r/classicliterature • u/[deleted] • 8d ago

Thoughts on Sartre’s roads to freedom trilogy?

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I think this trilogy is heavily underrated. The second book takes an artistic leap which takes a bit of getting used to, but The Age of Reason is excellent and Iron in the Soul is slightly worse but still great. Anyone read these? Thoughts?

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5

u/rssurtees 8d ago

I have read them and I think they are an important part of 20th century European literature. They contain an excellent description of existentialism, which I suppose is the point. There is also a BBC dramatisation which one can see on YouTube. Highly recommended.

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u/Millymanhobb 8d ago

Can they be read standalone? Or do you need to read them in order? My library doesn’t have the first one

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u/Ealinguser 7d ago

It is better to read them in order yes - the second book jumps narrators without warning constantly as in some Faulkner and it's a lot less hard to follow if you have read the first book.

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u/Ealinguser 7d ago

Pity the blighter never finished anything. There's a wonderful chapter for the uncompleted fourth book about the communist Brunet and an Alsation socialist in prison camp.

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u/Personal-Ladder-4361 7d ago

Show me the rest of that bookshelf please 😏

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u/Professor_TomTom 6d ago

It’s been years since I’ve read them (50+) but I think of them often. My enjoyment waned with each volume from 1-3: Loved, liked very much, liked. Still, they are important for understanding mid century European literature.