Moment d’un couple par Nelly Alard (review)

Reviews 251 admiration of Abraham, the “unknown God” (59). They share a desire to radicalize Christian religion. Greenspan’s “Maurice Blanchot: Spaces of Literature/Spaces of Religion” emphasizes the ambivalence of Blanchot toward Kierkegaard. Blanchot’s quarrel is directed at the fraudulent notion of the“mask”: Kierkegaard wishes to reveal himself,while writing about solitude.José Miranda Justo’s“Gilles Deleuze: Kierkegaard’s Presence in his Writings”underscores Deleuze’s articulation of four“propositions”in relation to Kierkegaard’s works: repetition as an overture; the divergence between repetition and the laws of nature; repetition in contrast to moral law; and, “memory criticism” (86). Timmann Mjaaland (“Jacques Derrida: Faithful Heretics”) indicates that Derrida was influenced by the premise of religion in the philosopher’s writings. “Jacques Ellul: Kierkegaard’s Profound and Seldom Acknowledged Influence on Ellul’s Writings,” by Pike Cabral, reveals the belief Kierkegaard and Ellul share: that individualism is the path to faith,in opposition to Christendom,which prevents its achievement. Irina (“Pierre Hadot: Philosophy as a Way of Life: Hadot and Kierkegaard’s Socrates”) accentuates the connection between both authors in relation to ancient Greek philosophers . The modern individual can lean on their writings to resolve his struggles. Hanson (“Emmanuel Levinas: An Ambivalent but Decisive Reception”) stresses that Levinas was somewhat reluctant to praise Kierkegaard. Levinas was particularly in disagreement with him as an inspiration for Judaism. In addition, he felt the philosopher was a “thinker of egotism” and aggressive in his thoughts. Leo Stan (“Jean-Luc Marion: The Paradoxical Givenness of Love”) conveys the quarrel Marion has with Kierkegaard. The former views Christ as “an entirely unforeseeable event” in contrast with the latter who conceives Christ as “an absolute or eternally offensive paradox” (229). Rasmussen’s “Paul Ricœur: On Kierkegaard, the Limits of Philosophy, and the Consolation of Hope” imparts the influence of Kierkegaard on Ricœur in terms of forgiveness and anguish. Ricœur was particularly affected by What we Learn from the Lilies in the Field and the Birds of the Air (1847), a text both men regarded as a “Godly diversion”(252) through which humans can lessen their affliction.A brilliant example of scholarship, this well-referenced collection will appeal to specialists. Ohio University Yolande Aline Helm Creative Works edited by Jean-François Duclos Alard, Nelly. Moment d’un couple. Paris: Gallimard, 2013. ISBN 978-2-07-0141951 . Pp. 376. 20 a. In her second novel, Alard (Prix Roger Nimier, 2010) portrays a married couple in conflict. Juliette learns, through her husband Olivier’s admission, of his affair with Victoire, a work associate with whom he has fallen in love. Contrary to typical accounts of conjugal life that end because of infidelity, this story, by focusing alternately on the characters’ feelings, portrays the manner in which Juliette and Olivier collaborate in order to save their marriage. For Olivier, the affair fulfills a need to feel valued. Juliette rejected him sexually after the birth of their second child, and then demoralized him further by saying: “Je ne suis pas sûre de vouloir vieillir avec toi” (117). She thereby voiced his biggest fear, namely that he did not measure up to his wife’s expectations for him as a husband and a father.Whereas Olivier considers Juliette to be ultra-critical of his behavior, he feels the complete approval of Victoire in “ses regards extasiés et [ses] manifestations bruyantes du plaisir qu’il lui donnait”(123).Although he professes his ongoing love for Juliette,Olivier is disinclined to end his affair withVictoire.Olivier’s honesty with Juliette spurs her into action to salvage their marriage. She readily accepts her share of responsibility for the impasse that they have reached. Couples’counseling and her own soul-searching lead her to understand that their communication styles diverge completely: “[L]es mots pour lui, pour elle[-même], n’avaient pas le même sens” (82). If she wants to discuss a problem until it is resolved, Olivier often prefers to ruminate in silence first. She therefore realizes that reaching Olivier emotionally must be on his terms, that is, sexually, in bed. She also comprehends that the breakup of her marriage with Olivier would signify...