Gisèle Freund was one of 20th century's foremost photographers, with achievements in several areas: first-rate photojournalism, portraits of her century's most important writers, artists, and philosophers, and significant scholarly writings on photography. This volume, with more than 200 photographs spanning five decades and put together by the artist shortly before her death features, among others, Freund's coverage of the last pre-Nazi May Day rally in Frankfurt in 1932 and of the 1935 international writers conference in Paris; intimate early color portraits of Walter Benjamin, James Joyce, Sartre, Marcel Duchamp, Simone de Beauvoir, and many others; and her personal reminiscences, making the book a unique photographic diary of the 20th century. With an introductory essay by Christian Caujolle. #pioneeringwomen