Fire Alarm

Description

This illuminating study of Benjamins final essay helps unlock the mystery of this great philosopher

Revolutionary critic of the philosophy of progress, nostalgic of the past yet dreaming of the future, romantic partisan of materialismWalter Benjamin is in every sense of the word an unclassifiable philosopher. His essay On the Concept of History was written in a state of urgency, as he attempted to escape the Gestapo in 1940, before finally committing suicide.

In this scrupulous, clear and fascinating examination of this essay, Michael Lwy argues that it remains one of the most important philosophical and political writings of the twentieth century. Looking in detail at Benjamins celebrated but often mysterious text, and restoring the philosophical, theological and political context, Lwy highlights the complex relationship between redemption and revolution in Benjamins philosophy of history.