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guyphilippe's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
honeyedprodigal's review against another edition
5.0
Impossible to pick any one perfect quote to summarize my feelings. Annotated the hell out of it. Going to return again and again and again
leir's review against another edition
3.0
— la sottigliezza delle sue sopracciglia, delle sue labbra, il colore di smalto dei suoi occhi, un certo neo, un certo modo di tenere le dita fumando; ero affascinato – dato che, alla fin fine, la fascinazione non altro è che il punto estremo del distacco – da quella specie di statuina colorata, smaltata, vetrificata, nella quale potevo leggere, senza capirci nulla —
untimelyethos's review against another edition
4.0
Although at first I struggled with the writing style and the wandering quality of themes, I came to appreciate reading this in doses. I relished the pithiness, as it provided mental space to ponder.
This book is essentially about the underbelly of love: The anxiety of waiting for the lover, the annoyance and sometimes utter meaninglessness of saying "I love you," the insecurity of being ignored or not heard, the admiration and envy of your rivals (those who also love your lover), the banality of discourse or conversation, the embarrassment of dependence.
No loving relationship is without mundanity or inherent loneliness, yet society seems to exist in extremes: heralding the honeymoon, lambasting the less attractive portions of love. I found it refreshing to read something that was neither fairytale, nor trist dystopian novel.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"I can perfectly well inhabit what does not make me happy; I can simultaneously complain and endure; I can reject the meaning of the structure I submit to and traverse without displeasure..."
"...to hide a passion totally is conceivable: not because the human subject is too weak, but because passion is in essence made to be seen: the hiding must be seen...at one and the same time it must be known and unknown...(yet as much as) I want to keep my moral advantage of stoicism, of "dignity"...what I hide by my language, my body utters."
"Joy has no need of heirs or of children--Joy wants itself, wants eternity, the repetition of the same things."
"When two subjects argue...they are already married...The meaning of what is euphemistically called dialog: not to listen to each other, but to submit in common o an egalitarian principle of the distribution of language goods. The partners know that the confrontation in which they are engaged, and which will not separate them, is as inconsequential as a perverse for of pleasure (the scene is a way of taking pleasure without the risk of having children)."
This book is essentially about the underbelly of love: The anxiety of waiting for the lover, the annoyance and sometimes utter meaninglessness of saying "I love you," the insecurity of being ignored or not heard, the admiration and envy of your rivals (those who also love your lover), the banality of discourse or conversation, the embarrassment of dependence.
No loving relationship is without mundanity or inherent loneliness, yet society seems to exist in extremes: heralding the honeymoon, lambasting the less attractive portions of love. I found it refreshing to read something that was neither fairytale, nor trist dystopian novel.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"I can perfectly well inhabit what does not make me happy; I can simultaneously complain and endure; I can reject the meaning of the structure I submit to and traverse without displeasure..."
"...to hide a passion totally is conceivable: not because the human subject is too weak, but because passion is in essence made to be seen: the hiding must be seen...at one and the same time it must be known and unknown...(yet as much as) I want to keep my moral advantage of stoicism, of "dignity"...what I hide by my language, my body utters."
"Joy has no need of heirs or of children--Joy wants itself, wants eternity, the repetition of the same things."
"When two subjects argue...they are already married...The meaning of what is euphemistically called dialog: not to listen to each other, but to submit in common o an egalitarian principle of the distribution of language goods. The partners know that the confrontation in which they are engaged, and which will not separate them, is as inconsequential as a perverse for of pleasure (the scene is a way of taking pleasure without the risk of having children)."
vishmili's review against another edition
4.0
Barthes, like many philosophical writers (at least for me), is by no means an easy read, but something about this one let me really fall into it. It deconstructs love in such a committed and elegant way, that even when I was confused by the density or diction, his words bypassed my (left?) brain and somehow made me *feel* what he was writing - so his writing communicated with me far more effectively in a way. I give it 3.5 stars mostly because this genre isn't my fave, but I'll round up to 4 because the structure and format is so well imagined and executed.
mvolz's review against another edition
3.0
Barthes can be a bit confusing and rambling sometimes, but I'm willing to chalk it up to poor translation. There are some things he conveys quite nicely, however. My favorite essay is "langeur" which doesn't seem to have a direct English translation but for which there are words in at least French and Japanese. It's a kind of desire I experience quite frequently, so it was nice to have a name to put to it, albeit a foreign one.
c_reading's review against another edition
3.0
Review en Français • en Español • in English
Le concept d’utiliser des fragments pour développer un sujet est nouveau pour moi. Je crois que c’est un puissant outil. La structure force le lecteur à réfléchir et a faire les connections entre chaque sujet individuel. L’organisation des idées peut rendre la compréhension fatigante, mais l’auteur l’utilise pour aborder le sujet de l’amour de façon brillante et touchante. Le livre touche aussi aux sujets de la connaissance humaine et de l’expression des idées à travers l’écriture. Je recommande vivement.
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El concepto de utilizar fragmentos para desarrollar un tema es nuevo para mí. Creo que es una increíble herramienta. La estructura obliga a reflexionar a cerca de la conexiones entre cada tema individual. Puede ser cansado por la organización de ideas, mas sin embargo el autor utiliza los fragmentos para escribir sobre el tema del amor de manera brillante y conmovedora. El libro también habla del conocimiento y de la expresión de ideas a través de la escritura. Recomiendo.
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The concept of using fragments to develop a topic is new to me. I think it’s a formidable tool. The structure forces one to think and make connections across each individual topic. It’s a tedious read because of how ideas are organized, but author uses it to talk about the theme of love in a brilliant and touching way. The book also touches upon human knowledge and the expression of ideas through writing. I strongly recommend it.
Le concept d’utiliser des fragments pour développer un sujet est nouveau pour moi. Je crois que c’est un puissant outil. La structure force le lecteur à réfléchir et a faire les connections entre chaque sujet individuel. L’organisation des idées peut rendre la compréhension fatigante, mais l’auteur l’utilise pour aborder le sujet de l’amour de façon brillante et touchante. Le livre touche aussi aux sujets de la connaissance humaine et de l’expression des idées à travers l’écriture. Je recommande vivement.
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El concepto de utilizar fragmentos para desarrollar un tema es nuevo para mí. Creo que es una increíble herramienta. La estructura obliga a reflexionar a cerca de la conexiones entre cada tema individual. Puede ser cansado por la organización de ideas, mas sin embargo el autor utiliza los fragmentos para escribir sobre el tema del amor de manera brillante y conmovedora. El libro también habla del conocimiento y de la expresión de ideas a través de la escritura. Recomiendo.
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The concept of using fragments to develop a topic is new to me. I think it’s a formidable tool. The structure forces one to think and make connections across each individual topic. It’s a tedious read because of how ideas are organized, but author uses it to talk about the theme of love in a brilliant and touching way. The book also touches upon human knowledge and the expression of ideas through writing. I strongly recommend it.