The first English-language biography of Henri Bergson, the philosopher who defined individual creativity and transformed twentieth century thought.
A “lively and deft biography of Bergson” The New York Times “
“[Herring] has a genius for condensing complex philosophical and scientific postulates into digestible bites” John Banville, The Nation
“Herring's account is intellectual history at its finest" The New Criterion
About
Emily Herring is a writer based in Paris. She studied philosophy at the Sorbonne and has a PhD in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Leeds.
Her first book, Herald of a Restless World. How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People, was selected by John Banville for the New Statesman’s Best Books of 2024 and featured in The New York Times’ “7 New Books We Recommend This Week.”
She writes regularly for the Times Literary Supplement, Aeon, and other publications, covering philosophy, intellectual history, and the history of science.
She is represented by Sophie Scard at Lexington Literary.
Recent writing
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Gen Z But Two Centuries Ago – AEON
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Press the Off Button – TLS
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Perfume and Butter: The literature of smell and taste – THE NEW WORLD
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Thinking with élan. A supremely stylish critic of scientific overreach - TLS
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The secret at the heart of Severance – THE NEW WORLD
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Henri Bergson, Celebrity - AEON
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I am scared I might stay like this forever - REVIEW 31
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Henri Bergson, philosopher à la mode –ENGLESBERG IDEAS
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Moina Mathers: High Priestess of the Belle Époque - ENGLESBERG IDEAS
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Laughter Is Vital - AEON
Praise for Herald of a Restless World
“[Herring] has a genius for condensing complex philosophical and scientific postulates into digestible bites” John Banville, The Nation
“Herring's account is intellectual history at its finest" The New Criterion
A “lively and deft biography of Bergson” The New York Times
“The most intellectually stimulating book I read this year.”John Banville, New Statesman’s Best Books of 2024
“Since the turn of this century, [Bergson] has begun to benefit from positive scholarly reassessment, of which Herring’s sensitive and compelling biographical study represents a welcome extension for the general reader.” The Times Literary Supplement
"Herring weaves together biographical detail with lucid accounts of [Bergson's] basic ideas. She has produced a much-needed reintroduction of Bergson to English-language readers." The Wall Street Journal
“Written in graceful prose and drawing a clear analogy with contemporary techno-optimism and its discontents, this captivates.”Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A solidly researched and earnestly accessible portrait of a creative, free-thinking intellect." Kirkus Reviews