{"product_id":"the-work-of-mourning-9780226143163","title":"The Work of Mourning","description":"\u003cp\u003eJacques Derrida is  in the words of the New York Times  \"perhaps the worlds most famous philosopherif not the only famous philosopher.\" He often provokes controversy as soon as his name is mentioned. But he also inspires the respect that comes from an illustrious career  and  among many who were his colleagues and peers  he inspired friendship. The Work of Mourning is a collection that honors those friendships in the wake of passing.  Gathered here are textsletters of condolence  memorial essays  eulogies  funeral orationswritten after the deaths of well-known figures: Roland Barthes  Paul de Man  Michel Foucault  Louis Althusser  Edmond Jabs  Louis Marin  Sarah Kofman  Gilles Deleuze  Emmanuel Levinas  Jean-Franois Lyotard  Max Loreau  Jean-Marie Benoist  Joseph Riddel  and Michel Servire.  With his words  Derrida bears witness to the singularity of a friendship and to the absolute uniqueness of each relationship. In each case  he is acutely aware of the questions of tact  taste  and ethical responsibility involved in speaking of the deadthe risks of using the occasion for ones own purposes  political calculation  personal vendetta  and the expiation of guilt. More than a collection of memorial addresses  this volume sheds light not only on Derridas relation to some of the most prominent French thinkers of the past quarter century but also on some of the most important themes of Derridas entire oeuvre-mourning  the \"gift of death \" time  memory  and friendship itself.  \"In his rapt attention to his subjects work and their influence upon him  the book also offers a hesitant and tangential retelling of Derridas own life in French philosophical history. There are illuminating and playful anecdoteshow Lyotard led Derrida to begin using a word-processor; how Paul de Man talked knowledgeably of jazz with Derridas son. Anyone who still thinks that Derrida is a facetious punster will find such resentful prejudice unable to survive a reading of this beautiful work.\"Steven Poole  Guardian  \"Strikingly simpa meditations on friendship  on shared vocations and avocations and on philosophy and history.\"Publishers Weekly\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45648330358837,"sku":"ByrdShop_0226143163","price":40.92,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780226143163.jpg?v=1781715931","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-work-of-mourning-9780226143163","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}