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Herald of a Restless World

How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People

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Herald of a Restless World

By: Emily Herring
Narrated by: Esther Wane
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About this listen

 As heard on Radio 4's Free Thinking

The first English-language biography of Henri Bergson, the philosopher who defined individual creativity and transformed twentieth century thought.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Henri Bergson became the most famous philosopher on earth. Where prior thinkers sketched out a predictable universe, he asserted the transformative power of consciousness and creativity. An international celebrity, he made headlines around the world debating luminaries like Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein about free will and time. The vision of creative evolution and freedom he presented was so disruptive that the New York Times branded him "the most dangerous man in the world."

In the first English-language biography of Bergson, Emily Herring traces how his celebration of the time-bending uniqueness of individual experience struck a chord with those shaken by modern technological and social change. Bergson captivated a society in flux like no other. Long after he faded from public view, his insights into memory, time, joy and creativity continue to shape our perceptions to this day. Herald of a Restless World is an electrifying portrait of a singular intellect.©2024 Emily Herring (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Epistemology Metaphysics Philosophers Funny Humanism
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Critic reviews

From perfumed ladies to the end-of-life mud baths, this beautifully written book tells the story of a seemingly unassuming, bowler-hatted Frenchman, whose philosophy would sweep the world. Its profound ideas - evolution, consciousness, time - are explored with depth and humour in a way that is, appropriately, creative and new. Herring has captured the magic and the mystique of Bergson (Emily Thomas, author of THE MEANING OF TRAVEL)
Henri Bergson thought nothing could be learned about a philosopher's ideas by studying their life. Herring proves him very wrong in this engaging biography of the Parisian thinker who accidentally became an international celebrity (Nigel Warburton, author of A LITTLE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY)
With flair and verve, Herring unveils the life and philosophy of the enchanting and trailblazing icon of change and creativity: Henri Bergson. The result is a fascinating biography and magnificent revival of this brilliant thinker who was once the most influential philosopher in the world. Herring's beautifully compelling narrative shows how Bergson's ideas still hold the power to illuminate the human experience and the meaning of life (Skye Cleary, author of HOW TO BE AUTHENTIC)
Thanks to Herring, Bergson is back - and it's about time (Matthew Sweet, broadcaster and author)
Insightful . . . a much-needed reintroduction of Bergson to English-language readers (Wall Street Journal)
The most intellectually stimulating book I read this year . . . Bergsonism is definitely due a revival (John Banville, New Statesman, Books of the Year)

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How Emily Herring brought Bergson to the masses

This is a great journey through the philosophy and thinking of early C20th Europe. One of John Banville's books of the year, no less! Herring has the knack of relating complex ideas in an accessible, humorous and stimulating way, bringing to life her subject's key ideas (eg elan vital, creative evolution, duree) and his vertiginous rise to fame (and the aftermath of his run-ins with Bertrand Russell and Einstein.) Highly recommended!

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Fascinating

A wonderful overview of an interesting man. It would be useful to know French while listening.

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