All Men are Mortal

Reference: All Men Are Mortal, Simone de Beauvoir; The Second Sex, Simone de Beauvoir; Camus & Sartre: the story of a friendship and the quarrel that ended it, Ronald Aronson; Being and Nothingness, Sartre

This book is a Tuck Everlasting for adults though I am pretty sure de Beauvoir wrote her book first. I wanted to know what she can say as an existentialist rather than as a feminist (The Second Sex). After all, she did tie Sartre in some philosophy exam.

Anyway, the book is fascinating. It's not literary and the sentences are abruptly put forth one after another. The characters are also so unlikable. Regina, for example, is so infuriating. I can totally understand her, but I hate her because I am afraid to be her. I was really enjoying the interaction between Regina and Forsa... so it was a huge disappointment when I realized that the rest of the book will be only about Fosca and his centuries of immoral actions derived from immortality. yuck.

But Forsa's story is fascinating too. It's so historical. I've just finished the medieval part and I can't wait to see how we'll zoom past history.

This book reminds me of albert. He'd love this book. He annoyed me with his talk about how life is all about distracting ourselves from the inevitability of death. He'll eat this up.

Some quotes:


"There'll be plenty of sign," Roger said gayly.
"But none of them will really be certain. You're lucky not to be ambitious."
He laughed. "What's to top you from imitating me?"
Regina laughed, too, but mirthlessly. "Myself," she replied.

p. 4




"He did exactly what he wanted and he hoped for nothing."
"Is that what's important, then--to do what you want to do?"
"It was important for him."
"And for you?'
"He didn't worry about me."
"But was he right or wrong?"
"I can't answer for him."

p. 58



I have a sudden urge now to read the existentialists. I want to finish that Camus and Sartre friendship book from my humanities class. I want to finish The Second Sex from my sosc class. I want to read being and nothingness.

Can I really read being and nothingness all by myself? Is it possible to read a 800 pg book like that outside of a philosophy class? Will I appreciate it? Will I be THAT interested in reading about bad faith?


well, that was my first real entry. it was so choppy. random. boring. hopefully the blog will get better.