• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Magazine
  • Our Story
  • Buzz Learning
  • Buzz TV
  • Contact Buzz
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Buzz Magazine

Buzz Magazine

What's On in Wales - Your Ultimate Guide

  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Comedy
    • Dance
    • Film
    • Music
    • Sport
    • Theatre
    • TV
  • Life
    • Reviews
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Community
    • Environment
  • Regions
    • South Wales
    • Mid Wales
    • West Wales
    • North Wales
  • What’s On
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Comedy
    • Dance
    • Film
    • Music
    • Sport
    • Theatre
    • TV
  • Life
    • Reviews
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Community
    • Environment
  • Regions
    • South Wales
    • Mid Wales
    • West Wales
    • North Wales
  • What’s On

  • Magazine
  • Our Story
  • Buzz Learning
  • Buzz TV

  • Contact Buzz
  • Write for Buzz
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • FAQs
  • Privacy Policy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
You are here: Home / Culture / Books / THE INTIMATE RESISTANCE: philosophical musings that intrigue and confound

THE INTIMATE RESISTANCE: philosophical musings that intrigue and confound

December 8, 2021 Category: Books, Reviews
Josep Maria Esquirol, The Intimate Resistance - credit Francesc Melcion
Josep Maria Esquirol - credit Francesc Melcion
The Intimate Resistance - Josep Maria Esquirol
The Intimate Resistance – Josep Maria Esquirol

I can’t count the number of writing workshops that I’ve sat through at university where a professor has told us that we shouldn’t write like the philosophers that we read. Sure, I always thought: who would suggest otherwise? Enter Josep Maria Esquirol, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Barcelona, with The Intimate Resistance.

RELATED: ‘Popularised on Instagram, Kate Baer’s ‘erasure’ poetry in I Hope This Finds You Well creates beauty out of bitterness.’

Building on the works of Nietzsche, Esquirol develops the idea of nihilism, explaining how our lives are a form of resistance against it. In his theory, home is a form of sanctuary, medicine is resistance against death, and language can protect us from emptiness… I think. Even armed with two philosophy-based degrees, it takes an excruciating amount of effort to unpick relatively simple concepts.

Some readers may here be thinking, “isn’t that how philosophy is supposed to be written?” No! There appears to have been a deliberate effort to write as convolutedly as possible in The Intimate Resistance, and if so, it worked. As a result, the bursts of thought that build connections between contemporary philosophers are deeply intriguing and the great slabs of uninvited poetry make for pretty but exasperating reading.

The Intimate Resistance, Josep Maria Esquirol [trans. Douglas Suttle] (Fum D’Estampa)

Price: £10.99. Info: here

words ALEX PAYNE

KEEP READING: ‘Chouette, from Claire Oshetsky, uses strange subject matter to question our assumptions about parenthood and children.’

Events are Back!

If you’re running or promoting events in Wales, list them here for FREE.

Learn More
  • Tweet

About Noel Gardner

Noel is the listings, reviews, music and books editor at Buzz and has been doing some or all of these things here since the days of dial-up internet. He was raised in Cornwall, lives in Cardiff and that is more or less all he has ever known.
More

Tag: alex payne, buzz book review, Douglas Suttle, Francesc Melcion, Fum d’Estampa, Joan Maria Esquirol

You may also like:

Captivating true story BELLE GREENE brings forgotten Black trailblazer to light

Sophie Buchaillard’s debut novel THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE sheds fresh light on colonialism

STILL BORN presents a moving & nuanced exploration of motherhood

BAD EMINENCE: James Greer’s biting irony is unlike anything else you’ve read

APERTURE: Llanelli Fleet Street photographer memoir collects front line snapshots

Alium

Business is blooming at Barry’s ALIUM – and keeping THE HUMBLE ONION spirit alive


Sidebar

Looking for something to do?

The Ultimate Guide to What’s on in Wales!

See What’s On
BTP - Campaign

Buzz archives

Buzz Magazine

12 Gaspard Place
Barry
Vale Of Glamorgan
CF62 6SJ

[email protected]

Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertising
  • Editorial
  • Submit an Event
  • Write for Buzz
About Us
  • Our Story
  • Magazine
  • Buzz Learning
  • Media Services
  • FAQs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube


Copyright © 2022   |   All Rights Reserved   |   Buzz Magazine   


We are using cookie tracking to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we track and personalise your preferences in settings.

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.