The Australian biographer Hazel Rowley, in Tête-à-Tête (2005), described many of Simone de Beauvoir's books as 'fat doorstoppers'. She was right about the best-known works, especially The Second Sex, The Coming of Age and the novel The Mandarins, the shortest of which runs to 607 pages! It's easy to get lost in Simone's immense output of books, letters, diaries, words and ideas. This lively, interactive seminar offers an accessible introduction to her major works and a chance to explore and grapple with some of her influential and enduring ideas, and their impact on the lives of women and men. A pre-seminar handout on The Mandarins, winner of the 1954 Prix Goncourt, includes some 'food for thinking' discussion questions. Designed for curious lifelong learners who enjoy thoughtful, respectful conversation.

DELIVERY MODE

Face to face

COURSE RESOURCES

• Simone de Beauvoir's major works, The Second Sex, Coming of Age, and The Mandarins
• A Very Easy Death (1964) – Une morte tres douce, Pantheon NY, (Recommended easy reading – takes about a day – very different to the others)
• https://www.stephaniedowrick.com - creative journal 

COURSE OUTLINE

• Reflect and discuss Simone's major works
• Assess dialogue with others on their own personal impacts, as well as broader societal effects upon women and men.
• Hear and discuss seminal works by a Big thinker-writer-philosopher whose works and impact still reverberate 40 years after her passing
• A pre-seminar handout will be provided on The Mandarins (with some ‘food for thinking' discussion questions), that won the Parisian Prix de Goncourt book prize in 1954. Designed for curious and lifelong learners, this seminar encourages people who enjoy civil discourse, thoughtful dialogue, respectful exchange of ideas, and critical engagement. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• An informed and practical understanding of one of the ground-breaking authors of the mid-20th century.
• Greater confidence in engaging with Beauvoir's writings and applying her insights.