Overview

A meditation on the social political and philosophical questions of ageing A few years ago, Didier Eribon's mother began to lose her physical and cognitive autonomy. After several months of resistance, Eribon and his brothers were compelled to place her in a nursing home. A few short weeks later, his mother passed away. In The Life, Old Age, and Death of a Working-Class Woman, Eribon continues the historical, political and personal reflection he began with Returning to Reims, this time turning his attention to the end of life. Tracing his mother's rapid decline, and drawing on works by Simone de Beauvoir, Norbert Elias, Annie Ernaux and Michel Foucault, among others, Eribon transmutes his rage, sadness and the shame over her death into a strikingly nuanced portrait of the woman who raised him. Here, Eribon asks- how does our society treat the elderly? What is the place of bodies that can no longer assemble, discuss freedom or protest? Can the completely dependent speak for themselves - and if not, who can speak for them? An honest, original and wide-ranging exploration of the relationship between ageing and class, politics and literature, this is a profound meditation on a fundamental human experience, too often overlooked.

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9780241686720

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Reviews

Praise for Returning to Reims: A deeply intelligent and searching book, one that makes you re-consider the narrative of your own life and reframe the story you tell yourself... Didier Eribon understands how deep the roots of inequality go -- Hilary Mantel Praise for Returning to Reims: Eribon's memoir is fascinating: full of fretful honesty * The Times * Praise for Returning to Reims: Eribon offers up a magnificent example of an enlightened life liberated by theory, written in a style that deftly moves between the intimate, the social and the political -- Annie Ernaux

A frank and moving story . . . an urgent plea for the elderly to be treated with more respect -- Helen Brown * Telegraph * Searingly honest . . . I found it compelling, hard to read and hard to put down -- Norma Clarke * Literary Review * Praise for Returning to Reims -- - * : * A deeply intelligent and searching book, one that makes you re-consider the narrative of your own life and reframe the story you tell yourself... Didier Eribon understands how deep the roots of inequality go -- Hilary Mantel Eribon offers up a magnificent example of an enlightened life liberated by theory, written in a style that deftly moves between the intimate, the social and the political -- Annie Ernaux Returning to Reims played a capital role in my life... I was overwhelmed by this book. I felt I was reading the story of my life -- Edouard Louis A brilliant little book...a touching memoir of sexual awakening, and a gallery of philosophical ideas and characters -- Steven Poole * Guardian * Eribon's memoir is fascinating: full of fretful honesty, battling with shame around his background and shame at being ashamed * The Times * This is a self-excoriating memoir... [Eribon] writes as someone who has scrubbed hard at the markings of destiny -- Marina Benjamin * New Statesman * A stunning book -- vital and important -- Andrew McMillan

Author Information

Didier Eribon is a prominent French sociologist and author on matters of social class, identity, sexuality and rebellion. He is internationally renowned for his biography of Michel Foucault and his groundbreaking memoir Returning to Reims.

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