To Live Is to Resist

This in-depth biography of Italian intellectual Antonio Gramsci casts new light on his life and writing, emphasizing his unflagging spirit, even in the many years he spent in prison. One of the most influential political thinkers of the twentieth century, Antonio Gramsci (18911937) has left an indelible mark on philosophy and critical theory. His innovative work on history, society, power, and the state has influenced several generations of readers and political activists, and even shaped important developments in postcolonial thought. But Gramscis thinking is scattered across the thousands of notebook pages he wrote while he was imprisoned by Italys fascist government from 1926 until shortly before his death. To guide readers through Gramscis life and works, historian Jean-Yves Frtign offers To Live Is to Resist, an accessible, compelling, and deeply researched portrait of an extraordinary figure. Throughout the book, Frtign emphasizes Gramscis quiet heroism and his unwavering commitment to political practice and resistance. Most powerfully, he shows how Gramsci never surrendered, even in conditions that stripped him of all powerexcept, of course, the power to think.