Montesquieu: Let There Be Enlightenment

A new critical edition of Montesquieu's complete works has been published, leading to new translations and studies. This compact biography provides an introduction to his thought and a synthesis of current knowledge about his life and work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 262 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Since the last English biography of Montesquieu, written by Shackleton in 1961, Montesquieu scholarship has undergone a remarkable renewal. This scholarly endeavor culminated in the publication of a critical edition of his complete works, spanning twenty-two volumes, which is currently in progress. Since 1998, this new edition of Montesquieu's complete works has significantly altered our understanding of the philosopher and his methods, leading to the translation of new works and the initiation of further studies. Moreover, in 1994, several thousand manuscript pages were made accessible to the public, continuing to fuel scholarly curiosity. The author of this concise biography, originally published by Gallimard in 2017, is the director of the critical edition of Montesquieu's works and the foremost expert on the philosopher. This book serves as an introduction to Montesquieu's thought and a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge about his life and work. It is filled with insightful observations and revised judgments about Montesquieu and his profound impact on the European Enlightenment.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 160 x 235 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009249096