Jean-Paul Sartre

Philosopher, Writer and Critic

Jean-Paul Sartre was the philosopher who turned existential anguish into a real way of life. Born in 1905, this slight Parisian became the great name of existentialism, defending the radical freedom of the individual - which, ironically, means that we live tormented by our own choices.

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Between cigarettes, he wrote classics such as ‘Being and Nothingness’ and ‘Nausea’, as well as having an open and philosophical relationship with Simone de Beauvoir. In 1964, he refused the Nobel Prize for Literature because he felt that titles and honours limited his independence - but, let's face it, saying ‘I refused the Nobel’ also has its charm. She died in 1980, leaving a legacy that to this day makes many people question whether she really has a purpose or is just pretending to.

Nausea