I wrote this review for Amazon:
I read this biography because it was impossible for me to read Letters to Sartre without some assistance. I found myself completely engaged in this biography - it was a truly fascinating read. The chapters are usually less than 15 pages long, which I find makes for easier reading. There are extensive notes that expound upon statements, provide details of how others interpreted aspects of Simone's life and work, and site sources/references. It gets a little tedious going back and forth, but I'm glad Bair felt the need to include them.
Simone stated on numerous occasions - in interviews with Bair and in her autobiographies - that it was impossible to write about herself without writing about Sartre; this became quite clear early on because their lives were so intertwined. The story of their relationship is amazing - I found myself appalled, touched, envious, angered and saddened as I read about the progression of their friendship. While it's hard to sympathize with Simone, I found myself really disliking Sartre because it seemed like most of the time, all he did was take while Simone did nothing but give - which she seemed okay with, whether this is how she saw it or not.
The only reason I am not giving this biography five stars is that Bair relied on Simone extensively for information. Simone admitted herself that she wasn't 100% truthful/accurate in her autobiographies and memoirs and I believe she had a history of deceiving biographers. And apparently, she lied to Bair also. She told Bair that she never had sexual relationships with women when in fact she did (she details these in her letters to Sartre) and she stated that her letters to Sartre were unemotional and short - just quick jottings down of her day to day life (her letters could be quite emotional and very lengthy). I am curious to know if she really believed she was telling the truth when she told Bair - and others - that most of her letters to Sartre were missing or if she was intentionally deceptive.
Bair spent a decent amount of space on Simone's fiction and she frequently correlates events with the autobiographies in the notes (she lets the reader know about the 'corrections' Simone made in her interviews with Bair and made note of inconsistencies). I am grateful for this biography because I now want to read more of Simone's work that I had not previously wanted to (particularly America Day by Day and Adieux: A Farewell to Sartre).
I read this biography because it was impossible for me to read Letters to Sartre without some assistance. I found myself completely engaged in this biography - it was a truly fascinating read. The chapters are usually less than 15 pages long, which I find makes for easier reading. There are extensive notes that expound upon statements, provide details of how others interpreted aspects of Simone's life and work, and site sources/references. It gets a little tedious going back and forth, but I'm glad Bair felt the need to include them.
Simone stated on numerous occasions - in interviews with Bair and in her autobiographies - that it was impossible to write about herself without writing about Sartre; this became quite clear early on because their lives were so intertwined. The story of their relationship is amazing - I found myself appalled, touched, envious, angered and saddened as I read about the progression of their friendship. While it's hard to sympathize with Simone, I found myself really disliking Sartre because it seemed like most of the time, all he did was take while Simone did nothing but give - which she seemed okay with, whether this is how she saw it or not.
The only reason I am not giving this biography five stars is that Bair relied on Simone extensively for information. Simone admitted herself that she wasn't 100% truthful/accurate in her autobiographies and memoirs and I believe she had a history of deceiving biographers. And apparently, she lied to Bair also. She told Bair that she never had sexual relationships with women when in fact she did (she details these in her letters to Sartre) and she stated that her letters to Sartre were unemotional and short - just quick jottings down of her day to day life (her letters could be quite emotional and very lengthy). I am curious to know if she really believed she was telling the truth when she told Bair - and others - that most of her letters to Sartre were missing or if she was intentionally deceptive.
Bair spent a decent amount of space on Simone's fiction and she frequently correlates events with the autobiographies in the notes (she lets the reader know about the 'corrections' Simone made in her interviews with Bair and made note of inconsistencies). I am grateful for this biography because I now want to read more of Simone's work that I had not previously wanted to (particularly America Day by Day and Adieux: A Farewell to Sartre).
