414,720 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)