Idée Fixe: The Collected Works of Paul Valéry, Volume 5
Sep 2026 · Princeton University Press
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An informal dialogue of ideas in which Valéry paints a witty portrait of himself
Offhand, personal, and amusing, Paul Valéry’s Idée Fixe is an informal imaginative dialogue of ideas in which two men vacationing at the sea seek refuge from boredom by engaging in intellectual banter about human nature, the mind, and the haphazard relationship between humans and the world. Since the first-person speaker is unmistakably Valéry, the dialogue is perhaps more than anything else a wry self-portrait of a spare, dapper, and nervous figure whose feverish mind seldom allows him to rest—or anyone else to talk.
The Collected Works of Paul Valéry, the first collected edition of the writer in English, features new translations, the original French on facing pages for poetic works, and editorial notes.
Offhand, personal, and amusing, Paul Valéry’s Idée Fixe is an informal imaginative dialogue of ideas in which two men vacationing at the sea seek refuge from boredom by engaging in intellectual banter about human nature, the mind, and the haphazard relationship between humans and the world. Since the first-person speaker is unmistakably Valéry, the dialogue is perhaps more than anything else a wry self-portrait of a spare, dapper, and nervous figure whose feverish mind seldom allows him to rest—or anyone else to talk.
The Collected Works of Paul Valéry, the first collected edition of the writer in English, features new translations, the original French on facing pages for poetic works, and editorial notes.
An informal dialogue of ideas in which Valéry paints a witty portrait of himself
Offhand, personal, and amusing, Paul Valéry’s Idée Fixe is an informal imaginative dialogue of ideas in which two men vacationing at the sea seek refuge from boredom by engaging in intellectual banter about human na...
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About the author
Paul Valéry (1871–1945) was a French poet, essayist, and critic and a major figure in twentieth-century literature. In addition to his poetry, his best-known works include the novel Monsieur Teste and his posthumously published Notebooks.
Paul Valéry (1871–1945) was a French poet, essayist, and critic and a major figure in twentieth-century literature. In addition to his poetry, his best-known works include the novel Monsieur Teste and his posthumously published Notebooks.
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