Bernard Sichère's Alphabetical Manifesto 'Penser est une fête'

Bernard Sichère's new book 'Penser est une fête' (Thinking is a Celebration), published by Éditions Leo Scheer, takes the form of an abécédaire (alphabetical dictionary) but subverts the genre. While many recent pocket philosophy dictionaries offer mere 'reader's digest' summaries, Sichère's work combines pedagogical ambition with critical, subversive thinking. The book contains 24 entries from 'âme' (soul) to 'vivant' (living), passing through 'amour' (love), 'destin' (destiny), 'épiphanie' (epiphany), and 'sujet' (subject). It engages with contemporary issues such as the spectacle society and biologistic ideologies, while consistently referencing art and literature (Proust, Faulkner). The reflection is heavily influenced by Heidegger, but also defends the much-criticized 'pensée 68' (Barthes, Lacan). Sichère's central thesis is a renewed call for a subject conceived according to the Epiphany of Being, which is also the Truth of Love, formulated against and from within nihilism. Critic Philippe Forest notes that it is rare to read a book of reflection where every proposition seems justified and necessary.