39 pages 1 hour read

Gaston Bachelard

The Poetics of Space

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1957

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard explores the human relationship with interior spaces, using phenomenology to delve into how different design elements evoke emotions and reconnect people with deeper parts of themselves. Bachelard examines how physical spaces, like homes, nests, and shells, foster imagination, memory, and consciousness, highlighting the dualities of interior and exterior, miniature and infinity, and their roles in human existence.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Gaston Bachelard's The Poetics of Space is celebrated for its profound exploration of the emotional resonance of spaces, blending philosophy with poetic reflection. Critics laud its insight into the human experience of architecture, but some find its dense prose challenging. Despite this, its innovative perspective continues to inspire readers and thinkers alike.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Poetics of Space?

A reader who delights in profound philosophical reflections on ordinary spaces, much like those explored in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own or Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, will find Gaston Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space captivating. They appreciate introspective and poetic analyses of how intimate environments shape the human psyche.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Philosophy

Arts / Culture

Genre

Philosophy

Classic Fiction

French Literature

Themes

Values/Ideas: Art

Values/Ideas: Beauty

Natural World: Place