Dear all,

We were expecting a good turnout for this lecture on Simone de Beauvoir and those of you who were able to participate were richly rewarded!

It was the first time that the Cercle Français de Taunton offered a subject that encompassed philosophy, feminism and literature, a deep and didactic subject and we can say that it was a success.

Indeed, in all we were 46 participants in this unique lecture on Saturday evening in the company of our speaker, Annie Kean, who through her knowledge and professionalism excited us and taught us so many aspects about the life of the famous French philosopher and writer Simone de Beauvoir, starting with her youth, her brilliant studies, her random love affairs, her many writings, her travels and also her fascinating relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre.

Of her most famous writings, we must mention The Guest, The Second Sex and The Mandarins.
In The Second Sex Simone de Beauvoir is committed to contraception and abortion, and becomes an icon of feminism.

Her love life is just as interesting because although she and Jean-Paul Sartre both agree that their love is necessary, it does not prevent them from having other relationships including that with Nelson Algren who meant so much to Simone de Beauvoir.

The visual presentation and detailed information given by Annie Kean allowed us to get to know this great figure of French literature, Simone de Beauvoir. Your thank-you messages testify that you really enjoyed this remarkable lecture. Thank you for your feedback which we always appreciate.

Annie Kean found your questions interesting especially when you made comparisons with British feminist writers like Mary Wollstonecraft. Many thanks for your contributions to the discussion that followed the talk.

Many of you have expressed your desire to either re-read or read for the first time certain works by Simone de Beauvoir. That's wonderful!

As always, you will find on this website some slides sent by Annie Kean by going to the programme for the 2020/2021 season and then on January 9th.

Our next talk will be given on 6th February by Thierry Viennois, who is, like Annie, an independent speaker as well as a speaker for the Alliance Française, whose subject will be Le XXème siècle 'drawn' by Tintin.
Another fascinating subject which will enable us to see the twentieth century world through the adventures of this character from the famous comic books by Hergé.

We look forward to seeing you there as always!

Take good care of yourselves!

Regards

Josiane and the whole team of the Cercle Français de Taunton committee