A Life in Letters by Simone Weil and other authors Olivier Rey, Andre Devaux among others and translated by Nicholas Elliott is the collection of letters Simone Weil wrote to her family until her death at the young age of 34 in England still planning on going back to France to join the resistance against the Nazis.
Narrator Elisabeth Lagelee read Simone's letters with class and humor.
Weil, born in Paris to a Jewish family, wrote letters that were full of mundane things that make up daily life but also glimpses into her searching for a way to be of help during two times of violence. One was when Spain struggled against fascism during the Spanish Civil War and the other was her resistance to the Nazis. Her political activism was non stop and passionate although she stayed mostly in the shadows. The letters let us into her seeking spirituality and her idealism but her idealism caused her desire to show solidarity with victims of war and the people caught between with little food by not eating herself. She was always frail and suffered from vicious migraines. The reason for her death many believe was starvation but she had also contracted tuberculosis. The exact cause is unknown although her autopsy states cardiac failure.
Although there were many letters that were too brilliant for me to grasp fully, especially the math letters she shared with her mathematician brother, I enjoyed her humanity, her wonderful sense of humor even in horrible circumstances and her grasp of so many subjects. I wish she had lived long enough to find what she was looking for. I will definitely be reading more on her fascinating life. Her character is not to be questioned and her passion for people is above reproach. She is a wonderful subject to learn more about.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this audio book in return or my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Highbridge audio for an Audiobook ARC of this book!

This is a must read/listen for fans of Simone Weil. While having some knowledge of the work of Simone Weil may be helpful before picking up this title, it is definitely not necessary. These letters offer an intimate glimpse into the relationships and concerns of Weil during her life.

I would highly recommend picking up this title!