Gravity and Grace (Routledge Classics)

Simone Weil is mentioned several times in the correspondence of Thomas Merton and Czeslaw Milosz (compiled in the book "Striving Towards Being"). The favorable words of these admired authors made me curious to explore Weil's work. I started with "Gravity and Grace." For those also new to Weil's work I should point out this book is not a continuous narrative: it is a compilation of writings from the notebooks she entrusted to her friend Gustave Thibon before her death in 1943. For this reason the book reads like a series of thoughts--in some cases it seems Weil is trying to reason out a complex concept for herself in much the same way an artist might doodle or a scientist might scribble down formulas. I will admit there were parts of this book that were maddeningly confusing. However these were balanced with nuggets that I found to be entirely fresh and hopeful: "God's love for us is not the reason for which we should love him. God's love for us is the reason for us to love ourselves. How could we love ourselves without this motive?"I read "Gravity and Grace" from beginning to end, but it doesn't have to be consumed this way. In fact I will probably come back to this material repeatedly because there are many deep thoughts here that just need to be chewed over in that way. Since it is organized by topic you can pretty much dive into it wherever you like. I say go into this book with an open mind and a sufficient appetite for spiritual discovery.

I went through a philosophy heavy rhetoric program at UC Berkeley and never once heard Simone Weil's name. I discovered her through Stanford's Entitled Opinions podcast (which is excellent). I'm glad I did.This seems to be the book most people recommend to start with. It's pretty quick and shouldn't be too hard a read for most folks. I'd probably describe the style as aphoristic. You can pick different chapters to skip about in without losing much of an argument's thread. That said, you should totally read the whole thing.Weil's thought is complex, mystical, and challenging. This is a book that should probably be read a couple of times before any strong opinions are formed, so I'll just say this: I found her ideas to be very compelling, but I bristled a bit at her veneration of suffering.I can't wait to read more of her work.

She is talking about spiritual issues in a very novel language. It is like everyone that ever wrote about Christian spirituality wrote about it in terms of adherence to theology and she is writing about it like someone who found her way into it directly and organically, without the confusions of language. Then, having had this direct experience, she wrote about that instead of reacting to theology. As such, even though I am a post-christian, it is still fascinating and will become of great value as its meanings emerge in their own time.Oh, and beautiful book, by the way.

I bought this book many months ago and read portions of it without actually thinking critically of her views. It was only when I embarked on a water fast that I used this book as a daily meditation. I admire Simone Weil's unique intelligence, insight, and sensitivity to many of the fundamental topics of affliction, love, politics, etc. With acquired knowledge of physics, politics, history, philosophy and literature, Weil delivers poetic descriptions of topical subjects, although elusive at times there are sections that glow with profundity. I agree with Albert Camus that Simone Weil was one of the most luminous intelligence of the 20th century.

Simone Weil was an intellectual and mystic. Gravity and Grace, I gave three stars, in large part, because much of what she says is beyond my capacity, intellectual (and/or spiritual). The introduction explains Weil's "philosophy" and helps in understanding the book. Weil was a complicated and wonderful person. She was from a Jewish background and, according to her, was visited by Jesus in an experiential and profound way. She prayed the "Our Father," and often experienced mystical experiences --the presence of God. She was both a lover and critic of the Catholic Church. The little I do understand shows that she was a profound thinker. Waiting for God, another book with collections of writings by her is more understandable. For those with a mystical, theological bent the book is probably worth reading. I will keep it and revisit it from time to time, using it to try and glean some of her insights in the future. Hopefully, as I grow I will be able to appreciate some of her more piercing insights.

Weil is one of the most challenging Christian voices of the modern period. It is impossible to return from the sharp blade of any of her aphorisms without shedding a little blood.

Great book for anyone interested in mystical religions, or just Christianity in general. Basically, this book is essential for the looking at religions of all kinds with a more open mind and with more intellect.

The book is excellent!

This review is not about the content itself, which is beyond criticism. This edition, however, does not leave enough margins for the binding so it is quite challenging to read the portions of each line that bend inward toward the spine. I'm hoping it loosens up over time and can lay more flat, but I would find another edition if I were you.

Weil describes the deepest places of human thought and experience

Deep insights

Profoundly inspiring and thought provoking. One of the great thinkers of our time.

This is a collection of Simone's notes which she left with her friend Gustave Thibon, who decided to publish them, despite that not being the authors intention. There's some insightful philosophical and psyhchological speculation here, though just about everything that might be of practical use to the non saint is also available in the Penugine Anthology of Weil's work.The principal theme of the collection is an updated version of the guidance provided by St John of the Cross on how one can reach full union with God in this life. Now that is a narrow path at the best of times- Simone makes it sound much harder than St John does in his introductory guide 'the ascent of mount Carmel'', which I guess is a reflection of it being much harder to be a saint in the modern world compared to St John's time.The so called "negative path" to God involves the destruction of ones self from within. While one shouldn't deliberately seek affliction, if one is pursuing pure good without compromising with the world then afflication inevitably comes, which one should accept while refusing any form of compensation, especially imaginative ones such as the idea that you're suffering for a reason. Then, after some time, God manifests in the space opened up by the psychic wound.I found it all a bit shocking and half wish I hadnt read the book. I guess it will be valuable for very spiritual and self sacrificing people, especially if they're past the age when they have the kind of practical responsibilities which are incompatible with being a saint.