Fascinating memorabilia

He is an author of the journal Human Sciences, Jean-François Dortier, motivated me to read this mesmerizing book by Paul Veyne. Indeed, in a number of chronic November 2014, he said he liked the book, to the point where he gave his copy to a friend to buy a second for himself. However, it notes that there is considerable overlap between this book and an earlier work by the same author, Daily and interesting.

Paul Veyne is a noted historian, member of the College de France, which in this book tells us his life - his Provencal childhood, his studies at the École Normale Supérieure, where he rubbed shoulders with Michel Foucault, Gérard Genette and others of even temper, his work as a teacher at the Sorbonne ... It proceeds chronologically but often interrupts his narrative to focus on certain themes - for example, joining more or less enthusiastic Communist Party in the 50s or his love of mountaineering. Throughout the book, he focuses on his career, which did not leave me interested.

But the last chapter, that touched me, he tells us his family life - including premature deaths of his two son and the long depression of his wife Estelle that follows.

Octogenarian when writing these memories, Veyne has nothing to prove to anyone. In an accessible style, he tells us what motivated and passionate in life with great candor, scholarship and humility.