“Sa vie, son œuvre” Reading Roussel with Foucault

Foucault’s monograph Raymond Roussel was published at a time when the philosopher was deeply interested in literary activity. This book, however, differs from the “literary” articles of 1963–1966, constituting an autonomous, labyrinthine world. Captivated by this singular experience, the thinker enters it as an explorer and chess player. There he encounters a singular subject who is constructed by his work, as a work—a subject named Roussel.