"Impassioned and full of detail, this is a fascinating snapshot of the period."Publisher's Weekly "Felsch's stance (well captured by his English translator, Tony Crawford) is that of a wry but sympathetic participant–observer. You end the book uncertain as to whether you should marvel at the grandiose pointlessness of it all, or celebrate a movement that put pure thought, accessed by careful reading and refined through intense discussions with comrades, at the very centre of life."Sheila Fitzpatrick, Australian Book Review"...evocative and brilliant...."European Journal of Social Theory"[A]n amazing book"Thesis Eleven“Felsch is a brilliant stylist and his book is a true joy to read… With the skills of a cultural historian, Felsch has given us a vivid and often entertaining portrait of intellectuals for whom theory was not simply an academic exercise but a way of life.”Boston Review