How can we experience the absolute, this dimension inherent to all human existence? For millennia, the absolute was called God; after the French Revolution, it was brought to Earth in the form of Nation, then Class, or Race. Today, many people do not recognize themselves in these religious and political forms, yet they intend to renounce the absolute. Let each individual, then, undertake their own search, invent their own path. Three great artists of the recent past, Oscar Wilde, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Marina Tsvetaeva, situated this adventure in the depths of their existence. Unsatisfied with creating unforgettable works, they dedicated their lives to the service of beauty and perfection. This quest, however, led the first to physical and psychological decline, the second to profound depression, and the third to suicide. Why? Beauty Will Save the World is the novel of three passionate and tragic lives. The experience of Wilde, Rilke, and Tsvetaeva, explorers of the extreme, is not only moving but also prompts reflection: what constitutes a beautiful and meaningful life? By dedicating himself to understanding these destinies, Tzvetan Todorov offers us three superb portraits and, at the same time, a reflection on the art of living.
