Order of Things

When one defines "order" as a sorting of priorities, it becomes clear as to what Foucault is doing here. He weaves an intensely complex history of thought. He dips into literature, art, economics and even biology in "Order of Things", possibly one of the most significant yet most overlooked works of the twentieth century. Eclipsed by his later work on power and discourse, nonetheless it was "Order of Things" that established Foucault's reputation as an intellectual giant. Pirouetting around the outer edge of language, Foucault unsettles the surface of literary writing. In describing the limitations of our usual taxonomies, he opens the door onto a whole new system of thought, one ripe with what he calls "exotic charm". This book should be crucial reading for those who wish to gain insight into that odd beast called Postmodernism, and a must for any fan of Foucault.

'Foucault's most important work.' - Hayden V. White'One is left with a sense of real and original force' - George Steiner'The work numbers among those outward signs of culture the trained eye should find on prominent display in every private library. Have you read it? One's social and intellectual standing depends on the response.' - Michel de Certeau

Michel Foucault (1926-84). Celebrated French thinker and activist who challenged people's assumptions about care of the mentally ill, gay rights, prisons, the police and welfare.

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