I just completed book three of the Blogger's Book Club, Tete-a-Tete: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre by Hazel Rowley.
They are one of the world's legendary couples. We can't think of one without thinking of the other. Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre -- those passionate, freethinking existentialist philosopher-writers -- had a committed but notoriously open union that generated no end of controversy. With Tête-à-Tête, distinguished biographer Hazel Rowley offers the first dual portrait of these two colossal figures and their intense, often embattled relationship. Through original interviews and access to new primary sources, Rowley portrays them up close, in their most intimate moments.
The impact of their writings on modern thought cannot be overestimated, but Beauvoir and Sartre are remembered just as much for the lives they led. They were brilliant, courageous, experimental, and Tête-à-Tête makes us feel the passion, energy, daring, humor, and contradictions of this remarkable relationship.
In this joint biography of one of the world's legendary couples, Rowley begins with their meeting in 1929 and traces their relationship through World War II, occupied Paris, the fame that came to the both as writers, and their final years together.
Simone de Beauvoir (referred to as the Beaver by Sartre) and Jean-Paul Sartre met during 1929 while preparing for university exams in Paris. The two young intellectuals became inseparable, their relationship ending only with Sartre's death in 1980 (Beauvoir lived until 1986). By then they had both achieved fame separately and together.
More than just a chronicle of Beauvoir and Sartre's relationship, Tête-à-Tête is in fact the story of many relationships. Although Beauvoir and Sartre were a committed couple from 1929 until Sartre's death neither were monogamous. Sartre especially was known for his numerous affairs. Rowley delves into the extent to which he juggled and supported his many mistresses and the compulsive need he had to seduce women far more beautiful than himself. Beauvoir did manage to have some passionate affairs of her own and several lovers were even shared between them.
Beauvoir and Sartre were without a doubt two of the most brilliant and scandalous intellectuals of the 20th Century. Theirs was one of the most unconventional love stories. I found myself mesmerized by the book yet appalled by many things I read. Their sexual high jinks make the stuff of tabloids seem tame and conventional by comparison. I found Sartre to be a 20th century cad much of the time and the lies he told infuriating. His appeal is beyond my comprehension. Also, due to the fact that there are so many seductions taking place throughout the book it is easy to become confused. Overall though I found the book to be thoroughly researched and well written. It's definitely one of the more captivating biographies that I've read in recent years. So, what did you think?
I just completed book three of the Blogger's Book Club, Tete-a-Tete: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre by Hazel Rowley. 
