Gives an introduction to Simone de Beauvoir's philosophical thought. This study examines the history of her development into one of the most original thinkers of her era. It begins with an account of Beauvoir's formation as a philosopher, and then explores her early writing on philosophical method and the ways this shaped her fiction.

Clear, accessible and lively, this book is essential reading not only for students of Beauvoir but for anyone interested in the submerged record of women's impact on philosophy.

Introduction.
1. The Education of a Philosopher.
2. Writing for her Life.
3. Literature and Philosophy.
4. Narrative Selves.
5. Embodiment and Intersubjectivity.
6. The Ethics of Liberation.
7. Applied Ethics I: The Second Sex.
8. Applied Ethics II: Les Belles Images, The Woman Destroyed, and Old Age.
Notes.
Glossary.
The Works of Simone de Beauvoir.
Index.